Pams Potato Soup Food

PAM'S MASHED POTATO CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
• Cook and mash the potatoes.
• Add the cream cheese, 1/2& 1/2, butter, onion salt, seasoned salt, regular salt& pepper to taste.
• Beat together till fluffy.
• Place in 9x13 inch casserole.
• Brush top with butter and sprinkle with paprika.
• Bake in oven at 350 degrees for about 35 to 45 minutes or until heated through.

PAM'S POTATO AND LEEK SOUP

Steps:

• 1. If you want to use the optional bacon, start by frying the bacon bits in a large stockpot until crisp. Remove bacon bits and reserve. (If there is more than a few tablespoons of bacon grease, drain some off.) Saute the leeks and celery in the bacon grease until soft and translucent. If you prefer to make the soup without bacon, simply saute the vegetables in a combination of butter and oil (about 2 Tbsp each) until soft.
• 2. Add the cubed potatoes, broth and just enough water to cover the potatoes. (Sometimes I add a tiny bit of turmeric, a couple of pinches or so, to the pot to enhance the buttery golden color) Bring to a boil and then turn to medium and cook until potatoes are tender. Partially mash some of the potatoes and set the pot aside to make the roux in the microwave.
• 3. In a small microwaveable bowl, melt the butter and stir in the flour. Microwave for another minute, stirring half way through to cook out the raw taste.
• 4. Add the milk to the stockpot and heat through. Stir in the roux vigorously and bring back to a low boil to thicken. Add the cream and stir. If the soup is too thin, you can either make a little more roux, or add some instant potato flakes or mash the potato chunks a little more to thicken. If too thick, add some more milk or even chicken broth.
• 5. Let the soup simmer on very low temp, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking or burning, for 10 to 15 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Because the bacon and the chicken broth both have salt, you will need to determine how much to add for your preference. I use quite a bit because the potatoes really take up a lot of salt.
• 6. Return the bacon to the stockpot or use it as a garnish on bowls of the soup. You can also garnish with some fresh chopped chives or some green onion tops finely chopped, or the ultimate in decadence, with a little dab of butter that melts in the center of the bowl.

PAM'S SWEET POTATO AND PEANUT BISQUE

Steps:

• 1. Prick sweet potatoes in several places with a fork. Microwave on High until just cooked through, 7 to 10 minutes. Set aside to cool. Alternative is to bake in oven, but Microwave is faster.
• 2. Heat butter or oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, until it just begins to brown, 2 to 4 minutes. Add garlic stirring, for 1 minute more. Careful not to burn the garlic. Stir in V8, green chiles, ginger and allspice. (If you use pepper flakes, I would add them here.) Adjust the heat so the mixture simmers, cook for 10 minutes stirring occasionally.
• 3. Meanwhile, peel the sweet potatoes and chop into bite-size pieces. Add half to the pot along with broth, peanut butter, sugar and hot sauce (if desired). Puree until completely smooth with an immersion blender. (Alternatively, process in food processor or blender in batches and return puree to pot.)
• 4. Add the rest of the chopped potato pieces to the pot and stir well to combine. Adjust seasonings to taste. Thin the bisque with water or broth, if needed. Season with pepper. Heat until hot. Garnish with chopped peanuts and cilantro or scallions, if desired.
• 5. Note: I also used a tiny squeeze of fresh lemon juice to my bowl and it really brightened the flavors.

RAMPS AND POTATO SOUP

Steps:

• In a large Dutch oven over medium heat, fry bacon until fat is rendered and bacon is crispy. Remove bacon and reserve for another purpose. Add ramps and potatoes to bacon fat and sauté over medium heat until ramps are tender, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with flour and stir to mix.
• Stir in chicken broth. Cover and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in cream and heat until steaming; do not boil. Salt and pepper to taste, and serve.