Obsessed: Soup

I cannot stop eating soup! After sweet potato, broccoli and a delicious corn and potato chowder I had at a friend's bbq, I am completely obsessed. This week I wanted to make loaded baked potato. Trying to be healthy I decided to experiment mixing cauliflower with potatoes, using no cream, and just a bit of bacon fat for flavor. Making the soup base so healthy enabled me to add a sprinkling of the traditional fixings without any guilt.

I didn't use a recipe so here is a first attempt at my own. Enjoy.

Ingredients:

4 slices bacon

1 head of cauliflower

4 large russet potatoes

1 white onion

2 celery stalks

carrots (I used a handful of baby carrots)

4 cups low sodium chicken stock

salt and pepper

Toppings (optional):

sour cream

grated cheese

chopped bacon

green onions

Preparation:

1. Fry bacon until crisp. Set aside. Transfer 2 tbsp bacon fat to a large pot and sauté chopped onions, celery and carrots. 

2. Peel potatoes and chop two. Wash and cut up cauliflower. Add to pot and cover with chicken stock. Simmer.

3. Chop remaining two potatoes and cook in a separate pan of salted boiling water.

4. When potatoes and cauliflower are tender. Puree.

5. When your two separate potatoes are tender add to pureed soup and mash slightly. This will give you a chunky chowder texture.  

6. Season with salt and pepper and top with fixings of your choice.

Broccoli Soup and Garlic toast

Find this recipe here. The only change I made was adding milk instead of cream because I was too lazy to walk back to the store. Why can I never remember everything in one go?

The garlic toast was just a mixture of melted butter and minced garlic, spread with a pastry brush on a slice of poppy seed baguette, then baked in the toaster oven. The toast added a bit of decadence to this healthy and delicious soup.

chocolate chip "muffins"

Craving chocolate chip cookies I decided to make a batch using the recipe on the back of the chocolate chip bag. After adding some suspicious ingredients like milk and baking powder I realized I wasn't making cookies at all, but muffins. How did I miss that?

Packaged for delivery. Thank you so much sister for the adorable cupcake boxes!

Find similar recipes here, here and here.

Obsessed: Deco Trinket Bangle

Find this bracelet in select Anthropologie stores 

or online here.

proper life friends reunion

Like every year, we had our annual proper life friends reunion last weekend. Because Disco and Cunningham were both running the ING Marathon, the rest of the gang decided to get up early and show our support. Some of us were in better states than others . . . way to rally Cass . . . 

At 7am we missed them on ocean drive, but quickly hopped in the car and
greeted them at mile 18 in Coconut Grove.

I couldn't be more proud. Congrats guys. What a impressive feat! 

After the race was over, it was finally time to celebrate!

a heavenly snack.

a slice of baguette topped with: 

mozzarella, tomatoes, parmesan, cracked pepper and bacon.

baked at 350°

Whitefish Mountain

My last Montana installment.

Whitefish Mountain

Where I spent most of my time: on my butt.

The skiing Cayargas. These boys were going down blues after two days!

sweet potato soup

This recipe is from Cook's Illustrated. I was unable to find the actual recipe online to make a link, so here is the emailed recipe my momma sent me. Thank you mom for sending me this, and thank you Cook's Illustrated for the scrumptious recipe!

Sweet Potato Soup:

Cook 6 slices of bacon in a dutch oven until crisp. drain bacon on

paper towel and set aside. Discard all bacon fat but 2T from pot. Add

1 onion chopped fine, 1t packed brown sugar, and 1t salt and cook

stirring occasionally until onion is softened. Stir in 3 minced garlic

cloves and cook until fragrant. Add 2lbs sweet potatoes peeled

quartered lengthwise and sliced thin, 4c low sodium chicken broth, and

1c water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until potatoes

are tender. Process in blender. Salt and pepper to taste. Top with

chives and crumbled bacon, but it tastes great plain too! Yum!!! I

think you need to make it.

slowly getting the hang of it

whitefish bunny slope

Montana Highlights from Inside

Alex and Felix

wine, cheese and saucisson from France

Champagne and engagement toasts

a delicious meal by Josh, chef and owner of Culinary Design Studio

chocolate creme brûlée with blackberries and Dan the man

a letter from Santa

Thank you Towle family for the incredible holiday with you all!

there's a new man in town

Check out Pubbelly's newest addition

PB Steak

Obsessed: Anthro Earrings

Available in stores now

a thoughtful gift.

Tired of eating out, I decided to try my hand at freezing a couple things. The only thing better than tossing a home cooked meal in the oven with no mess, or effort? These adorable labels. Thank you Jesus!

What's inside the foil, you ask? Click here to find out!

the expert

Montana Highlights