Slow Cooker Loaded Potato Soup

Now that the days are getting warmer here in the South, I know some might think soup is just for cold weather, but I enjoy soup in any season. For me, it’s total comfort food all year around. I’ve made potato soup several times, but I’ve always made it by peeling and dicing potatoes, which takes some time. While it’s very tasty, there are many days when I’m just not able to spend that much time in the kitchen. I wanted to find a way that didn’t take as much time to prep as my traditional recipe that I had used for several years, but still taste just as good. This did not disappoint. It turned out ridiculously delicious. It tastes like a loaded baked potato smothered in a rich, creamy broth. Potatoes, cheese and bacon in a warm creamy soup? Yes please.

This recipe is pretty much a dump it all in the slow cooker and let it do most of the work. Instead of peeling and dicing potatoes, I used frozen diced potatoes, which is also known as southern style has browns. This saved so much time but definitely did not skimp on the flavor. I also used canned cream of chicken soup to help thicken the soup instead of having to use and stir in flour. The only thing that took the most time was chopping and sautéing the onions. The one thing I will caution is because there are some ingredients that contain salt, don’t try salting anything before this cooks. Chances are you might not need to add any salt at all at the end .

This recipe is so easy and simple to make. Even if you are not one who likes to spend lot of time in the kitchen but sometime crave that warm, comforting bowl of soup, this one is for you. This loaded potato soup with little chunks of potato and bits of bacon and cheese all snuggled in a creamy broth, is indeed a bowl of potato heaven.

So now that you are probably wanting a bowl for yourself, read below to see what you need so you can make your own.

Here’s What You Need:

*frozen diced potatoes (southern style hash browns); thawed

*1 small onion, chopped

*1 TBS butter

*1 can cream of chicken soup

*4 cups chicken broth (I use Better than Bullion)

*cracked pepper to taste

*1 cup half and half or heavy cream

*1 1/2 cups shredded cheese; or more to taste (I used a blend of cheddar and Colby Jack) plus more for topping

*2/3 cup chopped cooked bacon; or more to taste( I used the precooked kind but you can cook your own or use real bacon pieces that are sold in those little bags) plus more to serve on top

*chopped scallions, garnish (optional)

In a small sauce pan, melt butter over medium high heat and add the onions. Cook stirring occasionally until the onions start to soften.

In the slow cooker add in the potatoes, cream of chicken soup, onions and cracked pepper.

Pour in the chicken broth; stir to combine all of the ingredients.

Cook on low for 4 hours.

With an immersion blender, blend the ingredients together until partially smooth but leave desired amount of potatoes whole.

If you don’t have an immersion blender, take out some of the soup and blend in a blender; add back into the slow cooker.

Stir in the cheese, bacon and the cream.

Continue to cook on low for 15 to 20 minutes or until the cheese is melted.

Serve in bowls with extra cheese and bacon on top. Garnish with chopped scallions if desired.
Enjoy!

Like what you see and want more? Like and Subscribe to the blog and you can get all of the updates to more mouthwatering food that wont break your budget.

Advertisement

Shortcut Oven Roasted Potatoes

I am a huge fan of the potato. I love them mashed, oven roasted, fried, cheesed up and lovingly dolloped with butter and sour cream. Potatoes are one of my go to side dishes for so many meals. But what I’m not a fan of, is waiting for those oven roasted potatoes to cook through and crisp up nicely in the oven. It takes a good 30 minutes or more to get those suckers done. Don’t get me wrong, there are times when the main meal takes a while to prepare so I don’t mind if said potatoes take their sweet time in the oven, but on some days, they need to get done already.

Enter the microwave. I know, I know….some have a look of horror at the mention of cooking with the microwave. Yes, they are great for rewarming and for cooking certain frozen foods, but the ye old microwave can be a hot topic for some. But I found, quite by accident, these little guys that make my oven roasted potatoes cook so much faster.

These little bagged potatoes are cooked in the microwave bag and all. How easy is that. Now granted, these are supposed to be cooked and served straight from cooking them in the microwave, but I do love how potatoes get when roasted in the oven. So instead of cooking these completely in the microwave, I cook them about 2 minutes less than the package directions, then cut them in half (or bite sized pieces if they are a little bigger), drizzle with olive oil, add some tasty herbs to season them and finish cooking them in the oven. So that means that dinner is on the table in half the time and I’m not so hangry….which my hubby does appreciate. These potatoes still come out crispy on the outside but soft on the inside and oh so tasty.

If you can’t find any prebagged microwavable potatoes, don’t fret because you can still use this same method with ordinary potatoes.

Here’s What you need to make these Shortcut Oven Roasted Potatoes:

* one bag of microwavable potatoes; my store only carries this brand Tasteful Selections but you can use any brand. If you can’t find any that are prebagged, just grab your desired choice of potatoes and wash them.

*olive oil

*salt to taste

*cracked pepper to taste

*1 tsp. dried sage or more to taste

*1 tsp. dried Thyme or 1 TBS. fresh Thyme or more to taste

*1/2 tsp dried dill or more to taste

*1 tsp. garlic powder or more to taste

Pre heat oven to 400°.

Microwave bagged potatoes 2 minutes less than package directions; let cool some until they are easy to handle. Take out of the bag and cut into bite size chunks.

For Potatoes That Are Not In A Microwavable Bag:

cut into bite size chunks and place in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave on high for 12 to 15 minutes tossing occasionally until potatoes can be pierced with a fork but not fall apart.

Place potatoes on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil then add the herbs and seasonings; toss to coat.

Place in the oven and cook for 15 to 20 minutes stirring occasionally until the potatoes are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. If the potatoes start to dry out while cooking, add more olive oil.

Serve with you favorite meal and Enjoy!

Like what you see and want more? Like and Subscribe to the blog and you can get all of the updates to more mouthwatering food that wont break your budget.

One Pan Linguica and Potatoes with Eggs

It’s a new year and a new dish. Hubby and I recently received a stash of linguica (a type of Portuguese sausage). The last time we had linguica (ground linguica to be exact) we mixed it with ground beef and had some really delicious Double Cheese Linguica Burgers. Those I must say, were epic. We can’t seem find linguica where we live….believe me hubby tried very hard because he loves it…so we have to have it shipped. So for this batch, I really wanted to come up with something hearty and easy. What better way to enjoy this tasty sausage by mixing it with potatoes and topping it with eggs. This was definitely a hit for sure. The potatoes are tossed with butter, olive oil and some spices, then mixed with the unique flavors of the linguica. It’s all topped with a few sunny side up eggs. What’s even better, is that it’s all cooked in one pan so clean up is easy.

So grab a few eggs, chop up some potatoes and here’s how to make it:

*3 large potatoes; peeled and cut into bite size pieces

*1 pound of linguica; casings removed (if they have casings) and chopped into bite size pieces

*1 tsp. sweet paprika

*2 tsp. onion powder

*1 1/2 tsp. dried Thyme

*salt and pepper to taste + more for the eggs

*1 TBS butter; melted

*olive oil

*4 eggs

Pre heat oven to 425°

In the pan, toss the potatoes with paprika, onion powder, Thyme, salt, pepper, butter and olive oil.

Add in the linguica and mix together with the potatoes.

Bake for 15 minutes and stir. If the potatoes look like they are drying out, add more olive oil. Bake for another 10 minutes or until the potatoes are soft on the inside and turning golden brown on the outside.

Lower the oven to 400°

Make a well in the potatoes and linguica. Crack the eggs into the wells.

Salt and pepper the eggs and continue baking for another 10 minutes are until the whites are set and the yolks are still runny.

If you prefer a less runny egg, cook longer.

Serve and Enjoy!

Like what you see and want more? Like and Subscribe to the blog and you can get all of the updates to more mouthwatering food that wont break your budget.

Utterly Delicious Mashed Potatoes

Original Date November 28, 2021 Revised Date November 23, 2022

These mashed potatoes are not skinny by any means. These are the indulgent mashed potatoes that I’m always asked to bring to family gatherings or put on the table when friends come over for a down home dinner. These are buttery….yes, there’s 3sticks of butter in there….I did say these were indulgent. These heavenly mashed potatoes are a little creamy with just a few tiny chunks of potato throughout to satisfy those who love a few lumps or two in their mash. These are indeed mashed, but then they are whipped to result in that perfect texture.

Growing up my mom and my grandmother made mashed potatoes from scratch, but they not only mashed them, they would pull out the hand mixer. They would mix together all of those wonderful, indulgent ingredients until everything was just right. Back then I thought that’s how everyone made “mashed” potatoes. It wasn’t until much later that I learned about instant potatoes. I’m not knocking instant potatoes in any way. I myself have made them and there are some pretty tasty ones out there. But there is something comforting about the process of making them from scratch, not to mention the taste. It always makes me think of my mom and my grandmother in the kitchen. It’s one of my favorite side dishes, ok not just as a side. I could grab a spoon and a bowl full and I’d be happy with that as my main meal.

Because they are so indulgent, and yes a little more time consuming, I don’t make them as often and, well, because my hubby is not a mashed potato lover. I still shake my head in wonderment as to how someone can not like mashed potatoes? That being said, with Thanksgiving only a few days away and the holidays nearing, I will be making and eating my share of these. I better get out my stretchy pants. So with spoon or fork in hand…which ever you prefer…. here is how you can make these utterly delicious mashed potatoes to add to your holiday dishes or for just a get together with family and friends.

On a side note, I know when I mention pulling out the hand mixer for the potatoes, some will gasp and some might be a tad appalled. It is true, if you over mix them, they will turn rather glutenous, but I promise, if you take care these will be a winner for you as well.

*4 lb or more potatoes; peeled and cut into cubes. I like to use russet but Yukon gold are good as well.

*1 Tbsp. salt for the cooking water + more to taste in the potatoes

*pepper to taste

*3 sticks of good quality butter or more to taste

*1 to 2 cups evaporated milk or half and half, warmed; I start out with a cup and add more if needed

*fresh or dried parsley

Place the potatoes in a large pot.

Fill with water until the potatoes are covered and add the 1 Tbsp. of salt.

Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer until the potatoes are fork tender.

Drain well.

I learned the hard way that if they are not drained of all the cooking water, you do not get a nice consistency in the end.

On a side note, no, there is nothing wrong with your eyes, the potatoes were still steaming when I dumped them into the colander and kept steaming up the camera.

Place the potatoes into a large, mixer proof bowl and add salt and pepper.

Add in some of the butter and with a potato masher, begin mashing the potatoes.

Slowly add in some of the milk about 1/4 of a cup and continue mashing until most of the larger chunks are broken down.

With a hand mixer set on one of the lower speeds, begin to incorporate the butter and the milk.

Start adding in more butter, salt and pepper. Slowly add in more milk until you get the texture that you want. Do not pour in all of the milk at once or you may end up with potato soup. Yes, I have done that as well. Keep tasting and adding more butter, salt and pepper until the taste is to your liking. Sprinkle in the parsley and mix just enough to blend it into the potatoes. Be careful not to over mix. Once you reach the desired texture, I bring out the wooden spoon to stir in more butter, salt or pepper if needed.

Serve warm and Enjoy!

Like what you see and want more? Like and Subscribe to the blog and you can get all of the updates to more mouthwatering food that wont break your budget.

Oven Roasted Potatoes with Pancetta

Potatoes are a great side dish that goes with so many meals. When I need a side dish, I love to grab a few spices, some butter…..because there’s always butter…..and mix them with some chopped potatoes. Throw them into the oven and you have something that is almost as good as the main meal.

These oven roasted potatoes with pancetta are indeed a delicious side dish. You might find yourself grabbing a fork and eating more of these than the main meal. Let’s just say there were many of these delectable potatoes that didn’t make it to the table. These are easy to make and take no time at all to throw together. These are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside with a tasty blend of sage and Rosemary roasted in butter and olive oil. The pancetta adds a nice salty flavor that blends well with the herbs. Fresh grated Parmesan is sprinkled in adding even more flavor to these swoon worthy potatoes.

Here’s what you need:

*2 pounds small red or Yukon gold potatoes (unpeeled) cut into about 1 inch cubes

*2 TBS butter; melted

* 1 TBS. olive oil

*2 tsp. dried sage or more to taste

*2 tsp. dried rosemary or more to taste

*1 1/2 tsp. onion powder or more to taste

*1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder or more to taste

*salt and pepper to taste

*1/2 cup diced pancetta

*Fresh grated parmesan to taste

*chopped parsley for garnish (optional)

Preheat oven to 400°

In a large roasting pan add all of the ingredients except the parmesan and parsley; toss until well mixed.

Cook for 30 minutes stirring at least once. If the potatoes look like they are drying out add more butter or olive oil.

Turn the oven temp up to 425° and continue to cook for another 10 to 15 minutes stirring halfway thru cooking time. When potatoes are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, take out of the oven.

Place in a serving bowl and top with fresh parmesan and parsley.

Serve and Enjoy!

Like what you see and want more? Subscribe to the blog and you can get all of the updates to more mouthwatering food that wont break your budget.

Skillet Chorizo and Potato Breakfast Hash

This breakfast hash I made with the leftover chorizo from the previous night’s Chorizo and Potato Tacos With A Cilantro Slaw. I will admit, it was the first thing I thought about that morning. But, as most of you know, I tend to think about breakfast a lot. Hubby, however, didn’t seem to share my enthusiasm. He really isn’t a breakfast person, hence the picture showing only one serving. But of course you can double this to serve as many as you wish. Oh, and hubby might not have been excited as I was at having this for breakfast, but he did indeed have some later and declared it was really tasty.

The good thing about this dish, is that it’s all cooked in one skillet so clean up is easy. I used frozen dice potatoes because it takes less time to cook and when I’m hungry, I want breakfast done as soon as possible. Don’t you too? The potatoes cooked up nice and crisp on the outside but tender on the inside, then there’s all of that slightly spicy, slightly smoky chorizo sautéed with onions to create some drool worthy flavors. Then it’s all topped with an egg. But it’s not quite done because it’s then baked in the oven so the egg gets those nice, crispy edges, but still has that beautiful runny yolk that bathes everything in it’s velvety glory. *sigh* It was really hard not to eat it straight out of the skillet.

I must confess, as I do a lot on here, that I had some chopped cilantro all handy and ready to go over the top, but as you can see, I was so eager to dive into this that I completely forgot. I did however, remember after I started eating and added it later. I do recommend it because it does give everything a nice touch of added flavor.

Here’s what you need to make your own:

This makes 1 or 2 servings but can easily be doubled

*1 cup frozen diced potatoes; use more if this is for more servings

*1/2 small onion, chopped

*1 Tbs. canola oil

*3/4 cup chorizo precooked and chopped; I used the Colombian variety, but you can use any kind.

*salt and pepper to taste

*1 egg per person

*chopped cilantro (optional)

Preheat oven to 400°.

In a cast iron skillet add the canola oil and heat to medium high heat. When the skillet is hot add in the potatoes and the onions.

Cook stirring occasionally until the potatoes start to turn golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add in more canola oil if the skillet becomes too dry.

Add in the chorizo and cook for another 3 minutes or until the chorizo starts to brown, stirring occasionally.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

Crack an egg in the center of the skillet over the chorizo mixture. If using more than one egg, place them around with out touching.

Sprinkle a little salt and pepper over the eggs.

Bake uncovered for 10 minutes or until the whites are set but the yolks are still runny. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro if desired.

Serve and Enjoy!

Mashed Potato Muffins

Yes folks we are once again on the topic of one of my favorite comfort foods….mashed potatoes. I always seem to make way too many, but it’s better to have more than enough than not enough right? These little gems are great for using up any leftover mashed potatoes that you have. It turns something that is already delicious….like my Utterly Delicious Mashed Potatoes into something swoon worthy. Seriously, I had to step away from these because I could not stop eating them. Not only does it have your awesome mashed potatoes, but it is mixed with some smoky bacon, cheddar and Colby Jack cheese and chives. These are great as a side or even as a meal all by it’s self.

Here’s what you need:

*cold mashed potatoes; I used my Utterly Delicious Mashed Potatoes but you can use your own. I don’t really recommend using instant because it does not seem to hold up as well.

*1 beaten egg; if you have more than 2 cups of potatoes use 2 eggs.

*1 cup shredded cheese per 2 cups of mashed potatoes (if you have 3 cups mashed potatoes use 2 cup etc.) + more for the top; I used cheddar and Colby Jack but you can use any kind that you prefer

* 5 slices of bacon cooked and crumbles; if you have more than 2 cups of potatoes you may want to use more

*1 1/2 Tbsp. or more dried chives or 2 Tbsp. fresh chives

*salt and pepper to taste if needed

Preheat oven to 400°

Place cold mashed potatoes in a bowl and add in rest of the ingredients. Make sure you taste the potatoes before adding in the beaten egg to see if you will need to add any salt or pepper.

Mix all of the ingredients together until well incorporated.

Spray a muffin tin with no stick spray.

Fill the muffin tins to the top with the mashed potato mixture.

Bake for 20 minutes or until the edges are golden.

Sprinkle the tops with more of the cheese.

Continue baking for another 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted.

Serve with butter or sour cream.

Enjoy!

Dad’s Cheese Potatoes

These little slices of cheesy potatoes bring back so many memories for me. My dad was always trying to invent new recipes by putting together what he knew best. They were usually something simple and didn’t take much time, but they would come out really tasty. These potatoes was something he came up with as a side dish when he grilled bbq chicken or sometimes even steaks. Whenever I make these, I can see my dad in the kitchen slicing potatoes and putting these together while running back and forth outside to man the grill.

I knew his recipe by heart because he’d make them so many times and I would help him slice the potatoes or shred the cheese. Recently I was going thru my old recipe box. It contains so many recipes that my mom, dad and me had kept over the years. Most were just written down on those little recipe index cards that you would find many moons ago. I came across the one that my dad jotted down for these potatoes.

You know that feeling you get when you see something written by someone that you have lost a while ago. It’s that warm sensation….like a hug from that person, but yet you still feel the tug of the heart strings because after all the years that pass, you still miss them like it was yesterday. But it still makes you smile because it brings back so many wonderful memories. We do share memories through food so I wanted to share this as well. Of course over the years I have tweaked it a bit. I know if dad were here, he would probably be tweaking them again with me.

These little round, slices of potatoes are covered in cheese and topped with bacon. They make a great side dish for BBQ chicken, steak, roasted chicken or just about anything else that you might crave something simple, but packs great flavor.

Here’s what you need:

*Potatoes cut into 1/2 inch rounds; these can be peeled or unpeeled, I leave the skin on; 1 large potato usually makes about 2 servings

*1 TBS butter melted

*1 TBS canola oil

*1 tsp. onion powder or more to taste

*1 tsp. garlic powder or more to taste

*1 tsp. salt

*1/4 tsp. sweet paprika or more to taste

*cracked pepper to taste

*bacon; I use 2 strips of bacon per potato

*shredded cheese; I used sharp cheddar

Preheat oven to 400° (I know my dad’s original recipe card shows 375° but I have found that 400° works best)

In a cast iron pan, cook bacon until crisp; crumble and set aside. Wipe out the excess bacon fat but leave a small amount in the pan.

As you can see I did not take any pictures of the bacon, I think I was just so hungry and enthralled by the smell that I forgot. So just picture the bacon cooking here —–>

While the bacon is cooking, mix together the onion powder, garlic powder, salt, paprika and pepper; set aside.

Pour in the canola oil and brush the oil all over the bottom of the pan.

Place the sliced potatoes in the pan leaving a small space between each slice if possible. This will make getting the potatoes out of the pan easier.

Brush the tops of the potato slices with the melted butter.

Sprinkle the seasoning mixture over the potatoes.

Place the pan in the oven and bake for about 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Check during cooking time to see if the potatoes appear to be drying out too much or the season mixture is getting too done, if so brush with a little more butter and continue cooking.

Sprinkle the shredded cheese generously over the potatoes and top with the crumbled bacon.

Continue cooking a few minutes more until cheese is melted.

Serve as a side or you can even do what I’ve been known to do a few times, start eating them right out of the pan. I know, I have no self control at times but it’s worth every cheesy bite.

*These can also be cooked on a baking sheet. Cook the bacon; set aside. Spray a baking sheet with no stick spray or brush with canola oil. Place the potatoes on the baking sheet and follow the directions above. Bake for 20 minutes are until tender.

Enjoy!

Cheesy Breakfast Skillet with Steak, Scrambled Eggs and Potatoes

This breakfast skillet came about from leftovers. Yes, I had leftover steak. Those that know me might find that impossible seeing that I’m a woman who loves her steak, but I cooked ribeyes for dinner and they were huge. So the next morning needless to say, I was still craving the last of that delicious steak along with some roasted potatoes that we had on the side.

This breakfast skillet is easy to make and you can make as many servings as you want. Or you can keep it all to yourself, I won’t tell. If you don’t have leftover steak or potatoes that’s ok, you can cook them separately and then follow the rest of the recipe. It may take a little more time, but it will be worth the wait. How can you resist tender steak with crispy potatoes all folded into fluffy eggs with a touch of hot sauce and gooey cheese all nestled together to make a delicious, satisfying breakfast.

Here’s what you need:

This serves 2 but you can double it to serve more.

*2 tsp canola oil

*any cut of steak cooked the way you like it; I used ribeye. I used some leftovers that I had, but 1 steak would make 2 to 3 servings depending on the size of the steak.

*Roasted potatoes; I used leftovers but you can use frozen diced potatoes. If using diced frozen potatoes cook according to package directions

*4 eggs; I used 2 eggs per person.

*hot sauce to taste

*salt and cracked pepper to taste

*1/3 cup of shredded cheese or more to taste; I used a combination of cheddar and Colby Jack

*fresh or dried parsley for garnish (optional)

Cut steak in to pieces; set aside

Heat a medium skillet to medium high heat and add the canola oil. Add in the potatoes and cook for about 2 minutes stirring frequently. If you are using frozen potatoes, cook according to package directions.

Add in the steak.

Continue cooking for another minute or until the steak is warm. Do not cook too long or the steak will over cook.

Turn the heat down to medium. In a bowl whisk together the eggs.

Pour the eggs into the pan over the steak and potatoes.

With a spatula, start folding the eggs on and around the steak and potatoes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

When the eggs begin to set, sprinkle on the cheese and the hot sauce.

Keep stirring the egg mixture until the eggs are no longer runny and are set, but still soft.

Place on to plates and sprinkle on the parsley and serve.

Air Fryer Parmesan Paprika Potatoes

I don’t know about where you live, but here in the South we’re seeing some pretty hot and humid days. The last thing I want to do is heat up the house with the oven, so I made one of my favorite side dishes in the air fryer. These take half the time to cook than they do in the oven. These also make a great side dish for some of those great delights on the grill such as BBQ chicken or a nice steak.

Potatoes are one of my favorite side dishes because they are so versatile. Now that I have my air fryer, I’ve been cooking them this way instead of the oven. Don’t get me wrong, I still like to use my oven, even for the tasty spuds, but when it’s in middle of summer and it’s 90 degrees outside, I really enjoy the beauty of the air fryer. These potatoes I did have to tweek a bit when I first tried them because I was so used to cooking them in the oven, but the result is very delicious and I might say, a little addictive. The potatoes are crispy on the outside from the parmesan cheese and pillowy soft on the inside. The paprika adds an extra little kick that make these way above your ordinary roasted potatoes.

Here’s what you need:

*2 potatoes ( this was just for hubby and me, so you can use more potatoes if you need more servings); peeled and cut into bite size pieces

*1/4 C Parmesan cheese, finely grated (the kind that comes in those shaker containers work the best for this)

*1 TBS smoked paprika; or more to taste

*1 TBS flour

*2 tsp. garlic powder; or more to taste

*1 tsp. salt or more to taste

*cracked pepper to taste

*olive oil

*Note: if you are using more potatoes, you may want to increase the amount of the other ingredients.

Preheat the air fryer to 400°

In a zip top bag, combine the parmesan cheese, paprika, flour, garlic powder, salt and pepper.

Add the potatoes and 1 TBS of olive oil. Close the bag and shake to coat well.

Pour the potatoes into the basket of the air fryer. Drizzle a little more olive oil and toss the potatoes. Make sure the potatoes are in one layer at the bottom of the basket.

Cook for 8 minutes then toss the potatoes once again. Drizzle with a little more oil and cook for another 5 to 6 minutes or until the potatoes are tender on the inside and crispy on the outside.

*Note*

Cooking time might vary depending on the brand and size of the air fryer.

Serve with you favorite main dish.