What I Did at School Today

For a day where we were pretty well focused on closing things down around here, there sure was a lot going on:

A salad for lunch that I love enough to eat two days in a row: chopped rommaine, grilled chicken, and fermented carrots (see Elizabeth’s post here!) with honey mustard lemon vinaigrette.

More fabric stocked away in plastic yogurt containers in the basement in hopes for wonderful, staining mold growth over the next six weeks. I think I’ve gone through about 8 yards of muslin this week; it seemed like a great use for some food that would otherwise go bad. We have containers of muslin coated in sliced grapefruit, mashed banana, smashed pears, diced eggplant, wet coffee grounds, and squished strawberries and blueberries.

We found some time to spend outside. Playing! In the sun! I feel the need to point out that the four legged beast is doing great; we couldn’t wear her out today playing fetch!

Of course, Mama made handknits adorned our heads.

Dinner was Baked Potato Soup that was yummy enough for me to eat two full bowls. Hubby liked it too, but the boys wouldn’t touch it. I can’t even say they didn’t like it; neither of them would even try it. At all. I based the recipe on this one here, but made enough changes that I feel like I should just post it for you:

Baked Potato Soup

• 2 baking potatoes
• 6 strips of bacon
• 1 small leak or yellow onion finely chopped (which ever your family will like best)
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1 1/2 cups chicken broth (or water and chicken base)
• 3/4 cup grated cheese (we used co-jack, but cheddar would be good too)
• 1/2 t salt
• 1/4 t black pepper
• 1/2 plain yogurt

Preheat over to 350; scrub and prick potatos with a fork. Bake for 1 1/2 hours. Remove from oven and allow to cool. (Or bake them however you normally would…)

In a stockpot, cook the bacon until crisp and remove to cool. While the bacon is cooking, stir together milk and broth. And leek or onion and garlic to the fat in the pan and cook until just beginning to brown. Stir in the flour and cook for about a minute; then slowly add the milk/broth mixture, stirring with a whisk to prevent lumps. Cook this over medium heat until it thickens. Next, stir in salt, pepper, and 1/2 cup of the cheese until the cheese is completely melted. Remove from heat.

Stir in the yogurt and reheat over low just until heated through. Do not boil or over heat. Ladle into bowls and top with crumbled bacon and grated cheese.

And with all of that said, we’re outta here for a week! Yep, we’re taking the show on the road to Texas to see my family for a week. Everyone is really excited, except the dog; Keva has to stay home and “guard” the house. While I have every intention of posting while we are gone, I won’t make any promises. Hope you guys have a good week; we’re flying south, so it is bound to be warmer!