Potato Soup

In December 1985 things were rough. I was pregnant with Valarie, money was very tight to non-existant. It was still another week until I got paid. I was hungry. I searched around the kitchen to find something to cook. Finally I found 2 or 3 potatoes and an onion. I decided to make potato soup. I had some chicken broth cubes so I added them to some water and heated it, diced the onion and added it, salt and pepper and peeled and diced the potatoes and added them. It was done. Rick, bless his heart, decided it needed more pepper. I had already added plenty. He added more and more until we couldn't eat it! We found some change and bought some gas and went to mom's until I got paid the next Friday. Rick would frequently tell that story and add: "and she won't let me live it down" haha. He loved potato soup! He had it often. I like to cook with Campbells potato soup. I add it to my chicken pot pie. That recipe is somewhere in this blog.....

Potato Soup
1 onion (sweet) sauteed in 1 tbsp oil or bacon drippings
1 or 2 ribs celery sauteed with the onion
2 cans chicken broth
1 to 2 cans water
1 bag steam and mash potatoes uncooked
or peel, wash and cube 7 to 9 potatoes
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients and simmer over low heat until potatoes are tender. I saute the onion and celery in the pan I am cooking the soup in.

You can add shredded cheese to your taste, bacon bits, sour cream as desired. Some folks like to add a small block of cream cheese to the soup to add richness.

Crock Pot Meatballs!

Make meatballs from previous post and bake as directed. Remove from pan, and add to crock pot. Next take 1 1/2 cups grape jelly, heat in sauce pan until smooth. Add 2 bottles Heinz Chili Sauce. Next, stir in 1/3 cup light brown sugar. Pour over meatballs, warm in crock pot until hot. Serve. **don't over cook!

These make good appetizers at dinners or shower snacks. You can also use the sauce with the little smokies or buy frozen meat balls, just cook them before adding to sauce.

After you are finished cooking, get a little sugar from sweet babies.....

Janice's Meat Balls

So today I was on break in the back room having lunch, looking at facebook on my iPhone. I came across my sister-in-law Janice's recipe for home made meat balls so I thought I would post it. It looks so good.....Make small ones for spaghetti and try making larger ones and serve with spaghetti sauce heated on sandwich buns as meatball sandwiches....forget subway. And these don't look like they are very difficult to make and would taste so much better than store bought. I can't wait to try them! For you cheese lovers make a sandwich of them and add freshly grated Parmesan!

Meatballs:
1 1/4 pounds ground chuck or ground round
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese ( I would leave this out lol )
2 cloves garlic chopped
salt and pepper

Directions

1. Combine beef, garlic, egg, cheese, salt and pepper.
2. Blend bread crumbs into meat mixture. The mixture should be very moist but still hold its shape if rolled into meatballs. Shape into meatballs.
3. Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Fry meatballs in batches. When the meatball is very brown and slightly crisp remove from the heat and drain on a paper towel.
4. OR Janice bakes hers for 10 minutes in a preheated 425 degree oven.