Homemade Potato Soup

The flu is raging with a vengeance, meaning homemade potato soup is on the stove.

Dave the Builder has informed me seven of his coworkers are currently out with the flu, and the office air is thick with the scent of Lysol.

We believe in doing everything you can to prevent catching the flu.

My one and only time to have the flu was an ugly, ugly experience.

I was out of commission for 6+ weeks with flu that turned to pneumonia quicker than I could say I don’t feel good.

Remembering that experience like it was yesterday, the Places In The Home household is in take charge mode to ward off the flu, including, but not limited to, brimming bowls of homemade potato soup.

Dave the Builder’s mom spoke of the healing powers of homemade potato soup, and who am I to argue with the wisdom of my mother-in-law?

I developed this rather uncomplicated to prepare and quite tasty recipe for homemade potato soup years ago when our son was in elementary school.

Sports, scouts and study schedules tend to dominate after school time, and the dinnertime hour gets pushed later and later more nights than not.

The kid, husband and mother-in-law loved it, instantly making it a classic family recipe.

Both cream of chicken soup and chicken broth hit the flavor notes with a little help from seasoning friends salt, pepper, onion powder and fresh parsley.

I have been known on occasion to add a heaping tablespoon of heavy cream to each bowl, and the crowd goes yum.

Homemade Potato Soup

Ingredients

6 medium to large russet potatoes

1 family size can cream of chicken soup

Salt and pepper to taste

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 cup chicken broth

5 cups 2% milk

Fresh parsley, chopped

Heavy cream (optional)

Directions

Bake the potatoes at 400°F for 1 hour OR microwave potatoes on full power until tender. Microwave cooking times will vary according to size and heating variance. Let baked potatoes stand until cool.

Using a fork, press each potato in center, splitting potato in half. Mash out the pulp and discard potato skins.

In a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, stir together the cream of chicken soup, potato pulp, salt, pepper, and onion powder.

Stir in the chicken broth and milk, stirring to incorporate flavors. Bring to a gentle boil.

Lower heat to simmer, add chopped parsley, and simmer uncovered until soup is creamy thick, about 10-15 minutes.

This Dutch oven is 65 years old – a wedding gift from my aunt to my parents.

If the soup becomes too thick, simply add more milk until desired consistency is reached.

Enjoy and stay well.

Southern Sweet Potato Puffs

Culinary contemplation over how I could up my holiday side dish game brought me to a delicious conclusion.

How ’bout pairing the highly holiday requested Southern Sweet Potato Casserole with the OMG as in oh my goodness of puff pastry.

Southern Sweet Potato Puffs it is!

Impressing the palates of those who gather together is a part of the holiday dinner and entertaining equation.

As someone who puts stock in the you eat with your eyes first approach to dining, the looks so good has to match up to the tastes so good.

Let’s begin with the recipe for Southern Sweet Potato Casserole.

Southern Sweet Potato Casserole

Ingredients

3 cups mashed sweet potatoes

1 cup packed brown sugar

2 eggs, beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon ground cloves

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

¼ cup milk

¼ cup Southern Comfort whiskey

1/3 cup butter, melted

For Topping:

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/3 cup flour

1 cup chopped pecans

1/3 cup butter, melted

Directions

Preheat oven to 350° F. Lightly spray a 2 quart baking dish with cooking spray. Boil sweet potatoes under tender. Carefully remove from heat, drain, peel and mash sweet potatoes.

In mixing bowl, mix together the mashed sweet potatoes, brown sugar, eggs, melted butter, milk, vanilla extract, Southern Comfort, ground cloves and ground nutmeg.

Spread mixture evenly in prepared baking dish.

In a separate mixing bowl, mix together brown sugar, chopped pecans, flour, and melted butter.

Spoon over sweet potato mixture.

Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean.

Southern Sweet Potato Puffs

Ingredients

southern sweet potato casserole for filling

1 box puff pastry sheets

1 egg

flour

Directions

Allow the casserole to cool before using as the filling for the puffs.

The reason I elect to fill the puff pastry with cooked sweet potato casserole is to work with a dryer filling.

Baking off the casserole absorbs the liquids into the baked casserole, and makes it easier to work with a firmer filling.

The next step in the making of Southern Sweet Potatoes Puffs brings puff pastry into the mix.

I used the defrost in the refrigerator overnight method of thawing the puff pastry sheets.

Unfold 1 puff pastry sheet and place on lightly floured countertop or large baking sheet. Roll puff pastry out using a lightly floured rolling pin. Lightly dust pastry sheet with flour.

Using a knife, cut the pastry sheet into six (6) squares.

Spoon 1 tablespoon of the Southern Sweet Potato Casserole mixture in the center of each pastry square.

Pull corners of each square up over the filling and twist at top to seal. Repeat with the remaining pastry sheet.

Place the pastry squares onto a large baking sheet that has been lightly sprayed with cooking spray.

Beat 1 egg and 1 teaspoon of water together in a small bowl with a fork.

Brush each puff with the egg mixture.

Bake for 20 minutes or until puffs are golden brown.

Note: Southern Sweet Potato Puffs make an excellent small bite appetizer for the holiday cocktail hour.

Kick Up The Fall Flavor Spiced Apples

Ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg and ground cloves sprinkled over peeled and chopped apples kick up the fall flavor in this recipe for spiced apples.

It most certainly is beginning to look, smell and taste a lot like fall and yes, even the holidays.

Earlier and earlier we see holiday articles and postings in our inboxes and social pages, and who can blame those of us who find fall and holiday decorating, cooking and baking news so shareworthy.

October through December is the most wonderful and delicious time of the year.

flickr

Into every unseasonably warm fall day some rain must fall for the cold front to move through that’s bringing highs in the low 60s and lows in the low 40s.

Hanging out in the kitchen cooking is oddly relaxing and a great way to spend a rainy day afternoon.

The Home for the Holidays season is right around the corner (can you believe it?), and the sweet and savory recipes to holiday impress by aren’t going to develop themselves.

Do you know what a bowl of softening apples is called?

Recipe inspiration.

Our local grocery store sells bags of day old produce for $1.00.

My mother, the produce whisperer, hit the market at the precise moment the produce manager was putting out the marked down bags.

She got the price pick of the day, and the deal dished this recipe for spiced apples.

I washed and peeled six apples of assorted variety and color, searched the spice inventory and refrigerator for what’s on hand ingredients, and proceeded to recipe develop.

This recipe is really a no-brainer based on the natural connection between the fruits, flavors and spices we associate with the taste of fall.

Here’s what I came up with.

Spiced Apples

Ingredients

6 apples, peeled and chopped

1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon ground cloves

¼ cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 generous Tablespoon fig preserves

2 generous Tablespoons orange marmalade

1 Tablespoon molasses

2 Tablespoons butter

Directions

Preheat oven to 300°. Lightly butter baking dish and set aside. Wash, peel and chop six medium size apples.

Place apples in baking dish. Squeeze the lemon juice over the apples. Sprinkle ground cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg over apples.

Add the brown sugar and stir gently to coat apples.

Stir in 1 generous Tablespoon fig preserves and 2 generous Tablespoons orange marmalade. Spread apples in single layer in baking dish.

Lightly drizzle molasses over apples. Cut butter into small pieces and place on top of the apple mixture. Bake uncovered at 300° for 45 minutes.

Spiced apples pair deliciously with pork tenderloin or spiral ham.

Spiced apples scrumptiously complement a slice or two of toasted pecan-pumpkin bread.

Pecan-Pumpkin Bread Recipe from Southern Living

Spiced apples lend the perfect taste of fall to a scoop of vanilla ice cream drizzled with honey.

Hungry yet?

Fall Traditions of Kitchen Style, Spice and Seasoning

Spending time in the Places In The Home kitchen on a fall afternoon coincides with traditions of kitchen style, spice and seasoning rooted in memories dating back to the little kitchen in our first home where my love of developing recipes inspired by the tastes of the fall ~autumn season all began.

Designing, decorating and stocking the kitchen, pantry and cupboard with personal style, staples and spices became an adventure in discovery of taste and tastes.

When fall comes around each year, the memories flood my mind reminding me these are special times for making fall traditions of kitchen style, spice and seasoning.

The crimson and gold Anjou and Bosc pears from the produce section of our local Kroger colorfully complemented my fall dining room decorating scheme, but as it goes with fresh fruit and shelf life, nothing lasts forever.

Once photographed and admired, it’s time to give thought to delicious ways of putting a seasonal spin on it.

Tradition is the key ingredient of my recipes.

The recipes and kitchen philosophies of my great grandmother, my darling Mama Two, inspire and influence the salads, entrees and desserts developed and prepared in the Places In The Home test kitchen.

Mason Cash Mixing Bowls

I leave myself a mixing bowl full of wiggle room by referring to the Places In The Home kitchen as a test kitchen. If a recipe exceeds taste expectations, my kitchen is the culinary kingdom in which I rule over complete with crown roast and wooden spoon scepter. If a recipe fails, then my kitchen is simply a test kitchen where taste perfection is not an absolute and I remind the family that Domino’s delivers.

A jar of Mrs. Bridges fig preserves is my autumn jam. Fig and pear preserves were a Mama Two staple, especially in her baked goods that I associate with fall traditions of kitchen style, spice and seasoning. Isn’t it funny the things that play traditional fall favorites with our memory? It’s a question asked and deliciously answered by the fresh pear salad with sour cream, fig preserves and honey I came up with.

Fresh.

Delicious.

The taste of fall on an vintage porcelain dessert plate.

Slice a fresh pair of your flavor choice in two. Using a spoon, gently spoon out the center of each pear half. Place each pear halves core side up on a plate. Spoon ½-1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice over pear halves. Spoon a generous dollop of sour cream into center of each pear half. Top sour cream with 1 heaping teaspoon of fig preserves. Lightly drizzle honey over pear halves.

A perfect union of flavors for a fresh fall salad option, and a gathering of ideas for fall kitchen style, spice and seasoning.

Pin to Table Favorites: Main Dish Recipes from Pinterest

Sharing is a big part of Places In The Home, and I’m thrilled to share these main dish recipes from Pinterest with you all today.

The concept of sharing useful tidbits of interior decorating information and striking images of all things house that make a home interest to social media platforms is genius.

The knowledge gained, friends made, inspiration gleaned makes the experience so worthwhile.

During a recent ringing the dinner bell pinning session, it occurred to me a blog post of select recipes from Pinterest as featured on my A Taste Odyssey Pinterest board may pique your Pinterest interest, and make for an inspiring and appetizing show and tell.

Rather you call the evening meal dinner or supper, you’ll call these pin to table main dish recipes from Pinterest favorites.

I’m including the original link to each recipe so you can check it out.

Melt in Your Mouth Caesar Chicken

Melt in Your Mouth Caesar Chicken from The Cookie Rookie is made with only 3 ingredients. Recipe link:

Melt In Your Mouth Caesar Chicken

Fried Pork Chops with Peas and Potatoes

Southern Living recipes hold a delicious spot near and dear to my heart. This Fried Pork Chops with Peas and Potatoes Recipe ranks high on the mighty tasty, y’all list.

Fried Pork Chops with Peas and Potatoes Recipe

Creamy Four Cheese Garlic Spaghetti Sauce

This recipe for Creamy Four Cheese Garlic Spaghetti Sauce from Julia’s Album is a favorite.

Creamy Four Cheese Garlic Spaghetti Sauce

Salisbury Meatballs and Mashed Potatoes

The newlywed couple called home last night from IKEA to share their latest wedding gift purchase.

The subject of IKEA, meatballs and the concept of a furniture store-restaurant pairing got me to thinking and craving meatballs.

This recipe for Salisbury Meatballs with Mashed Potatoes from Maya Kitchenette is comfort food fantastic.

Salisbury Meatballs with Mashed Potatoes

Easy Crock Pot French Dip Sandwiches

The first three words in this recipe for Easy Crock Pot French Dip Sandwiches from Fox Valley Foodie qualify it as a must try.

Factor in the ooh la la licious tastes brought forth by combining French onion soup, beef consomme and Guinness beer together with beef roast rump roast and you’ve got a crowd pleasing easy dinner option.

Easy Crock Pot French Dip Sandwiches

Town & Country

What Julia said.

Bon Appetit.

Big Flavor for a Small Supper: Ranch Quick Bread

The hotter it gets in the dog days of summer, the less time spent in the kitchen cooking and baking the better.

Yes, I know we live in the modern age of central air, but the excuse of it’s too hot to cook gets me out of many a late summer what’s for dinner dilemma.

That’s where this recipe for Ranch Quick Bread comes in.

This easy to mix, quick to fix, and deliciously filling Ranch Quick Bread recipe hits the spot with big flavor for a small supper.

Ranch Quick Bread

Ingredients

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 package dry Ranch seasoning mix- 1 ounce size

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon black pepper

2 large eggs

1 cup buttermilk**

½ stick unsalted butter, melted

1 cup cottage cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray.

Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, onion powder, garlic powder and pepper in a large mixing bowl. Set aside.

Whisk the eggs, buttermilk, and melted butter in a medium bowl until combined.

** How to Make Homemade Buttermilk:

Add 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar to 1 cup milk. Let stand at room temperature 5 to 10 minutes.

Add the cottage cheese and stir to combine.

Pour mixture into the flour mixture.

Gently fold ingredients together until the flour is incorporated.

Spoon batter into loaf pan. Bake 50 minutes until golden brown or until knife inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean.

Allow bread to cool in loaf pan for 10-15 minutes.

Transfer bread from pan to bread board or wire rack or serving tray. Allow bread to cool for 15 minutes before slicing and serving.

Wrap any leftover bread in waxed paper and store in airtight container. I added fresh rosemary sprigs to canister for good seasoning measure.

Summer Fabulous in a Jar: Lavender Rose Summer Body Scrub

The look of summer fabulous does not just happen. Getting our decor, porches, patios, decks, lawns and gardens summer wow ’em ready comes with a fair amount of work. Unfortunately, this labor of summer outdoor living love does not go unnoticed on the hands, feet and elbows of those who do the time in the summer salt mines putting a lot of elbow grease into it by performing the let’s pretty things up around here task at hand. Consulting my handy dandy Thesaurus for a nicer word for work, I thought these synonyms for the word work make a point.

Task at hand.

Elbow grease.

Salt mines.

Hand. Grease (oil). Salt. I’m thinking a sweet summer season body scrub is in order.

Targeted emails, BOGOS and promo codes complement the necessary essential oils order needed to create the latest addition to my DIY beauty scrub recipe collection. Let me introduce you to a fabulous summer hand, feet and body beauty treatment– Lavender Rose Summer Body Scrub.

I almost forgot to add this little tidbit of inspired information to the post.

Godinger Hershey’s Kiss Candy Dish

Back at Christmastime I ordered the crystal replica of the Hershey’s Kiss from Godinger Crystal for Dave the Builder’s Christmas stocking gift. The busy shipping elves at Godinger mistakenly sent me a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup dish instead of the Hershey’s Kiss dish. One quick and courteous call to customer service later, the issue professionally became a non-issue resulting in a sweet deal. With all this talk and type of the rule of kiss aka keep it summer simple, container inspiration stylishly struck.

I spooned ¼ cup of the scrub into the kiss dish and added a few of the dried lavender buds for keeping it lavender rose summer body scrub stylishly scented and summer scrub simple.

I keep the remaining scrub in a lidded jar, the lavender buds nearby in a lovely vintage dish. The pairing of lavender and rose together is summer scent divine!

Lavender Rose Summer Body Scrub

½ cup sugar
½ cup kosher sea salt
½ cup coconut oil, melted
10 drops lavender essential oil
10 drops rose essential oil
1 tablespoon dried lavender buds

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl. Spoon scrub into a lidded jar of choice and seal tightly. Scrub will keep for several weeks.

C’est Si Bon of Home: Crawfish Cheesecake

Louisiana cooking often begins with Louisiana Cookin’. When the local crowd craves the c’est si bon of home or culinary curiosity piques the palate of the connoisseur in seasoned search of what Louisiana cuisine is all about, Louisiana Cookin’ magazine details the Louisiana lagniappe.

Featuring delectable details of our unique culture, cuisine and recipes to beat the jazz band, Louisiana Cookin’ is the guide we consult. Crawfish is in season, and this recipe for Crawfish Cheesecake places the season and seasoning spotlight on the regional delicacy and c’est si bon of home.

Crawfish Cheesecake

Ingredients

½ (13.7-ounce) box Ritz crackers

1 cup unsalted butter, melted

½ pound andouille sausage, sliced

½ pound crawfish tail meat

¼ cup chopped fresh jalapeño pepper

24 ounces cream cheese, softened

1/3 cup sour cream

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme

1 teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

3 large eggs

½ cup Crawfish Beurre Blanc, recipe follows

Directions

Preheat oven to 325°. In the bowl of a food processor, add crackers, and process until finely chopped. In a medium bowl, combine cracker crumbs and butter. Press mixture into bottom and 1 inch up sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Bake 10 minutes; set aside.

In a medium skillet over medium high heat, add sausage, and cook until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add crawfish and jalapeño, and cook until jalapeño softens, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Set aside, and let cool.

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sour cream with a mixer at medium speed until creamy. Gradually add crawfish mixture, thyme, salt, and pepper, and beat until combined. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until just combined after each addition.

Pour cream cheese mixture over prepared crust. Set springform pan in a roasting pan, and fill with water half-way up the sides of the springform pan. Bake until set and cheesecake jiggles lightly in the center, about 1 hour. Remove from oven, and let cool completely on a wire rack. Cover, and refrigerate at least 4 hours or up to 3 days before serving. Serve with Crawfish Beurre Blanc, if desired. Serves 8

Crawfish Beurre Blanc

2 teaspoons vegetable oil

¼ pound crawfish tail meat

¼ cup chopped shallot

1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided

½ cup dry white wine

½ cup white wine vinegar

1 tablespoon hot sauce

4 sprigs thyme

1 tablespoon peppercorns

2 cloves garlic

½ cup heavy whipping cream

1 cup unsalted butter, cubed

Directions

In a medium skillet over medium-high heat, add oil. Stir in crawfish, shallot, and ½ teaspoon salt; cook until shallot is tender, about 3 minutes. Set aside, and let cool.

In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, combine wine, vinegar, hot sauce, thyme, peppercorns, and garlic, and cook until reduced by one-third, about 15 minutes. Strain liquid through a fine mesh strainer; return liquid to pan.

Add cream, and cook until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 10 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low. Stir in butter, one cube at a time, until butter is melted and the sauce is smooth; stir in remaining ½ teaspoon salt. Stir in crawfish mixture. Serve immediately. Serves 6.

Louisiana Cookin’