My Random Thoughts & Dirty Laundry: Recipe of the week {loaded cheesy potato soup}

Riley is 6 years old, going on 36 years. He is a very active, creative, mature and sensitive. He is going to start first grade this year. He loves to help me weather it is with the baby, laundry, cooking, the animals or just keeping me company. Riley loves his siblings, although if you ask him he will deny it, he takes his role as the oldest very serious. He cannot wait to be a grown up one day. He wants to be a plumber like his daddy. He would live outdoors if he could, and enjoys riding on his bike, 4 wheelers, and tractors.

Skyler is the little girl that I have always dreamed about, she is 5 years old. She is fun loving, easy going, care free and fearless. She loves to play with bugs and get dirty. She loves playing outdoors. She is also a very girly little lady. She likes to introduce herself as "Princess", "Belle", or "Tinkerbell", and she loves to sleep in her princess dresses. Going to church is one of her favorite things, and as soon as we walk through the doors she is begging to go to her class. She is starting kindergarten this fall and we're going to take the plunge into homeschooling!

Our newest little miracle we all had to fight for, Quinn. She is a little fireball and always knows what she wants, she's not a fan of diaper changes, clothes changes or waiting on anyone. She is such a sweet and content baby as long as she's held and fed. Thankfully that is what we love doing anyway. I absolutely adore newborns and every stage for that matter but I cannot wait to watch her grow, change and see the little person she is going to become. She's already almost a month old and it is so bitter sweet to watch her grow.

Recipe of the week {loaded cheesy potato soup}

Monday, March 05, 2012 by Anna

This one I totally made up myself. I have been searching to no avail the perfect potato soup recipe. I have tasted failure after failure. What I was going for is something similar to O'Charlies- and this one isn't similar but it was delish and a huge hit. I have not had a home made one that is better.

I used 7 russet potatoes- I cut them like skinny french fries so that we could call it "french fry soup" so the kids would love it.

1 large onion

4 whole/fresh skinned carrots

4 celery stalks

7 cloves of garlic

4 cups of chicken broth

2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper

1 packet of dry ranch dressing mix

I cooked on high for about 6 hours.

Here it is right after I tossed everything in:

About an hour before we ate I made a rue (is that how it is spelled)?

I used a stick of butter over medium heat, added 4 tbs flour stirring constantly- let it cook for 2 minutes or so and then I slowly added 4 cups of room temperature half and half. I stirred constantly.

I added 1 lb of fresh graded sharp cheddar cheese (well I left out a little to garnish)

I cooked 1 lb bacon and threw most of it in the pot and left out a little for garnishing.

We topped with sour cream.

Green onions would have also been delish too!

Enjoy!

Here it was completed- excuse the crappy house lights, I took this with no natural lights.