Soup Contest Winners

Recently I received an LDS Living magazine with soup recipe contest winners printed in the pages. So far I have made two of the soups and have loved them both, so I figured I would share them with all of you.

1st Runner-up: Creamy Potato Soup

10 medium potatoes, cubed
14 slices bacon, sliced into 1/2" slices
1 small sweet onion, finely diced
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese (at room temp and sliced)
1 cup unsalted butter
4 cups 1% milk
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup flour
Salt & pepper
3 cups potato water (from boiling potatoes)

Place cubed potatoes in a large pot and cover them with water. Add salt for flavoring and bring to a boil. Cook until tender and remove the 3 cups of potato water to a separate bowl. Drain remaining water off potatoes.

While potatoes are boiling, cook bacon until golden brown. Reserve some of the drippings, add the onions and cook until transparent.

In large saucepan, melt butter, and with a whisk stir in 1 cup of flour slowly to incorporate. Slowly add 2 cups milk into the roux, making sure to stir constantly to avoid lumps. Slowly add sliced cream cheese to mixture, stirring until well blended. Add 1 cup milk, along with 1/2 cup sour cream, and incorporate into mixture. Slowly add up to 3 cups of reserved potato water. Sauce should be consistency of a medium-thick gravy. Salt and pepper sauce to desired taste.

Mix together bacon, potatoes, onions, and cream sauce to serve. If there are leftovers, add extra milk or water when re-heating to achieve a desired consistency.

Makes approx 14 servings


Rainy Day Ravioli Soup

4 cups chicken broth
1 Jar of your favorite spaghetti sauce
1/2 diced yellow or white onion
1 strip bacon, diced
1 tsp minced garlic
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1 can corn
1 cup julienne carrots
1 bag frozen cheese ravioli
1 lb ground beef
2 tbs olive oil
salt & pepper
optional: 1 can Italian-style stewed tomatoes (I added them and it gave it a good flavor.)

In heavy stock pot, saute bacon, red pepper flakes, and onion in olive oil until bacon begins releasing its fat and onion begins to soften. Add ground meat and garlic and cook until meat is browned and almost cooked through. Add corn, carrots, chicken broth, and spaghetti sauce to the pan and bring to a boil. Turn down to a simmer and add in the ravioli. cook according to time recommendations on package. Salt and pepper to taste.

Enjoy!

Winter Wonderland

Since school ended a wonderful time of year has been here...Christmas Time!
Yes I have worked a lot since other teachers took some days off and Kris has worked less since his department closed early a couple of days. I love my job working with the kids though and it gave me something to do instead of sit around the house. My house has not been cleaned perfectly as I planned though... hehe oh well.

We had a wonderful Christmas with my family...Saturday we spent preparing for Christmas day and being lazy. That night we watched a movie about our Saviors birth and life that really shows the story in a way that makes it really real. I believe it is called "The Nativiy". We also opened pajamas that my Mom made us. Kris and I got matching monkey ones and they are even long enough for him and short enough for me since they are specially made! After we opened the pj's we decided to take pictures...Kris' bright idea was to throw me over his shoulder. This may be alright but Kris is tall, the ceiling is low and my head smacked right into it. Not the best moment of my married life.

Christmas Eve night I could not sleep of course... Ever since I was little I have had a hard time sleeping until I get to see my presents from Santa. I know I sound like a little kid but thats how I am. This year my presents from "Santa" were wrapped in my stocking so I watched Christmas Movies with Catherine.

Christmas Day we got up and went to Church. I hardley know any of the 4th ward anymore. Its good that The Phillips still sit on the 2nd row and my family sits right behind them...Solae' passed me some jelly beans during Sacrament Meeting... Hehe Its good to have friends at church. The spirit was really wonderful too and I so enjoyed the primary and young womens' singing Christmas songs.

We went home and opened presents and Kris even surprised me with some gifts like slippers, hiking sandals, and nerf guns! He also got me some jewelery, a gps and boots. I only surprised him with shower gel! Oh well, he wanted the rest of the stuff I got him. I wanted to get him a nice argyle sweater but he doesnt like the argyle pattern so that was a no go... Anyone else want to buy stuff for their spouse that they dont like? I think we should form a support group.

After presents we ate a wonderful breakfast of Monkey Bread and chili Egg Puff (ask my mom for the recipe if it sounds good because it is delicous!) We have had it for many years for Christmas breakfast and I even made the Monkey Bread last year when we were at Kris' moms house!

Then we took a nap...a much needed nap which was very nice. I think after we took a nap we started dinner, my brother came over and then played Catch Phrase!

It was a lovely Christmas and we so enjoyed time with family...we love our family so much we even took family pictures the next day! hehe

For New Years we spent the weekend in Taylorsville at Kris' sisters house with her family and their mom. We played games, watched movies, ate icecream, pizza and hot chocolate. Just some of my favorite things!

Now its back to school for me and Kris and back to the real world. Little kids that ignore me but can be so cute and forgetting to take their blankets or gloves out of my coat pocket. Kris is still enjoying his job although some people are like little kids.

We hope you all had a wonderful Christmas, a happy New Year!