Adventures in Cooking: A spicy potato soup gets a star!

[alpharaposa]

Broke out the slow cooker again today, trying a new recipe from the "Fix-It and Forget It" cookbook.

Turned out delicious! Here in a bit, I'm going to make a grilled cheese to complement the lingering taste of hot sauce in my mouth. Though, looking at the recipe, we forgot something - extra water! I think it was supposed to be a soup, but it turned out like a nice, thick chili. I'm not complaining. I like it as it is.

So, here's how we did it:


Ground Hamburger, browned (Recipe calls for a pound, but the commissary does 1 1/2 pound packages, so we threw all of it in.)
4 cups cubed potatoes (Recipe says peeled. I say "bah!" Used 5 big 'uns.)
1 onion, chopped (Recipe says small, but the smallest I could find was more of a medium.)
3 8 oz cans of tomato sauce
2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 - 1 tsp hot sauce (I just threw in some Mexican hot sauce until it looked good to me.)

The recipe calls for water, which we forgot and didn't miss.

Cook on Low 8-10 hours or High 5 hours, until potatoes are tender.

So, the mad scientist cook strikes again! Muahahahaha! It was just spicy enough, and thick as really good chili. It gets a star in the book.

Comments

[tuftears.livejournal.com]

One of these days I must get a slow cooker. Right now, I have no room in the kitchen!

Looks tasty indeed. I'd think of adding some diced carrots, but you don't want it to get liquidified the same way as the potatoes, which seems like a real danger. Maybe add them in an hour before it's done?

[stryck.livejournal.com]

When adding peas or similar softer veggies, that's often what's suggested. Carrots can stand up to an all-day cook if you like them cooked soft. If you want them to be still firm (like in a stir fry), then an hour or so on 'high' would be about right.

The potatoes were just cooked - about the consistency of a baked potato. With no extra water, it didn't have a lot of liquid at all; just enough to keep it all moist.

The slow cooker does take up a fair amount of space, but it's worth it with both of us working. Whenever you get one, I strongly recommend one with a removable, ceramic insert. Makes clean up and temporary food storage much easier! Ours is a 4 1/2 quart cooker. You can make most meals in a 2 or 3 quart one. 3 is the smallest that'll hold a whole chicken properly, I think.

[tuftears.livejournal.com]

Good to know, thanks! Re: both carrots being harder vegetables, and size of crock pots.

I don't think I've ever cooked a whole chicken - I just buy a bunch of chicken breasts at the supermarket. As I'm not partial to dark meat and I'd be cooking for just myself, I guess a small one would be fine for me!

[neppyman.livejournal.com]

I'm used to potato soups being cream-based instead of tomato-based. But this sounds really good. I usually don't peel my potatoes either.

You'll pardon me if I steal this recipe. I'll leave you one of my own at some point. :)

[stryck.livejournal.com]

The recipes are free to be taken! I don't live close enough to share food, so recipes will have to do.