Potato Soup

I realize as I add this that this is my third potato recipe in a row. I like potatoes but I truthfully never thought I liked them this much.

This recipe came courtesy of an old Penzey's Spices catalog. They advocate using their spices. While it's not a requirement, of course, I highly recommend doing so; their spices really are just that much better.

Potato Soup

8 strips bacon cut into 1/2 inch strips
2 medium onions, peeled and minced
2 stalks celery, peeled and minced
3 carrots peeled and diced
1 tsp. marjoram
1/2 tsp. thyme
3 c. potatoes, peeled and cubed
4 tbsp. flour
2 qts. chicken stock
1 big pinch saffron threads
1 tbsp. parsley flakes
salt and ground pepper to taste

Cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Don't heat too high, as you will use some of the bacon drippings and they shouldn't be too dark. Remove bacon to a paper towel. Drain off all but 2 tbsp. drippings. Add onions, carrots, celery, marjoram and thyme; stir. Cover and cook on low for ten minutes. Add potatoes, stir to coat and cook for fifteen minutes. Push vegetables to side and add flour 1 tbsp. at a time; mix with vegetables when all incorporated. Add the bacon, cook for 5 minutes. Add 1 qt. chicken stock; stir until smooth. Add the rest of the stock and bring to a boil. Add saffron threads. Reduce heat to simmer for about 30 minutes until potatoes are thoroughly cooked. Add parsley flakes, taste and season with salt and pepper.

Yield: About 12 cups soup
Prep time: 15 minutes

Now, I will confess I had to improvise a bit. I decided to make this tonight on a whim and didn't have all the necessary components. Instead of bacon I used ground beef (what can I say, I was really in the mood for meat), instead of marjoram I used oregano and (here's where it gets really dicey) instead of saffron I used cardamom.

I've been smelling it and tasting it for twenty minutes now and, I have to say, it's fabulous. I'm sure it would be better with the bacon and saffron, but I'm still anxious to dip into a big old bowl.

Baked Potatoes

Baked potatoes have always been an easy, emergency staple for our family, but after I heard Alton Brown (Superdad's hero) talk about this easy trick for them, I've loved them even more.

I used to just poke holes in the potatoes, stick 'em in the oven and that was it.

Now I toss them in olive oil and a generous helping of kosher salt and yum; it makes a world of difference.

Mrs. Butland's Potatoes

Mrs. Butland was a good friend of my parents' while I was growing up and, in addition to be an incredibly interesting woman, she was a wonderful cook.

I don't know how often she made these potatoes. For all I know she made them once for Mom when she was a guest at the Butlands' farm. Regardless, for all of my life they've been known as Mrs. Butland's potatoes and Mrs. Butland's potatoes they shall remain.

They're a special dish and Mom always made them on Christmas Eve after all the hustle and bustle of present wrapping and baking was done. My stepdad, mom, brother and I would sit down to a peaceful dinner with soothing Christmas carols softly playing in the background, the kitchen's Christmas tree's white lights softly glowing and a plate of delicious food that, as far as I can remember, always included these potatoes.

Since marrying and missing out on that evening's tradition at Mom's house I've begun making them for my husband and kids on Christmas Eve. And now that Mom is gone, tomorrow I will make the potatoes for the same crew that she once made the potatoes for, along with my husband and kids, my dad, stepmom (BadgerCook) and sister (Bakerbabe), and my stepdad's girlfriend and her daughter.

Mrs. Butland's Potatoes

6-7 large potatoes, peeled and grated*
2 large onions, finely grated*
heavy cream (about 16 ounces)
butter (about half a stick, plus more for greasing pan)
salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Take a shallow baking dish-- I usually use a large glass pie pan-- and butter it very generously. Spread onions into pie pan. Add potatoes to the grated onions in the pie dish and stir them so that the mixture is evenly distributed.

Add a generous amount of salt and pepper and stir in.

Pour cream until entire mixture is barely covered. Place dollops of butter all over the top. Bake until liquid is nice and thick and the potatoes are starting to brown. This usually takes about 30 minutes, possibly 45 depending on the oven.

*Mom swore up and down that you should NOT use a food processor for the grating. I do and haven't noticed that it affects the potatoes adversely.