Potato Soup

This is easy and delicious. I searched a lot of recipes before I came up with my own version of this soup. I took the best ideas and put them together for my version. It is pretty yummy.

6 med. size potatoes, peeled and cubed into 1 - 1 1/2 inch cubes
3 carrots, chopped
3 stalks of celery , chopped
1 large onion, chopped
6 slices of bacon cut into thin little pieces
4 Tbl. unsalted butter
8 Cups chicken broth
1 cup half and half
1/2 cup half and half mixed with 1 Tbl.all purpose flour
1-2 tsp. salt
 1 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. cajun seasoning
2 Tbl. minced parsley

Put soup pot over med-high heat and add the cut up bacon to the pan and fry till crisp. Using a slotted spoon, remove bacon to a bowl and set aside. Drain the rest of the bacon grease out of the pan and place back on the burner. Add the butter to pan and when it has melted throw in the onion, celery, and carrots and fry for 5 minutes  or till the veggies start to get tender. Add in the cubed potatoes, salt, pepper and cajun seasoning. stir. Pour in the broth and bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer till potatoes are very tender. Taste for seasoning. You can add more salt, pepper or cajun seasoning to your taste. I know that I adjust it every time I make it. Using an immersion blender, blend till about half the potatoes and veggies are blended up. Next pour in the 1 cup of half and half and continue to cook and bring back to a boil and mix in the half and half blended with flour. Stir to thicken the soup slightly. Add the parsley and stir. How much flour and milk you use is really dependent on how thick you liken your soup. Always adjust seasoning at the end as needed.
Enjoy!

Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Bacon and Chicken

We are trying once again to eat a little better. Not Paleo, not low fat, not low carb, just a healthy mix of them all. So this is something I whipped up to eat by itself or have with a little rice on the side. It is delicious.

My husband and boys loved it.

I tripled the following  recipe for my large family of Sasquatches.  This is what I did:

1 lb. brussel sprouts cleaned and sliced in half and placed on a baking sheet to roast
1 yellow onion sliced onto junks
6 slices of bacon cut into pieces
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
olive oil
salt
pepper

2 chicken breasts, or equivalent chicken tenders cleaned and sliced into thin strips (as if for a stir fry) and set aside

Dressing to drizzle over mix when done:
2 dijon or spicy mustard
1 1/2 tsp. apple cider vinegar
3 tsp. honey
mix together and set aside.

Heat oven to 400. Place cut brussel sprouts and onion on baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil and salt and pepper. Bake 20 minutes and then toss and place back in the oven for another 20 minutes or until the sprouts fork tender.

While brussel sprouts are roasting, book bacon pieces in large skillet till crisp. remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Pout all but 2 Tbl. of bacon grease off pan. Add chicken to hot bacon grease and fry till just cooked through. Remove and drain pan if necessary.
When brussel sprouts are done add to frying pan and add chicken and bacon and stir and heat all through. Mix in the dressing, walnuts and season to taste.