When Potatoes Are The Size of Footballs: Potato Soup Recipe

My brother brought me a box of potatoes he purchased from a vender when he was out of town working last week. In all of my fifty years, I seriously don't think I have ever seen potatoes as large as these. Seriously....they are footballs.

I baked one potato and my husband and I can split it. I made homemade french fries and only cut up one potato and we STILL had left over fries....and we eat a lot, more than we should actually....anyway, you could feed a family of four on one potato. I took a sack and shared them with a friend, she could not believe the size of them as well.

See that potato on the left side of the picture? That is the LARGEST one from a 5 pound bag I purchased at Walmart. It looks like a baby compared to the others.

There is the Walmart potato on top of the others....can you believe it?? And the box says these were grown in the good ole USA. 

Well, having all of these on hand, I decided to make potato soup. I had a couple of people ask for this recipe as they read on another blog about my potato soup. I posted about it in 2009, but I guess it is buried in the archives pretty far back. Here it is below again for those who asked about it.

(with potatoes this large, however, the amount would definitely have to be adjusted)

Not Your Ordinary Potato Soup

This is not your ordinary potato soup but it is perfect for a yummy meal and just add some cornbread on the side... and well...there you go. It is really one of the best potato soup recipes I have ever made. Several years ago, I worked at my daughters elementary school, and once a month when we had a teacher work day, the teachers took turns providing lunch. This was one of the dishes we had during the fall months, and I have enjoyed it very much ever since. I know you will too.



Recipe List:

6-8 medium potatoes
enough water to cover potatoes in pot
4 chicken bullion cubes
small onion chopped
4-5 carrots diced
broccoli chopped fine - (in a pinch I have used frozen chopped broccoli and it works fine too.)
2 Tablespoons parsley
Dash garlic salt and pepper
Ham cubes (optional)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup milk with 1 Tablespoon flour

The How to:

Boil potatoes, water, chicken bullion and carrots until almost tender. Add parsley, onions and broccoli and boil until broccoli is almost tender. Add milk with flour and continue to boil until thick, about 4-5 minutes, tops. Add cheese and ham and boil until cheese is melted. If you are not going to add the ham, just add cheese and melt. Garnish with shredded cheese.

* I have used left over mashed potatoes with the milk and flour to thicken the soup up just a bit. It works well, and my husband likes a thicker, more heartier soup, so this option works well. I usually just mix, and not measure.

 
This is as wonderful as it looks!!

I hope you enjoy this recipe, it is very good and great on a cool day. Like I said, it is not your usual potato soup, but it is just as wonderful and full of flavor.



Linking in with Foodie Friday...go check it out!

Vintage Thingie Thursday: Vintage Rooster Dishes

Welcome everyone to Vintage Thingies Thursday

If you have a love for vintage things, well....you have come to the right place. We have a really good time each and every week!!!
If you are new to this party, please take the time to read and follow the instructions for participating in Vintage Thingies Thursday, click HERE. I try and keep things fairly simple, so please make sure you follow the instructions. Please only ONE link per week. Lastly, if you link in, LINK back to my blog, so everyone can see all of the vintage goodies on display that day. If you don't link back here, they won't know who to visit......thanks so much.

A few weeks ago, I stopped in at my new (to me) favorite thrift store. I was walking around looking at all the goodies and soon spotted six of these dinner plates. No markings, but they are really cute and I had to have them. They were 25 cents a piece, so how could I leave them? These green country rooster, weather vein inspired plates are adorable. 

That particular day, this was all I found,  just the six plates. This happens so many times, I find bits and pieces and have to decide if I like them enough to purchase them or leave them for someone else to discover.

About a week in a half later I stopped again to see if there were any treasures I might need.....

I could hardly believe it....the small saucers and bowls that matched my plates. Six of each. Oh, I could not get them in the cart fast enough. I never would have thought I'd happen on these again. I wondered how long they had sat there waiting on me to find them! A week? A day? A few minutes?

I never did find the cups, but that is fine by me. The small plates are more like dessert plates as are the small bowls. They look like a rooster weather vane to me....very cute. I made the mistake to try and research this design..big mistake...found more pieces and a few other things I am really trying to not purchase. After all, how many plates do I need? There are only two people who live here now!

Happy Vintage Thingie Thursday!

Vintage Thingie Thursday: Dachshund on my Porch

Welcome everyone to Vintage Thingies Thursday

If you have a love for vintage things, well....you have come to the right place. We have a really good time each and every week!!!
If you are new to this party, please take the time to read and follow the instructions for participating in Vintage Thingies Thursday, click HERE. I try and keep things fairly simple, so please make sure you follow the instructions. Please only ONE link per week. Lastly, if you link in, LINK back to my blog, so everyone can see all of the vintage goodies on display that day. If you don't link back here, they won't know who to visit......thanks so much.

I have to share this little cutie! I got home today from work and there was a sack on the handle of the front door. I was not expecting anything, and the sack was not heavy and I could not imagine what or who would have left it there. 

I shamefully let my four anxiously awaiting dachshunds who were most eager to tell me about their day wait a few minutes for my undivided attention. When I opened the sack, this is what I saw with a sweet note from my good friends, Patti and Joy.

Just look how cute he is!!! He is sitting pretty just like my four who rule our house does when they want something! I do believe it is a dachshund trait, living or otherwise! I just love his blue bow tie!

Seems my friends were out shopping and having a girls day today while I had to work, and spotted this and thought of me. How incredibly sweet for them to get it for me. I sent them both a message and Joy insist that Patti spotted it and it was Joy went to get the clerk to unlock the case...partners in crime....you know....the best kind when two friends are on a mission!! I so appreciate it and the thoughts. What a bright spot in a rough couple of weeks!

I did not tell anyone what I gave up this year for lent.....but it has something to do with not going and buying any thing at my local thrift shops until after Easter. This time the treasure came to me when I have to admit, it has been very hard not to break my commitment. It certainly was a bright spot today for me. Thanks again to my sweet friends for totally making my day!!

Happy Vintage Thingie Thursday everyone....remember it is often the little things that make so much of an impact!

Barrister Sow Along - JUBILEE Quilt one of two finished

Last year, I joined Randy over at Barristers Blog for her Sow along of these Farmer's Wife blocks. When I decided in April to participate, I decided that this would serve as my Jubilee quilt for the year I turned fifty. I also decided one was not enough, and set out to make two of them.

I finished the first top today, after much deliberation on what I would do with making borders. I have always said when I talk about my quilting that my favorite part of the process is making the individual blocks and deciding on the finished lay out. I lose interest when it is actually time to SEW all the blocks together to make the top. I first had to decided on the sashings. I liked the layout I chose, as I have done it before on this quilt. However, I was not crazy about the using the same cornerstones for this particular quilt. I finally decided on small square in a square blocks and I like how that turned out. Once, that was decided and it was time to construct the top, I struggled for a couple of weeks trying to get the top put together and that was with limited amount of time for sewing.

Once the sew a long blocks were together, once again it was deciding on a border design. I tried several things, but finally just went with the scrappy border and large square in a square blocks in the corner. I like it and think it really frames the quilt well.

I did have to reorder the Riley Blake Divinity pink floral fabric as I ran out, and it seemed that overnight, that fabric was sold out all across the internet. I finally found it and ordered several yards to have on hand. The fabric is pale pink with tone on tone pink flowers in the print.

Of course, when we were trying to photograph this 90 X 98 quilt, it was windy as could be and well, my quilt holders were rather impatient......did not really want to stand on step ladders with hands raised in the air for more than a few seconds....hence all the fingers in the photos.

It feels so GOOD to have this one finished. I need to decide on a back and get this one off to be quilted.  I have the other set of blocks on my design wall, and these are the same blocks but they are in Christmas fabrics. Totally different lay out for these, and I can not wait to get a little farther along in getting this one finished. I have until my Birthday which is next month to finish the top for this one as well. If I stay focused, I should be able to make that goal.

Once I have both of these quilted, I will take better photos and try and photograph them side by side. I am so glad I joined in with Randy and the others last year for the Barrister Sow Along.....I think I have a great quilt from a year long worth of work.....Thanks again Randy!!

I found by working on a couple of blocks at a time that I could get them done and look forward to the new ones. I did not get so stressed out and feel so far behind. I am thinking about doing another one of these that started the last of December and just catch up and keep up the rest of the year. The Scrappy Appleyard is hosting this for 2013.  I can tell by the photos that some of the blocks may be the same, but I see some of them are different. I think by the fabric selections and color choice, it would not really matter if it was similar, once complete they will look like different quilts anyway.  I guess I should decide before I am so behind, it will be hard to catch up. 

What about you?? Do you participate in online sew a longs? This was my first, and I was pleased I kept up and finished. 

Linking in with Judy at Design Wall Monday.

No Flowers For My Man!

Last week, I walked into the room at my work where we were going to have a meeting. One of my coworkers blurted out (in front of everyone there) and asked me the most ridiculous question I have been asked in a long time. He asked me rather loudly, "Suzanne, are you buying your husband flowers for Valentines day?"

My reply....without putting any thought into the answer and how I said it was.....

"That would be a NO........he would not think too much of a gift like that....."  

Do you think ANYONE in that room commented in any way....no.....the room was as quiet as a tomb and most of the men were looking at their shoes.  I wondered what the heck I had just walked into at that very moment...must have been an argument of some sort and I happened to walk in and the answer was thrown my way as if I was going to confirm this ridiculous idea one way or the other...I have a feeling it must not have been the outcome someone was looking for.... shrugs shoulders here. Don't ask me a  question if you don't want the truth. Truth.

No one asked me what KIND of gift my husband might appreciate. Not A Single Person. Nope, just a room of  mind blowing silence.  Oh, well, my manly man would much rather have something a lot more practical....like beer, beef jersey and chocolate....and not in that order.

I saw something similar at one of our grocery stores in town this week. They had taken beer and placed it with some snacks in a bucket. Cute idea, six pack of beer, beer nuts, jerky, and a bow and for the bargain of a price too, $35.00 and $45.00......woah....are you kidding! I mean, he might be worth it, but my thrifty self could not pay it.

What to do??? Well, I made my own. Purchased the beer at the grocery store along with some snacks, Pretzels shaped as hearts, beef jerky, chocolate bar, little box of chocolates. The filling and stickers and decorations came from Dollar Tree. .I tied a large red ribbon around the whole thing, printed out my little message and put it all together. I will add a card to it right before he gets home.  Simple. Easy.....and when I say easy...folks, I did not even get the glue gun out. Tape. shhhh.....I said tape!

How perfect for this gift.....Heartzels!!! Love!!!

I also made one more, this one has a BIG can of beer and lots more chocolate and snacks. Gathered it all up and found a camo red little bucket to put it all in. The person this one is for happens to love chocolate and beer....and maybe not in that order. 

Just a few minutes, a few stickers and do-dads and a little creative juices....here is my real Man's Valentine Gift.... Total cost for both of these baskets....around $14.00. Not bad and ANYONE can do something like this. Just personalize it for your loved one. Genius? No. Easy? Yes. And trust me, it will be appreciated.

Vintage Thingies Thursday: Vintage Valentine Greetings

Welcome everyone to Vintage Thingies Thursday

If you have a love for vintage things, well....you have come to the right place. We have a really good time each and every week!!!
If you are new to this party, please take the time to read and follow the instructions for participating in Vintage Thingies Thursday, click HERE. I try and keep things fairly simple, so please make sure you follow the instructions. Please only ONE link per week. Lastly, if you link in, LINK back to my blog, so everyone can see all of the vintage goodies on display that day. If you don't link back here, they won't know who to visit......thanks so much.

Valentines already....seems like it was just Christmas! My, how the time flies.  When the first of January came around, I read lots of things online about the new year not starting off as grand or as great as it should, lots of folks going through tough and hard times. It always reminds me to be thankful for what I have and the love I have in my life. I am thankful. Always.

This little kitty was a recent find, it reminded me of how simple can be a good thing, and try to let the complicated things that come my way not seem so important in the big scheme of things. The last few weeks have really been a load of trying times. Seems like an avalanche of happenings that cause lots of stress and worry. You know how one things happens and then it all starts piling up...different things that weight down your heart and mind.

 These days, I don't do so well with complicated, stressful, feeling out of my element situations. I need a whole lot more of simple days instead of the complicated ones I am facing. I am guessing that is why this little kitty spoke to me, and I am not a cat person by any stretch of the word! Reminds me the music will play again...just wait it out. Simple can and will replace the complicated....in time.

I have been sewing....just not to the point of a finish on one of my jubilee quilts. I went back and forth on the final design of one of the two quilts I decided to call my jubilee quilts and it is almost to the point of sending it to the quilter. The other one is on the design wall and I have it all layed out, just needs to be sewn together. This quilted heart is in my sewing room and I love that it was made from an old quilt. I myself don't think I'd have the heart to cut up an old quilt, but I do enjoy this heart!

Lastly, I'd like to send a Valentine to all my blogging friends who show up here even when I really don't have much to share or much of a clear thought to type our a creative post. I will say this, I DO have some posts coming once I get the photos taken that I know will be of some interest to my thrifting buddies! It is a discovery I happened upon by sheer accident and well....it is genius if I do say so myself.....it is all about the simple things that we overlook lots of times! I can't wait to share this with you all!!

Happy Vintage Thingie Thursday....and wishing you and yours a very Happy Valentines Day!! Spread a little love and cheer where ever you may be today!!

** Please note: This is a different link than I normally use....as par for the course, I forgot to renew the other link I normally use and well it expired two days ago. I am guessing they are closed for the night and will have to renew the link tomorrow... I told you.....things are just not simple right now!! The old link system will be back next week and all the other links from previous post will be restored. Sorry for the confusion.

Vintage Thingie Thursday: Birds of a feather......

Welcome everyone to Vintage Thingies Thursday

If you have a love for vintage things, well....you have come to the right place. We have a really good time each and every week!!!
If you are new to this party, please take the time to read and follow the instructions for participating in Vintage Thingies Thursday, click HERE. I try and keep things fairly simple, so please make sure you follow the instructions. Please only ONE link per week. Lastly, if you link in, LINK back to my blog, so everyone can see all of the vintage goodies on display that day. If you don't link back here, they won't know who to visit......thanks so much.

........don't always flock together.....All I can say is what a week. It all started last Friday when all was right with the world, the birds were busy singing, the sun was shining....you know the days I am speaking of.... almost perfect. 

....until the buzzards started circling when I checked my email via my phone. I had a couple of emails from blogging and online friends saying they had received a suspicious email from me and wanted to check to see if I had actually sent it or if not, let me know my email had been HACKED........I promise at that exact moment...but birds stopped singing and fled to friendlier lands....far away.

To sum up the nightmare....

One, my email was hacked....may still be and most likely is. It is my yahoo email that I use for my blog and everything else personal. I have had that email for YEARS. Well, once they hacked into my email (How I don't know) somehow I could not longer send emails or respond to any emails at all. 

Two, I changed my password, several times. Nothing.  Spent hours on the phone with people I could not have understood had I been looking them in the face. Seriously. I shake my head to the fact there is no such thing as speaking to a IT tech anywhere in the United States.

Third, I opened up a gmail email and changed everything on my blog to that email. I have no access to my address book from the old one. So IF you get an email from me via a yahoo email....delete it. I will only be using Gmail from now on. It is a mess....I hate it. I had saved emails from special people who are no longer here and who have passed on. . I have been sick over losing some of those precious words that I have saved.

Lastly, is to take the computer in for a clean up and reinstall. Another pain in the you know what. But...I guess I need to do that. Seriously, I AM NOT THAT INTERESTING....why in the world would someone want to hack MY email??? I guess they are interested in vintage goodies, sewing stuff, recipes, and a little family gossip thrown in for good measure. All I can say is they need to get a life....and stay out of mine. 

After a stressful week, this little bird in a basket came home with me one day while I was out looking for "thingies" that I don't need....ahem.  I liked it, and it was a good buy, and a reminder that the birds will be singing again soon.....after I decide to let go of the fact of losing my personal email and all the personal things that I had saved there. I am still sick over it, but nothing can be done about it now......

....but those nasty ole email hacking, stealing buzzards better fly to other grounds...this ole crow is still mad and still has her feathers all ruffled and that is NOT a good thing !! 

Happy Vintage Thingie Thursday!!

Yard Sale Saturday: Bonnie Hunter Yard Sale

It is the first Saturday of the month and you know what that means...Yard Sale Saturday!!!
 I am hosting Yard Sale Saturday again this month. Bonnie Started this last year and I am still filling in for a little while. The rules are easy, if you have anything quilting related, it may be fabric, scraps, tools, books and patterns or machines, feel free to link up here and display your goodies and maybe sell a few things. Do you have any unwanted quilt blocks, or vintage quilts just sitting around, how about listing them here and making a little cash?? Just remember these prices need to not be retail...yard sale prices!

Remember, each seller sets their own requirements, some use etsy, some use email contacts and paypal. Be sure to read each one in the links below, each one will or may be different.

I myself am working on Saturdays for a while, so I list all of my stuff in my etsy shop.

*** By clicking on the price under the pictures, it will take you to my etsy listing for that item. More descriptions of the fabrics are on that specific listing, sorry more information is not in this post, but I was running short on time and had to get to bed......so I could go to work... :-(   

 All my items will ship once paid on Monday.

Clovers - $3.00     Birds - $10.00     Asian fabric  $ 4.00    Hexagon  $ 4.00 

Green  $ 16.00      Zinnia fabric   $3.00      Sunflower  $ 2.50        Brown/Orange  6.50

Dog print  $ 3.00   Brown stripe  $ 7.00      Castle Peeps  $4.50       Purple Floral   $4.00

Stars - $ 4.50        Vintage Blue    $9.50        Floral   $ 8.00       Green  $ 4.75

Vintage stripe  $ 8.00            Fabric Bundles $ 10.00 & $10.00       Men shirt bundles $ 42.00

Bali Pops  $ 23.50

cream  $ 4.00                Tea $ 7.50            Pink Floral $ 3.00


Have fun shopping, and looking around. Please link in below with the link to your post, not your whole blog, that way others can shop at their leisure and the link will take them to your post with your items for sale!! Happy Yard Sale Day!!