I got bored.

I got bored with my blog as it currently stands. I feel the need to do something different. I still plan on posting all the stupid things that I encounter and to make my rants here when I feel the need to do so...

But I find that while I'm surrounded by the stupid, not all of it is blog worthy and my posts have diminished considerably.

That and the Nigerian Scammers are getting lazy. Used to be I'd get these wonderful poorly written essays on why it sucks to be them and why I should be grateful for a chance to help them out and get some of that "Phat Cash" I'm helping them smuggle/embezzle/steal/keep out of the hands of bastard relatives/etc.

Now It's "Contact me for a financial opportunity".

Bo-ring!

So it's time to use this blog for more things. To lighten it up and chronicle interesting things like new recipies that the wife and I experiment with. Comments on the positive things that happen in the world as well as the negative. To boldly go where every other blogger has gone before!

Cue Star Trek music

So to start off....

Many of my friends (and several family members) have tried the evolved concoction that is our Potato Soup. With the exception of the extremely picky eaters (how you cook for that man Steffie I'll never know), everyone has stated that it is awesome to the extreme.

So I'm posting the recipe now that it's getting around to cold weather season and a hearty soup/stew is always a good thing.

Potato Soup

This can be done in the slow cooker or on the stove top depending on the time you have. Either works equally well and it all depends on whether you're willing to wait or want it ready within an hour of getting home.

• Phase 1 - The soup base
• 6 Potatoes, peeled and chopped.
• 1 cup chopped Onion
• 2 Carrots thinly sliced.
• 4 cups Chicken Broth (now you can use stock or if you have a quality bouillon and not that uber-hard cube of nearly pure salt you can use that to make the broth)
• 1 tsp Basil
• 1 tsp Oregano
• 1 tsp Thyme
• 1 tsp Salt (Don't skip this ingredient. Salt in moderation is fine and potatoes need salt to enhance their flavor)
• 1/2 tsp Ground Black Pepper
• 1 leftover Ham Bone (optional, but trust me on this...freeze and save that Christmas Ham Bone)
• Real Bacon (optional but highly suggested if you don't have a ham bone - Heck! Put in both for even more flavor)
• Phase 2 - The thickening and final cook
• 1/4 cup All-Purpose Flour
• 1-1/4 cup Light Cream or Half-n-Half
• 1/2 pound package of Ham Cubes
• Phase 3 - Serving and Garnish
• Real Bacon Bits (optional)
• Shredded Cheddar (optional - sharper the better but Colby, or any really flavorful cheese works nicely)

Phase 1 - Combine Potatoes, Onion, Carrots, Broth Salt, Herbs, Pepper, ham bone (if you have one) in a slow cooker or pot on the stove (set both for high) and cook until veggies are tender. This takes roughly three hours in a slow cooker.

If you don't have a ham bone, you can chop up some bacon and boil it with the rest of the ingredients. Both the Ham Bone and/or the Bacon are there simply to impart flavor into the stew. 

Phase 2 - Once the veggies are tender, remove the ham bone and large chunks of meat (the boiling processes strips most of the flavor out of the ham and/or bacon) and go on to the next step.

Combine flour and cream/half-n-half and mix until all the lumps are gone and stir into soup. Add the ham cubes (optional) and continue cooking for another 30 minutes.

Phase 3 - Serve with bacon bits and shredded cheese and enjoy.