Yummy Mashed Potato Soup for dinner!

I am not a menu planner, but I am trying... I like to try new recipes every so often.  Allrecipes.com is seriously one of my favorite sites for new recipes, but I also collect cook books!  Anyways... I have been trying to use up all of our leftovers and trying to plan menus so that if I have any leftovers from meal #1 I can put it right into meal #2.

I have had a container of mashed potatoes sitting in the fridge for about a week.  I kept trying to remember to make gravy and have the potatoes with whatever meal we were having, but they never sounded good to me.  Well, tonight was make or toss night for leftovers...
Enter Rachel Ray and her fabulous Mashed Potato Soup recipe!

The kids loved it!  May was not a huge fan, but I think she was a little distracted my the mini oyster crackers I gave her for her soup.  I took some to Mike at work, so I haven't heard back from him yet, but he's an Idaho boy, so anything with potatoes is usually a hit with him!!

So here's the recipe.  Hope you have a chance to try it soon!  It is definitely a keeper for this family!

Mashed Potato Soup

Ingredients

Drizzle of EVOO - Extra Virgin Olive Oil

6 slices bacon, chopped

4 tablespoons butter

1 medium onion, chopped

4 tablespoons flour

1 quart chicken stock

2 cups leftover mashed potatoes

8 ounces shredded yellow cheddar cheese

Chopped chives, for garnish

 

In a medium pot or Dutch oven, heat a drizzle of EVOO over medium-high heat. Add bacon and cook until crispy. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate and reserve.

Drain off excess bacon fat from the pot and add butter. When it is melted, add the onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle flour into the pot and cook with a wooden spoon for 1 minute. Whisk in the chicken stock and bring to a bubble. Cook until slightly thickened, about 2-3 minutes.

Whisk in mashed potatoes, then stir in the cheddar cheese with a wooden spoon and cook until the potatoes are hot and the cheese is melted.

Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with the reserved bacon and chopped chives.

It's "Clean Out Your Fridge" Weekend!

Otherwise known as "Leftover Weekend". 
I have to seriously clean out my refrigerator & use up all the leftovers.  I also need to cook at home a little a lot more!  I HATE to cook, but I love to try new recipes and alter them to fit my family's likes & dislikes.  I have not been cooking much lately and I bet my kids are sick of having cereal or mac n cheese for dinner.  I also need to clean my refrigerator out so that I can have housing maintenance come out and replace it because my freezer isn't working.  It makes ice, and freezes hamburger solid, but the juice concentrate I put in there 2 weeks ago is still liquid!  Weird!
So anyways... I had a big container of leftover refried beans in there & really didn't want them to go to waste, so I searched my favorite site for some recipes.  I found a great Burrito Casserole recipe, but then I remembered that I no longer have a 9x13 casserole dish ( it was glass & I hated it so I gave it to Mindy!).  Bummer too, because it would have been the perfect recipe to make ahead and freeze (if my freezer worked).  I also really wanted to make soup today.  It's the perfect soup weather: breezy, chilly, frosty & perfect!  So, off to Swagbucks to search for a good soup recipe!
My search landed me @ Richard Mann's recipe for Refried Bean Soup.  I altered it a little to include what I had on hand (as I am still in my pj's and AM NOT going to the store again today!!).  I also wanted to do it in the crock pot so it would be available when we were ready for it.  So here it goes.  I am publishing my very first recipe.  Try it & let me know what you think, but Be gentle with me!

Autumn Refried Bean Soup

Serves: a lot ;)

1 lb lean burger

1/4 lg white onion, finely chopped

1 Tbs minced garlic (approx 3 cloves.  Use more or less to taste, I love garlic so I use a lot)

1 16oz jar mild salsa

refried beans (I used my leftovers from when I made my own with about 1/2 lb dry pinto beans, looks 

           like about 3 cups, original recipe called for 1 30oz can of your favorite flavor)

1 can 14 oz chicken/beef broth (I used chicken bullion and 2 cups of water)

1 tsp Cumin

1/2 tsp chili powder (More or less to taste)

1) Saute Onion and garlic on medium heat until translucent, add Burger & brown. Drain any excess grease/liquid.

2) Meanwhile add refried beans and broth to Crock Pot turn on to high.

3) Add salsa to burger & stir over medium heat for about 5 minutes.

4) Add Burger mixture & spices to Crock Pot & stir until thoroughly mixed.

Cook on high for 2 hours (or until you are ready to eat), Stirring occasionally.

Serve with Shredded Cheddar Cheese & tortilla chips.

I hope I have written this right.  If you have any alterations or tips let me know!  Please don't steal my recipe without giving me credit (I'm kinda proud of it).

Thanks to my brother, Kevin, for teaching me how easy it is to make refried beans!

Have a great Fall Day!