Potato Casserole, Chowder & Soup

WOW!
I am really feeling overwhelmed with potatoes right now.
You would think that since we live in potato growing country that each year I would feel this way, but until this year, I have never had to deal with so many potatoes at one time.

This is actually the first year
our garden has done well with potatoes and just from our garden alone we had over 3 large milk crates full of potatoes.
We then were given a 50 pound box of potatoes from a generous person that gave all of the teachers at Tracy's school district a box of potatoes for Christmas
AND then we received a 20 pound bag of potatoes from some people in our ward for Christmas.

I wish I knew more people that we could share these yummy potatoes with.

SO, nonetheless,
I am swimming in potatoes and making lots of yummy meals with them and hoping we can use them all up before they go bad.

Here are three of my favorite potato recipes
that I have made for our family to enjoy this past month.
VERY filling, nutritious and economical as well.

This recipe is really similar to "Funeral Potatoes", only I use REAL whole potatoes and not frozen hash browns and I have cut down the butter and sour cream so it's not as fattening.

If you have any leftovers from this they make really yummy hash browns for breakfast the next day.

Potato Casserole

Boil 8 potatoes until tender and then run under cold water and then peel and dice them into chunks
2 Tbsp. Melted butter
1 can cream of chicken OR mushroom soup
1 diced onion
1 cup sour cream
½ to 1 cup grated cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Mix together, butter, soup, sour cream, cheese and onions.
Pour mixture over potatoes and stir until well mixed.
Bake covered at 350 degrees for 60 minutes—
uncover last 10 minutes.

This is delicious!
(the “REAL” potatoes are what make it so good—
boil WHOLE potatoes until tender---rinse under cold water—peel and dice)

Since the potatoes were free
we spent $2.14 to make this yummy casserole.
.................................................
creamed soup--.79
sour cream--.50
cheese--.50
onion--.25
butter--.10

Potato Chowder

12 medium potatoes
1 large onion chopped
1 pound ground beef
4 to 6 cups water (depending how large your potatoes are)
2 cups milk
1 can whole kernel corn drained
2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes
1 cup sour cream

In large stock pot cook onion and ground beef until meat is no longer pink and onions are tender.
Add in potatoes and 5 to 6 cups of water and bring to boil and then reduce heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes until potatoes are very tender.
Stir in rest of ingredients and cook for 10 minutes until heated through. Salt and pepper to taste.

Enjoy!

Since the pototoes and hamburger were FREE (my parents give us yummy beef from their cows for Christmas)
this soup cost us $1.34 to make up
..............................................................
sour cream--.50
milk--.25
onion--.25
corn--.34

Yummy Potato Soup

Ingredients...
8 potatoes
1/2 pound bacon
1 cup celery
2-3 cups chopped onions
1 can evaporated milk
2 grated carrots

Cut up 8 potatoes really small and cook in a pot of water just below potatoes.
(add salt and pepper to the water before adding the potatoes).
If water boils low, add a bit of milk—not more water.

While the potatoes are cooking in a separate (large) skillet
cook ½ pound of bacon cut up in small pieces.
Cook VERY slowly until cooked but NOT crisp.
When bacon is cooked add 1 cup chopped celery and 2-3 cups finely chopped onions. Put lid on and cook on LOW heat stirring every few minutes until celery and onions are tender.

(these 2 parts of the recipe
are the key to the yummy flavor of this soup).

Smash potatoes lightly and then
add 1 can evaporated milk.
Stir in bacon mixture.
Grate 2 carrots (or more) into soup.
Heat thoroughly and Enjoy!

Since the potatoes were FREE
this meal cost us $2.35 to make up
...............................................................
onions, celery, carrots--$1.50
bacon--.35
evaporated milk--.50