Potato Leek Soup

I try to make one soup a week during the cold winter months. It fills me up, but doesn't drain the pocketbook. I made this soup a few weeks ago and it satisfied my craving for something creamy. Creamy is hard to do when dairy is off the menu...

Potato Leek Soup


5 pounds Yukon gold potatoes
1 large leek halved, rinsed and sliced
8-10 oz veg or chicken stock
1/2 pound bacon
4-5 cups water
1 tsp peppercorns
3 tsp herbs de province
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper

Fry the bacon and remove from pan. Cook leeks in the bacon fat for aprox 5 min. (they will taste kind of like liptons onion soup mix). Peel and dice potatoes and put in crock pot. Pour stock, water, seasonings in crock pot. Put peppercorns in folded leek stem or cheese cloth and put in crock pot. Dice bacon and add to soup. Add leeks. Cook 6-8 hours on low. Remove 4-5 cups and puree in blender and and add back to soup. Make sure to remove the peppercorns.

Crock Pot Chicken

I love my crock pot. Especially on busy days. It makes me feel like I had a chef make my meal while I am out working. Today I made a crock pot chicken. I was able to purchase a few whole fryer chickens about a month ago for 99 cents a pound. The crock pot makes them quick and easy.

Crock Pot Mexican Chicken

1 whole thawed chicken
1 lime quartered
1 med red onion cut into 8 pieces

Spice Rub


1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp salt
1/8 to 1/4 cayenne

Optional
one can green enchilada
one small jar green salsa
on small jar of non chunky salsa

Stuff the chicken with as much onion and lime as possible. Rub down the chicken with the spice rub. Place the extra onion and lime around the chicken. Cover the chicken with one of the optional choices if desired. Cook the chicken on low for 8-10 hours.

The juices at the bottom of the pot can be made into a gravy too. Transfer the strained juices to a small sauce pot and bring to a boil. Mix together aprox 1 Tbs corn starch to 3-4 Tbs of hot water. With a whisk, pour cornstarch mixture into the juices and they will thicken into a non lumpy gravy.

The left overs can be shredded and put into chicken salad, soup, salad, burritos, etc...
Tonight I served the chicken with brown rice, corn and cranberry sauce.