Miss Cynthia’s Potato Soup with Green Chilis Recipe

Mmmm ~~ Potato Soup on a cold, cold winter day.  I really needed to be warmed way down to the insides of my toes ~~ and this did the trick.  ;^)  Do you love potato soup?  My mother’s recipe for potato soup is always a favorite at my house.  But today, I spiced it up.

I have a nice fire going in the wood-stove.  I’ve been sipping on hot tea all day.  I just needed something else.  So when I got hungry, I checked the kitchen for ingredients and I had the makings of potato soup with a kick.  That’s what I needed!  A little something more … something to spice up a dreary day.  Diced green chilies sounded like a great combination with the potatoes.  I always choose the mild ones, but you could increase the heat level to your own preference.

Gather your ingredients ~~ here we go:

3 large russet potatoes, peeled and diced

2 cups water

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 large purple onion

1 large garlic clove, minced

1 yellow bell pepper, diced

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon basil

1/4 teaspoon chili pepper

1 7-ounce can mild, diced green chilies

1 cup rice milk (or your choice of milk)  (I’m vegetarian, so no dairy milk here.)

1 to 1 1/4 teaspoons of sea salt

Simmering slices of potatoes

Simmer the potatoes in 2 cups of water in a covered pot until tender, about 20 minutes.  Mash a few of the potatoes in the cooking water, but leave the remainder in chunks.

Sauteed Vegetables and Spices

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet and saute the onion for a few minutes.  Add the garlic, bell pepper, cumin, basil, and chili pepper and cook until the onion is translucent ~~ just a few more minutes.  Add this mixture to the cooked potatoes, along with the can of green chilies, the rice milk (or your preference of milk) and the sea salt.

A Colorful Soup!

Stir to blend and serve!  Serves 4-6.  This is plenty for large bowls of just soup (that’s all I needed!)  Or, you could add a salad.  A  rustic whole-grain bread would be great, too.

This goes together fairly quickly.  I was glad, as I waited too long to cook and I was very hungry!  The mild green chilies add just enough spice to satisfy my Oklahoma/New Mexico heritage, while staying close enough to the mild side of the potatoes to be soothing.

Hearty, Healthy, Comfort Food

This is a great comfort-food, but it is still a healthy alternative!  Enjoy ~~ and if you try this soup in your kitchen, let me know what you think.

;^)

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February ~~ Teacup of the Month

A Spot of Tea and a Valentine Wish for You, My Friend!

Come on in and settle into a comfy chair and let’s chat for a few minutes.

I enjoyed setting up this little vignette for my February Teacup of the Month.
The pink teacup is another favorite (and I made sure it was a TEACUP this time, not a MUG, for my friend, J., who shall remain nameless ;^) )

A TeaCUP ~~ Not a Tea MUG! ;^) haha

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner and I’m having fun planning what little tokens of love I’ll send to my grandbabies. (Romance doesn’t really fit into my life at this juncture.) I know I’ve told you before ~~ I have a sign in my kitchen that says, “Forget love … I’d rather fall in chocolate.” And I would. ;^) Except I love love love my family and my friends. ;^)

This pink rose teacup is a gift to my daughter, Aubrey, actually ~~ from one of our dear, mutual friends. I’m the lucky one who gets to keep it in my china hutch. ;^)

The saucer is a vintage find that my antiquing, junque-ing, artist/daughter tracked down. ;^)

So, pink and red and fluff and sweetness ~~ yay for them! ;^) I’m not IN a romance (fine and dandy,) but I’m INto romantic stuff. Stuff being the key-word. ;^) I love pink. I love roses. I love cherubs. I love tea. Oh, you know that already. And this tea is a gem. It is Rose Tea by Sandy Clough. My daughter went to a home-party some time back and bought it for me, along with Chocolate tea! I don’t believe that it is available any longer. I hope I can find a replacement, because this one is soooo good. Mmmm ~~ a nice black tea with a hint of rose petals.

ROSE tea! I need to find more!

Now, a word or two about February birthdays ~~ today is my brother, Richard’s birthday. Happy Birthday to him! In two weeks, it’s my brother, Tim’s birthday. Happy Birthday to him! In a week after that, it is my parent’s 57th anniversary! Wowee! Talk about a record-breaking romance! They win the prize. ;^) Happy Anniversary, Mom and Dad, and thank you for the visible proof that true love does exist. ;^)

Happy Birthday to you, too, if you have a February celebration coming up!

I hope that you have a Happy Valentine’s Day ~~ or if you prefer to be grouchy about it ~~ well ~~ enjoy that, too. ;^) (May I recommend a spot of rose tea and a vat of chocolate?!) ;^D

Thank you so very much for stopping by. Please say “hello” and tell me what you think about Valentine’s Day. Or Chocolate. Or Romance. Or NOT romance.

;^)

Hugs,
Miss Cynthia

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