Quick & Easy Potato Soup

I've never been an advocate of instant anything...potatoes, rice, coffee, etc. However, I have decided I love the Idahoan brand instant potatoes, the ones that come in the little packages where you add two cups of boiling water and they're done.  You know...the ones the kids love so much. They are really very good and they come in several different types, butter and herb, garlic and herb, loaded baked potato, applewood bacon, and a few more. They make a delicious and quick side dish for a rapidly thrown together meal.

So....using this little packaged wonder of a side dish,  I've figured out how to make the quickest pot of really good potato soup you ever saw...it's a no brainer really!

Before you throw a potato at me, let me say....I'm know they're not as healthy as those we grow ourselves, but unfortunately we don't always have those.

Patti's Super Duper Quick Potato Soup

(I just made that up, it's really just plain old Potato Soup)

Ingredients:
1.) one package Idahoan instant potatoes(flavor of your choice).
2.) about 3 cups boiling water
3.) milk(whole or evaporated)
4.) butter(optional)
5.) seasonings(optional)

In a medium pot, put the package of potatoes.(I like to use the loaded baked potato one).
Bring about 4 cups or more of water to a boil in your kettle.
Now, if you were making the potatoes according to package directions, you would add 2 cups of water, but since we're making soup, you want to add about 3 cups and then add milk until it's as thin or as thick as you like your potato soup. You can use whole milk or evaporated milk, whichever you prefer and add butter and seasonings however you like. This makes enough for two, but it's pretty easy to double. Really, all you're doing is thinning down the potatoes until they're soup. How hard can that be, huh? 

Add any garnish you want, such as bacon, cheese, chives, onions, etc. 

Make it your own!

That's all there is to it! I know, I know...it's not your grandmother's old timey cooked from scratch potato soup, but if you don't have any potatoes or you're in a hurry, it's really good. 

Actually, it's better than you think, I bet!

patti

Dump Chicken Taco Soup

This is my favorite quick meal. 

Favorite because it's quick, easy, filling and so good, especially on a cold winter day.

I keep the ingredients on hand. It’s a very good soup to take to a neighbor who is sick or having some unexpected trouble. 

It takes about five minutes to throw together and about 30 to simmer and let the flavors blend. 

It’s just a good thing!

Dump Chicken Taco Soup 

1 (15 oz) can chicken meat in water, drained, I use the white chicken meat, you can use the mixed if you like. You can also use some leftover chicken from a previous meal if you have it. If you like a lot of meat, add another can, personally I like just the one can per recipe.

2-3 cans chicken with white and wild rice soup(I use Campbell’s, there are some others you might like to use) I have used the red beans and rice soup that Campbell’s makes. 

1 (15 oz) can whole kernel corn(I use frozen whole kernel corn) 

1 (15 oz) can Ranch Style Beans(chili beans)

1 (10 oz) can Rotel(diced tomatoes w/green chilies) 

1 (15 oz) can chicken broth( I use about 1 tbs chicken base and just fill up my soup cans to rinse out all the rice, this makes 20 oz of broth. 

Serve with cheese and tortilla chips or crackers. 

You just literally dump it all in a pan together, add any seasonings you might like, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and let it simmer about 30 minutes or so.

If I fix some for someone else, I always make a double batch so we'll get to have some too!

I pray you have a happy and blessed Sunday!

Please make your way to the house of GOD this day to worship and thank HIM for all HIS goodness toward us.  Let your path be a shining light that would light the way for others to follow and find HIM and HIS MERCY and GRACE!

Necessity has always been the mother of invention in my life!

I think one reason I love the DIY world so much is because of my upbringing. I was raised deep in the country of East Texas, about a hour's drive from a decent store(we didn't drive 75 mph in those days). You didn't hop in the car and run down to WalMart every time you ran out of something. My little grandmother was married by the time she was 14, had a set of twins by age 16(lost one at birth), lived through the Great Depression with 5 little girls to feed and she NEVER, EVER wasted anything....EVER! A piece of string...don't throw that away! When clothing could no longer be patched, she took all the buttons off, put them in a jar, and cut the fabric up for quilt pieces. She took old jeans and made bags for the squirrel hunters to carry home their bounty. It was a way of life.

I think I'm digressing....

 

This blog is supposed to be about homemade dish detergent.

This is the one thing I've not used because I just couldn't find a recipe that didn't turn all gooey on me. My liquid hand soap turned out ok in the beginning, but when I tried to refill my dispenser, the glob in the jar was one long continuous stretch of gooey goo that looked like something an alien had left behind.

I'm not sure who posted this link on Facebook earlier this week, but I liked the sound of it and I especially liked the scientific explanation as to why you don't mix vinegar and castile soap.

I'm just posting her link for you to check it out for yourself. The only thing I added was some green food coloring because I do love all things green and my mason jar dispenser is clear and I always buy green detergent....and it's pretty and green.

Oh...be extra careful handling the jar, if you get soap on the outside, that jar gets awfully slippery. I spilled over half my detergent and had to make another batch. Thankfully, I spilled it in the sink which was filled with dirty dishes, so no big loss....lots of suds though. 

Thanks to Jerica over at  Sustain, Create and Flow for this great recipe.

Find Jerica's Soap Recipe here:   A Recipe for Homemade Dish Soap

To Blog or Not to Blog....that was the question!

So, here we go......my very first venture into the world of blogging! I'm sitting here wondering how on earth do I get started? What do I say first? I realized I have no idea where to start, so I'll just jump in somewhere in the middle of the pool so to speak. I've been a little hesitant to blog because I didn't know if I would have the time, so I've been pondering this for a bit. I've been observing other blogs and I've realized that most people just go at their own pace, blogging when they can. I'm pretty sure I can handle that! 

First a bit about me. I am a 61 year old Mom, Mother and Momma(I have no idea why they all call me by different titles) and Nana. I have four children, two stepchildren and at last count, 20 grandchildren. I am married to a wonderful man who has been so patient with me in all my DIY endeavors these past few months. I am an ordained minister of the gospel, I love to teach the WORD of GOD more than anything in life. I live in the beautiful Piney Woods and rolling hills of Deep East Texas and I am trying to do my small part to make our world a safer, healthier and happier place for our children and grandchildren....our future, if you please!

This time last year, I had never heard of Essential Oils, making my own laundry detergent, or Pinterest....ahhhh. There's the culprit....Pinterest! I well remember the day my daughter said, "Mother, you have to go to Pinterest, I'm going to send you an invite."  My response? "Huh? Say what?"  Her reply, "Pinterest, you know....interest with a P in front of it." So began my journey into a complex but interesting world of DIY, Home Remedies, Essential Oils, Helpful Hints, Survival Tips, Inspirational quotes, (really, there is no stopping place here, you can find ANYTHING on Pinterest.)

I'm pretty sure my first major influence down this road was One Good Thing by Jillee. If there was a crown for the Queen of DIY, I'm certain you would find it on Jillee's head. It was there that I learned to make my own laundry detergent, fabric softener from hair conditioner, dryer balls from yarn and the list goes on...and on. 

From there I wandered over to visit Rebecca at Camp Wander, who just happens to be a sister to Jillee. Rebecca and Camp Wander introduced me to doTERRA Essential Oils  and I have not been the same since I received my first package in the mail. She has since then introduced us to another quality Essential Oil Company, Spark Naturals. I am a believer in Essential Oils! (Much more on those later) 

They have another sister named Dori whose blog is called Riches to Rags by Dori. Dori taught me to buy place mats at the Dollar Store and turn them into throw pillows. Dori also has a blog that has helped countless people with her Jeddy's Blend, an Essential Oil blend designed and developed by Dori to help with ADD/ADHD. It is doing wonders by the way. Hop on over and check it out for yourself!

You see what these girls have done to me? And they were just the beginning. There are so many wonderful people out there sharing their thoughts, ideas and wisdom on every facet of life imaginable.

I'm telling you....if you don't Interest with a P....you need to. It will change your life....just pace yourself, ok?


Some of you are probably wondering why I've turned this original blog into a promotional for these three sisters. I didn't start out to do this, but I just wanted you to see that without people like these three who have taken time to share, I wouldn't be sitting here today writing this blog. There are a multitude of other bloggers out there doing the same and from time to time I will share some of their ideas. They're just too good not to share.

One more thought and then I'll hush. I have made some precious new friends since starting on this journey and I know there are so many, many more out there. GOD bless you all and thank you for being my new friends!

Now that's enough for today. You now know who I am, how I got to this place and why I do what I do.

Patti