Scrumptious Sunday...

When I go to the grocery store lately, I often feel like I'm risking burning my fingers when I take something off the shelf and put it in my buggy. Let me tell you why...prices are so high, it is really quite astounding. I went to the grocery store today and generic veggies were ON SALE for $1 a can. $1?!? Are you kidding me? So many times I go to reach for something and then my eye sees the price which results in my hand recoiling as if I just touched a hot stove. So...in honor of soaring food prices, today's Scrumptious Sunday...is for all of you trying to feed a family on a budget. Now...I have to give a disclaimer that perhaps this recipe doesn't look or sound appealing, but it is really quite tasty. We don't have a name for this item...so call it what you like. We call it rice stuff.

Ingredients...
1/2 stick margarine
1 cup chopped celery
1 lb. or so ground chuck
2 cans chicken noodle soup
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
1/2 milk
1 box (4 2 cup pouches) of Boil-in-bag rice
Salt
Pepper
Shredded Cheddar

Begin by sauteing onion and celery in margarine in dutch oven. Add ground chuck and brown. Meanwhile begin boiling rice. Add 4 cans of soup and 1/2 cup milk to ground beef mixture and stir well. (Use a spatula to chop the noodles in the chicken noodle soup while stirring) Once rice has reached desired doneness, add to ground beef mixture and stir. Let simmer for 15-20 minutes and add a cup or two of shredded cheddar just before serving. Yum.my. This recipe will feed a family of five and you'll have some leftover for lunch.



I like to add some yummy corn bread muffins

And serve with green beans. Enjoy!

Scrumptious Sunday...

I thought I'd start a new series today on the ole blog...called Scrumptious Sunday.

Each and every Sunday, I believe I will share with you one of my favorite recipes. Some will be my own originals, while others may be borrowed. Since Sunday is the one day a week that I am home (after church of course) I always try to make something delicious (or at least homemade) for dinner.

Today's recipe...Homemade potato soup

This recipe has a little bit of history. My family loves a good ham. You know, ham on the bone? Cooked with pineapple glaze? Served with mashed potatoes and my pineapple gravy (more on that later)? You know, that kind? And by the way...it can't be spiral cut, since I've never tasted a spiral cut ham that isn't dry. I like my ham to be like a river of juice when I cut into it.

ANYWAY, I digress...after I cook up that wonderful ham for my family...we can usually have another meal with the leftovers....and then I find myself left with this... A big ole ham bone. What to do, what to do?....why make potato soup of course. It is really not that hard...if I can do it, anyone can...and here's how...

Start out by boiling your ham bone for about 3 hours. Not a heavy boil, but a boil none the less. This will leave the meat super tender which can then easily be pulled from the bone and chopped into small pieces. I always boil my ham bone with 1/2 diced onion in the water to add some extra flavor.

While the ham is boiling, peel 5 lbs of potatoes and cut into chunks. (Use less if you don't want a big pot of soup.) I like to have leftovers.

When the ham bone is nearly done, saute the greens of 8-10 sliced green onions, and 1/2 stick of butter. Once the onions are sauteed add one container sour cream. When the ham is done boiling and all the meat is removed from the bone and diced, add this to the butter onion mixture. Now, boil the potatoes in the ham bone water. Meanwhile add about 2 cups of milk, and 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese. You can also add Parmesan to taste if you like. Once this is completed your soup should be pretty thick. ** When the potatoes are done, add them to the soup base and as ham bone water to the mix until your soup is your desired consistency. (I like mine really thick, but you may not) At this point you can discard the remaining water. If your soup is not thick enough, you can add more cheese or some cornstarch & water or flour and water to thicken it. Now...add some pepper to taste, simmer for 30 minutes or so....and voila! Amazing potato soup...perfect for a crisp cold Sunday....like today! Before serving add a bit of shredded cheddar and crumbled bacon on top. Yum.my!

**If you are the dieting type, you can use light margarine, skim milk, low fat cheese and fat free sour cream. I find if using light products that the soup will need some help thickening. Use a whisk to whip up some cornstarch and cold water and then add to soup until it reaches your desired thickness.