Baked Potato Soup

This recipe is simply fantastic! I’ve always loved the loaded baked potato soup at Chili’s, and this recipe is the closest copycat that I’ve found and adapted! Compare it for yourself, and let me know what you think!

Baked Potato Soup

Brynn Harvey
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Servings 6

Ingredients
  

  • 3 tbsp. butter
  • 2-3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1/2 c. flour
  • 4 1/2 c. milk
  • 1 14 oz. can chicken broth
  • 4 medium potatoes baked
  • 2 c. cheddar cheese grated
  • 1 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 tsp. black pepper
  • 1 1/2 c. sour cream
  • 1/2 c. green onion chopped
  • 8 slices bacon cooked and crumbled

Instructions
 

  • Melt butter in a stock pot over medium heat.
  • Add garlic and saute for 30-60 seconds until fragrant.
  • Add flour to pan.
  • Slowly add milk a little at a time while whisking constantly to eliminate lumps. Whisk until smooth and then add chicken broth.
  • Bring soup to just a simmer and heat until thickened, stirring often, about 5 minutes.
  • Once soup has thickened, turn heat down to medium low.
  • Cut potatoes in half length-wise and use a spoon to scoop out potato flesh into the pot. Use a wooden spoon to smash potatoes breaking up large clumps.
  • Add 1 1/2 c. grated cheese, salt, pepper, and stir until cheese is melted.
  • Remove pan from heat and stir in 3/4 c. sour cream, and 1/4 c. green onions.
  • Add additional salt and pepper to taste.
  • Ladle into bowls and top each serving with the remaining sour cream, onions, cheese, and bacon.

Notes

If you're unable to get your mixture smooth after adding flour and milk, save the hassle and add the mixture to a blender until smooth before continuing.
Adapted from Our Best Bites

White Bean Chicken Chili

We eat a lot of soup at our house, and this recipe is one I received from a friend and have absolutely loved. (Thanks Lindsey!) Its great for those days when its really cold outside, and is simply quite delicious!

White Bean Chicken Chili

Brynn Harvey
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings 5

Ingredients
  

  • 1 10 oz. can white chicken smashed
  • 1/2 c. onion chopped
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1 tbsp. oil
  • 2 cans white beans
  • 2 14.5 oz. cans chicken broth
  • 1 c. dry elbow macaroni
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. ground cumin
  • 1 tsp. dried oregano
  • 1/2 tsp. pepper
  • 1 c. sour cream
  • 1/2 c. whipping cream

Instructions
 

  • In a large pot saute chicken, onion, and garlic in oil until chicken is no longer pink.
  • Add all other ingredients, expect sour cream and whipping cream.
  • Bring ingredients to a boil, reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes.
  • Remove from heat.
  • Stir in sour cream first followed by whipping cream.
  • Serve and enjoy!

Notes

Important: Make sure the sour cream is put in prior to the whipping cream to keep the whipping cream from curdling.
Adapted from Lindsey Holmes

Tortellini, Bean, and Pesto Soup

This is one of the most popular soups that I make, and my friends and family always request this soup when we get together!

Tortellini, Bean, and Pesto Soup

Brynn Harvey
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 6

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tbsp. butter or margarine
  • 1 garlic clove finely chopped
  • 1/2 c. carrot cut into julienne strips
  • 1/2 c. celery chopped
  • 6 c. water
  • 2 tsp. vegetable or chicken bouillon granules
  • 1 19 oz. can red kidney beans drained and rinsed
  • 1 10 oz. package dried cheese-filled tortellini
  • 1 tbsp. fresh parsley chopped
  • 1/4 tsp. pepper
  • 6 tbsp. basil pesto
  • 6 tbsp. Parmesan cheese grated

Instructions
 

  • Melt butter in large pot over medium-low heat.
  • Cook garlic, carrot, onion, and celery in butter for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Stir in water and bouillon granules.
  • Heat to boiling and reduce heat.
  • Stir in beans and tortellini.
  • Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until tortellini are tender.
  • Stir in parsley and pepper.
  • Top each serving with pesto and Parmesan cheese.
  • Serve immediately.

Notes

Adapted from Better Crocker

Easy Blender Salsa

I’ve made and had a lot of salsas, but this one is by far my favorite! Its a super easy recipe and comes together quickly, in less than 5 to 10 minutes! You can always spice it up with jalapeno, but I prefer a mild salsa!

Easy Blender Salsa

Brynn Harvey
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Prep Time 10 minutes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 14 oz. can diced tomatoes
  • 1 10 oz. can original Rotel
  • 1/2 small onion chopped
  • 1 clove garlic peeled and smashed
  • 1 tsp. honey
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/4 tsp. ground cumin
  • 1/2 c. cilantro washed
  • 3 tbsp. lime juice (juice from 1 lime)

Instructions
 

  • Put all ingredients into a blender and pulse to combine for 30 seconds, or until desired consistency is reached.
  • Taste for seasoning and adjust to taste.

Notes

Adapted from Mountain Mama Cooks

Swimming, Taking Baths, and Showers with Tactile Defensiveness

Damian at the Pool

A major source of difficulty for our tactile defensive son Damian is water. It has always terrified him, and it has terrified him from a very early age. He has always been terrified of having water splashed on him, or having it dumped on his head. This fear has greatly affected his ability to take baths, showers, and even go swimming.

Its not the feeling of water on his body, arms, and legs that he dislikes, but he hates having it around his face, particularly around his eyes.

When Damian was a baby he struggled with bath time. He did fine when sitting in a bath tub; however, he absolutely hated splashing nearby or having water touch his head. It was so bad that he would freak out when we tried to lay him down to rinse his hair out and if we tried to dump water on his head. I remember once that my husband, Drew, and I had the brilliant idea to let him take a bubble bath, figuring he would have a blast playing with the bubbles. That turned out to simply be a disaster as Damian absolutely hated the bubbles.

Damian is also afraid of the shower, and that persists even to this day. He has progressively gotten better since he was a toddler; however, when we was a toddler he was so worried that the shower was going to come on and splash him or get his head wet. There were times when I would have to tie a rag to the shower head, just tie a rag to it, so that he felt protected and it wouldn’t get him if it came on. To this day if the shower comes on unexpectedly, and he’s not prepared, he will scream and jump out of the tub.

Swimming was another issue. Damian does love to go swimming! When he was a toddler he hated getting splashed on at the swimming pool, and every time he got splashed on he would end up crying. I’m sure you can imagine how hard it is to not get splashed on at a pool, lets just say that it is impossible! As we’ve continued to work with him, and now that he’s older and can control what happens, he is much better at the pool. The one thing that he still has problems with is putting his head under the water. He doesn’t like the water on his face and he is very worried about getting water in his eyes. He thinks the water will burn his eyes even if he keeps them closed. We are getting close to getting him to put his head completely in the water.

We’ve definitely had our challenges with water, but we have come a long way since that first bath after we brought him home from the hospital. He keeps making progress, and we keep seeking ways to help him adapt to the water (more on this in another future post). We’re definitely so proud of him and the progress he continues to make, and are excited to see him continue to adapt and overcome his tactile defensive nature.