Potato Soup

So it happened. I've failed on my low carb diet. Maybe it was the Jerusalem Cafe Food truck calling me during lunch almost everyday. I swear I could smell the warm pitas all the way in my office. Or maybe it is because carbs are happiness, and I like being happy. Who knows. But bright side, that added insulation around my mid-section will help keep me warm this winter right? I mean, it can get cold in Kansas City (not Minnesota cold, but cold nonetheless). The temperature during the the Chiefs game this weekend was freezing. But, like a good Norwegian, I bared it out. 

This soup that I'm sharing today actually started my downfall. I was on the Pioneer Woman's website, trying to win a flowery kitchenaid mixer (spoiler alert: I didn't win :( ) when I saw a link to a potato soup recipe. I love potato soup. Actually, I love potatoes in general (honestly, who doesn't). My dad grew up on a potato farm in Southern Minnesota, and my family would have numerous potato dishes at every get together. I guess it is just part of my blood. 
So of course I had to try this recipe. The Pioneer Woman is one of the only cooking shows I enjoy watching (have you ever seen her make fried eggs? They look like plastic. In a good way.) and I trusted her judgment that this recipe was delicious. She did not lead me astray. 
You can find the recipe here.

Enjoy!

Friday Favorites- Minnesota Edition

This week's Friday Favorites is going to be Minnesota themed. Or really, Growing up in Minnesota then living out of state themed.

As a person who grew up in Minnesota, and then left, I've noticed a few instances where I've said or done something that the non-Minnesotans around me didn't understand. Basically, they are side effects of growing up Minnesotan and then leaving.

Here are just a few examples:

(1) During my first class ever at my out of state college, the class was supposed to introduce themselves and say where they were from. When I said I was from Minnesota, the professor said "Interesting. Please, tell everyone what a 'Hot Dish' is". I had no idea why people wouldn't know what a "Hot Dish" was, and just stared blankly at him. That was the minute I realized Minnesotans had some phrases that were unique to them. And in case you don't know, a Hot Dish is the Minnesotan phrase for a casserole.

(2) I feel like a giant when I'm not in Minnesota. At 5'9, I was on the average to shorter end on the height spectrum of my girlfriends. Due to all the Germans and Norwegians that ended up living in Minnesota, people tend to be very tall. Before moving down to Missouri, I told a couple of my girlfriends they could have some of my higher heels, which lead to this...

The injury...

(3) Before moving out of state, I used think everyone had the same affinity as I did for Paul Bunyan. Paul Bunyan, the giant lumberjack, is an American legend. He is an icon in Minnesota because he lived there with Babe, his big blue Ox. We grew up learning about him in class, see large statues dedicated to him all over the state, and have a ride dedicated to him at the theme park in the Mall of America (the log flume). He is even featured on my hot dish potholder that is the first picture on this post. When I was planning my wedding, I was working with a New York based paper company I found on Etsy to design my table numbers. The table numbers were going to have images of Missouri and Minnesota on them, and say "From the City of Fountains to the City of Lakes" (Kansas City being the City of Fountains and Minneapolis being the City of Lakes, the two cities' nicknames). I thought it would be fun to have Babe the Blue Ox on the Minnesota image, because legend has it he was the one that made all the lakes in Minnesota (even though I've also heard the lakes are Paul Bunyan's footprints, but for the sake of the story let's stick to Babe). When I got them, it finally occurred to me that no one was going to get it besides maybe Minnesotans. And not even them most likely, because Babe the Blue Ox ended up looking like just a blue cow. I guess those New Yorkers who designed the table numbers weren't inundated with images of the majestic beast growing up like us Minnesotans are.

(4) This past winter in Kansas City, we had a lot of snow. Well, for Missouri we had a lot of snow. Apparently, on the Plaza in Kansas City, the snow removal strategy is so gather all the snow into one big pile and then eventually take it away.

We used to have snow piles like this all the time in Elementary school when they would plow the parking lots (although they would not be in the middle of everything like these snow piles). We used to always play "King of the Mountain" during recess (a game where you basically throw other kids off the snow pile and if you are on top you are "King of the Mountain"). I tweeted how I so wanted to play on that snow pile on the Plaza, and then saw this...

Wait, does that mean adults are allowed to?

(5) A couple of weeks ago, my husband Joe revealed to my family and I that his first bonfire ever was at my sister's house a couple of years ago. My sister has a huge fire pit, and we kept finding Joe going into the woods and putting more and more wood on the fire. He did the same when we were up north at my parents and were having a bonfire at the lake. I thought it was adorable. He was like my big, strong lumberjack :) Growing up in Minnesota, we would have bonfires all the time. Even in the winter. Whether it be by the lake during the summer, out in the woods while camping, or just in someone's backyard, they were pretty frequent occurrences. After he told us this, I think I asked him about a million times if he was serious. I'm sure he loved that.

(6) I do, and will forever, love Prince. It's just part of being a Minnesotan. All Minnesotans love Prince.

He if from there and still lives there if that all explains it. We are a loyal bunch.

Plus his music is amazing.

Have a good weekend!

Beef Stew

So, for some reason, last week Joe and I ate dinner around 9:00 p.m. almost every night. In case you don't know, for Midwesterners, this is unusual. Midwesterners eat dinner around 6ish, possibly even 5. I tried to spin it and say I was trying to bring some culture into our household and eat dinner like a European, but the reality was I had chosen meals that took a long time to make. Especially when I would usually get home around 7:30 from my fusion fitness classes. Well, that, and the fact that I had chosen one crock pot recipe, and had failed to wake up early enough in the morning to prep for it. That extra 20 minutes in bed just proved too tempting.

The recipe in question was a beef stew recipe. Last week in Kansas City was unseasonably cold. I figured while it was still cold, I would make those cold weather recipes that usually don't seem right to make from about March until October. I had found this Beef Stew and Butternut Squash recipe, that sounded too good to pass up. Being that I couldn't find any Butternut Squash at my local grocery store, it turned into just a Beef Stew recipe. One that we ate around 9:30. It was still yummy, however.

Given that is is supposed to be 38 degrees here in Kansas City tomorrow (I thought Missouri was supposed to be warm), and snowing up in my home state of Minnesota, I though people could use some cold weather recipes to warm them up.

Crock Pot (or not, whatever) Beef Stew
Adapted from Eat, Live, Run

1.5 lbs. beef stew meat, chopped into 1 inch pieces
1 Tbs. canola oil
5 small red potatoes
3 large carrots, sliced
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 tsp. garlic, minced
10 oz. sliced mushrooms
4 cups beef broth
1 bay leaf
1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbs. soy sauce
2 tsp. sugar
1/3 tsp. black pepper
pinch of cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/2 cup flour

Toss the chopped beef in the flour. Heat the canola oil in a skillet over medium heat, and saute the onions for about 5 minutes. Add the beef and garlic, and continue to saute. Once the beef has browned, transfer the contents of the skillet into a large pot. Add the mushroom, carrots, potatoes, and the bay leaf, and then cover in the beef broth. Now add the Worcestershire sauce, the soy sauce, the sugar, and the paprika.

Bring to a boil. Once boiling, cover and reduce heat to low. Let simmer for about 3 hours.

If you instead want to use a crock pot, once the beef has browned add all the ingredients into the crock pot in the same order. Cook for 8-10 hours.

You can eat your beef stew on the table like a civilized person, or...

... under the covers like a woman who has already put away all their winter clothing.

Enjoy!

What To Eat When You Get Caught In A Snowstorm

This morning Kansas City was struck with Snowmageddon the sequal. I have yet another snow day. The 3rd in less than a week. This snow day, Joe and I are much more prepared, meaning we actually went grocery shopping, and I brought work home.

In case you are also stuck in a snow storm and did not make that last minute frantic trip to the grocery store, or want to use the remaining food in your pantry before buying more, or are just hungry, I have found a number of recipes were you most likely to already have all the ingredients in your pantry. 

This is to help if you don't want to end up just eating dry stale cheerios.

If you happen to have some heavy cream:
Parmesan-Garlic Linguine

If you keep red-pepper flakes in your spice rack (or have some left over from the last time you got pizza delivered):
Spaghetti Aglio, Olio, e Peperoncino

If you want some lunch:
Peanut Butter and Jelly Pockets
Pizza Crescent Rolls

If you want to make sure you use that chicken before it goes bad:
Ranch Chicken

If you want Martha's favorite:
3 Ingredient Fettuccine Alfredo

If you just happen to have Nutella:
Nutella Muffins

If you want some creamy chicken soup:
Avgolemono Chicken Soup with Rice

If you're craving Mexican:
Vegetarian Taco Salad

If you're craving some chicken of the sea:
Tuna and Pasta Bake

If you don't have yeast:
Yeastless Focaccia Bread
No Yeast Bread

If you do have yeast:
Simple Whole Wheat Bread

If you decide to not just drink your beer:
Beer Bread

If you're craving ethnic food:
Naan

If you're like me and have frozen puff pastery in your freezer you were going to use and didn't:
Flaky Tomato Mozzarella Tart

Dessert:
3 Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies
Baked Churros