Texas Weather and other stuff

 Howdy from north central Texas this morning. Boy has it been a crazy week around here as far as weather goes. And around the country. #1 son said they got over 12 inches of snow at his home in Crystal MN so he worked from the house yesterday. Have I mentioned one or two hundred times that he works for Target and was promoted to headquarters in 07? Oh, I have. I'm still one proud Mama of his success and the work ethic his Daddy and I must have instilled in him. I still grieve that he moved so far away but that's the way it's supposed to be. Or so I've been told. I'll let you know if my heart ever stops aching. Oh, the weather. Sometimes I forget and go on a good rant about my children. Proud of all 3. So on Monday it's 85 and we're burning up outside. The inside of the house is nice and cool because of the lower temps at night. Then yesterday the high was 55. And the wind has blown and blown and it's affecting our sinuses or allergies or whatever. I was sick around Christmas for about 3 weeks and finally got over THAT round and then woke up this morning with an ear hurting and a throat getting sore. Not much fun and my sweet sissy in law is dealing with the same. We complained over tacos last night and compared symptoms. Ah, ain't getting old just the most wonderful thing ever (no one ever said)? Be sure to catch my woes on my Facebook page where so far this week I've ranted daily. Maybe it's the weather, maybe it's my age and maybe people just need to be responsible for what is theirs. And, we need less government in our everyday lives. That was today's drama.

This is a good week for soup (when it's cold) and I fixed potato soup last week. I know there are blogs out there with wonderful potato soup recipes. I don't even try to compete with pictures of the progress, etc. I think I'll take pics of "this is what you need" (ingredient picture) so you will "end up with this" (finished masterpiece). I have celiac disease and try to fix as much gluten free as I possibly can. Doesn't always work out that way and let's face it, with last week being my birthday week I blew it all out the window and it was worth it. My recipe uses gluten free cream of chicken soup (available in bulk from Amazon) but of course you can use good old Campbells and save a ton of money.

Deb's Gluten Free Potato Soup

5 or 6 (more or less) medium potatoes   This is really up to the cook and who you are cooking for.
1 medium onion
1-2 tablespoons instant chicken bullion
2 containers of organic, gluten free cream of chicken soup
2 cups of milk
Freshly ground sea salt and pepper to taste
Sprigs of fresh parsley

Peel and dice the potatoes and onions.  Put about 2 tablespoons of butter in a large soup pot and let it melt. Add the onions and sauté until lightly browned. Add the diced potatoes and enough water to cover them. Sprinkle in the powdered bullion so the potatoes have a nice broth to cook in and grab some of that flavor.  Bring to a boil and lower heat, cook until the potatoes are tender. You may drain off some of the water at this point. Add your two cans/containers of cream of chicken soup stirring until blended and then add the milk. Add salt and pepper to taste.  Blend well and cook on low,  covered for at least 30 minutes. That gives you time to make cornbread or biscuits. Spoon it up and add sprigs of FRESH parsley on top. This zings up the soup a notch unless you don't like parsley. Bacon, cheese, chives.....anything can be added to jazz it up.

This recipe has plenty of "playing" room. You just use as much or as little as it appeals to you. I don't have a written recipe for this and I don't bother to measure anything either. It's just something to have ingredients on hand for when the dreaded what am I going to fix for dinner monster stops by.

Maybe you live somewhere where it's nice and cold, maybe even snowy (we love snow in Texas) and already have these ingredients on hand. This can easily be adapted to the crock pot, an appliance which no house should be without! Hope you enjoy it.