Soup & Bread

Although today is exceptionally warm (55degrees!!), I still like to put a pot of soup on in my crock pot early in the mornings.

When we have a busy day, it is so good to know I don't have to worry about dinner. It's already done! My friend at With All My Heart...Deborah, posted about some amazing chili she puts in her crock pot, and I wanted to share this with her. So, while sharing with Deborah, I thought I'd share with you also!

 This soup is so good. I used to love Panera Bread's potato soup the best of any I'd tried, but when I found this recipe...well, I changed my mind. This is by far the best I've had, AND, I know everything that goes in it, and when it went in:) Hope you can try it and enjoy it as much as my family has.

 I'm also sharing a favorite bread recipe we love with our soup. This is by far the easiest bread I have ever baked. I love making homemade bread and I do it several times a week, but when I plan ahead, this is the easiest and goes well with all types of dishes.Lots of pictures for the bread also:)  Have a blessed day! Thanks again to Deborah for inspiring me to post up some yumminess!

                     Parmesean Potato Soup
8-med. potatoes
6 cups chicken broth
1 lg. onion, chopped
1 jar (7-oz) roasted sweet red peppers (drained & chopped)
1 sm. celery rib, chopped
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. seasoned salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/8 tsp. sage
1/3 cup AP flour
2 cups heavy cream, divided
1 cup parmesean cheese, divided
8 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled (may use turkey bacon:)
2 Tblsp. cilantro, chopped

*Combine first 9 ingredients in a large crock pot. Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours till veggies are tender.
*Combine flour and 1 cup heavy cream. Add to slow cooker. Stir in 3/4 cup parmesean cheese, bacon, cilantro and remaining cream.
*Cover & cook 30 min. more. Sprinkle remaining cheese on individual bowls.
*Yields: 12 servings
*Note: I have varied this recipe many ways. I have left out the red peppers and cilantro. And I have used turkey bacon. It is STILL always yummy. The only thing I would recommend NOT doing is, DO NOT substitute any other type of milk for the heavy cream. That will definitely ruin your yumminess:)

Yummy bread to go along perfectly with soup

                                     Artsian Bread
3 Cups AP flour (I use half whole wheat & half unbleached bread flour)
1 tsp yeast
1 1/4 tsp. sea salt
2 cups water

Mix dry ingredients, then add water. Stir together till mixed. This will be a very loose dough. Cover bowl and let sit on counter at least 12 hours. Heat a dutch oven w/lid in a 500 degree oven.Turn dough out onto a floured surface and shape into a circle. Plop onto a piece of parchment paper or wax paper and set in your heated dutch oven. Bake @ 500 w/lid on for 30 min. Take lid off and bake another 5-15 min. till brown.
ENJOY!!