Simple Potato Soup

This is a one pot wonder that I make on nights when I have zero to no time. It's comfort food from a can, if you will.

Whatcha Need:
Potatoes- peeled, chopped, boiled, and strained
1 Lg. can chicken noodle soup
1 Lg. can cream of chicken soup
2 C. milk
salt, pepper, and garlic powder

First, boil your chunked up potatoes until they are just a bit past fork tender. Don't let them go very far past fork tender or the starches will develop too much and you'll just have a pot of mash on your hands. These are tender enough that when I stir them they start to fall apart. I like that for a soup consistency.



Add in your large can of chicken noodle soup. I just use good ol' condensed Campbells. But, you can add in whatever special soup you like right here. Just use the large can.



Add in your shredded chicken and ignore the sharp nature of this photo. The lighting in my kitchen is HORRRRIBLE so I do what I must.



Now, add in your large can of cream of chicken soup and think about all the casseroles you've made in your day. Good stuff.



Salt and pepper and garlic powder that pot of comfort.



Now, start pouring milk and stirring. Stop pouring when the soup is the consistency that you like.



It's done! YUM! Now, you can eat as is or you can hook it up with some bacon bits, sour cream, or green onions. Gooood stuff, baby!

Okie Stirfry with Beef

Yes, I just went there. I just said Okie Stir fry. Why do I call it that? Because it's more stew-like than Asian and because I'm originally a product of Oklahoma (therefore, an Okie). This recipe is thanks to my Momma because she likes to create funky stuff like this. I like to steal her ideas, put my own spin on it, and then eat it until I'm blue in the face and never want to see a bell pepper again. Enjoy, my Okie and non-Okie friends!

Whatcha Gonna Need:

1 lb. steak (I used thin cut top sirloin) cut into thin strips
1 T of veg oil + 1 T of veg oil, separated
3 bell peppers of any color, cleaned and sliced thin
2 large onions
2 green zucchini
2 yellow squash
1 tub of button mushrooms, sliced
1 small can of tomato sauce
1 container of La Choy sweet and sour sauce
1/2 C. water
8 swirls of the pan of soy sauce
salt and pepper to taste
steamed white rice for serving

Let's Get Okiefied ... or umm ... cookin':

Get your beef all chopped up and pretty. Then accessorize it with some salt and pepper. Beef is good and clean, I tell you.

Now we're gonna get tricky. We don't want to cook this beef. We just want to sear it. So, get your pan screaming hot and add a tablespoon of vegetable oil. I like the smoke point of veggie oil plus it doesn't smell weird when you fry in it. Okay, onto the beef. Sear it until it's no longer gray. Then turn it and do it again. Then take it off to rest on a pretty plate.

These beautiful strips of goodness are raw as heck in the center but nice and charred on the outside. We like that.

It's time to get your chop on. Slice and half those bell peppers. We had all green today.

Slice those onions into about 1/2 inch slices. Slice quick with a sharp knife and you won't cry. I promise. *sniff, sniff*

Add those to a big, heavy-bottomed pot on medium high heat with your other tablespoon of vegetable oil. Do you wanna know why I like vegetable oil? Oh, I already told you. P.S. I won't tell if you add some salt and pepper right here. In fact, I encourage you to do so.

Slice and halve your squash.

Then do the same thing with the zucchini. You have to because zucchini gets jealous.

Now add all ingredients from the squash and zucchini to the hot tub of peppers and onions. Youc an also throw in the mushrooms, too. It's all good, no worries. Don't forget to salt and pepper again. Layers are good. Kind of like donkeys.

The beef may rest no longer. It's time to add it to the yummies of veggies. Toss it in right on top 'cause it's pretty and good.

Now it's time to accessorize. These ingredients make our sauce. Oh, plus about 1/2 C. of water.

Now, add in your sauce ingredients so your meat and veggies can call themselves stir-fry. And because it's just that good man! Sometimes I always add in crushed red pepper flakes right here ... because I'm a crazy girl. That's why. After this, cover the pot, set the temperature to medium low (or 3 if you're number based) and let it rock and roll to the soft rock for about an hour.


When you come back, your Okie goodness whould look something like this. Oh yeah, baby. I'd get me a spoon and do a salt check right about now.

Ladle your pot of yummy on top of some white rice and say 'Thanks, Heather's Mom" because this is some goooood stuff.

Family Secret Potato Salad

This potato salad is somewhat of a family secret. At least I am convinced it MUST be my family secret because I always get talked or conned into making it. Just me ... So, now I'm spreading it to the masses so everyone can enjoy some of my homemade family secret potato salad.

Whatcha Need:
5 lbs. russet potatoes (chopped, boiled, and cooled)
8 hard boiled eggs, roughly chopped
1 C. mayonaisse (+ a little extra if you'd like)
1 T. yellow mustard
8 oz. full fat sour cream
4.25 oz. chopped black olives
just shy of 10 oz. dill relish
1 medium sized red onion, diced fine
salt and pepper to taste

Let's Get To Spreading the Family Secret!

First off, we just want to dump all of the ingredients except the mayo and mustard into a big ol' bowl.

Now, here is where you create your own family secrets. Do you like mustardy potato salad? Add more mustard. I only use 1 T. but we don't like mustardy potato salad. And, add your mayo now. I start out with one cup.

Get to mixing. This is where it starts to look like a hot mess and you freak out that maybe you added too many ingredients. Worry not, weary one.

It's just not fattening enough. We need more mayo. Momma says so! I added about a tablespoon here and it did the trick.

Ta da! It's done and it's beautiful! YUMMMMY! Now, I made this huge bowl of potato salad for 2 kiddos and 6 adults. We cleared out the whole bowl over the course of dinner and late night snacks. It's THAT good. Yum.