Pallet for Home

 Wash and quarter your potatoes.  I'm using a combination of red and yellow potatoes.  I left the skin on for all those extra vitamins.
 Fill up  the blender part way with water and add a few potato chunks at a time.  Blend for about 30 seconds on low to shred the potatoes.
 The shreds will look like this.  Finish shredding potatoes, reserving the liquid.  I added an onion to the mix and shredded it just like the potatoes.

 Put the liquid back in the blender and add about 2 1/2 Tbsp chicken boullion to the water.
 Blend well to dissolve the boullion.
Fill up the crock pot with the shredded potato and onion.  Pour the broth over the potatoes. I had just enough liquid to barely cover the potatoes.  Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours.  I put it in at 10am and it was ready at 6pm.

About 20 minutes before serving, cube 1 package of cream cheese and add one un-diluted can of cream soup.  I used Cream of Mushroom, but Cream of Chicken would be great too!  I also added in one 1/2 cup of veggie blend that was frozen.  If you don't remember what that is, you can find it here.  The frozen veggies helped cool the soup slightly since my babies don't like it too hot.  Mix well to evenly distribute the cream cheese, soup, and veggies.

Fry up a few strips of bacon.  I used Turkey Bacon and pre-sliced it before cooking to make things easier.

Dish up the soup,  and sprinkle bacon a la "Bibbity Bobbity - BACON!"

My Hubs said this was the best Potato soup I've ever made.  Why thank you. Thank you very much.

 Trim and peel 1 medium onion, leave whole. Stud the onion with 4 whole cloves.
(I didn't have any so I left them out)
 Cut up 8 oz bacon or salt pork.

 Add to crock pot along with the following:

1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp maple syrup
1/4 cup molasses
1/2 cup ketchup
1 Tbsp cider vinegar
Kosher salt and pepper to taste.
10 cups of water.

Turn crock pot on high for first hour, then turn it to low for the rest of the day.  Stir occationally. After it was done cooking, I cut up the onion separately and laid the slices over the beans for presentation.  I think I will just cut up the onion and incorporate it into the beans next time.


I liked making this bread because it was totally different than anything I've ever done before.  I'm not a big rye fan so I think I will switch it out for more Whole Wheat flour next time.

This is rye.  It looks close to wheat but longer grains and slightly different color.
 Grind 1/2 cup rye flour and
1/4 cup whole wheat flour

In a mixer combine:
1/2 cup stone-ground cornmeal
1/2 cup rye flour
1/4 cup whole-wheat flour
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda

In another bowl combine:
1/2 cup molasses
1/2 cup buttermilk  (this can be made with 1/2 cup milk and 1 1/2 tsp vinegar, let sit for about a minute to let the vinegar work)
1 egg slightly beaten

Pour liquid mix over flour mix and stir until just combined.

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Clean and grease either a 13oz metal can or a #10 can.  Pour batter into can and cover with tin foil.
 Place can in large oven safe sauce pan with 6 cups water, or enough to hold the can, but not make it float.  Bring water to a boil over high heat.  Transfer can and pan with the water into oven and bake until a toothpick comes out clean.  It's about 2-2 1/2 hours.  A long time for bread, I know, but well worth it.

Remove can from water bath and let cool for 20 minutes.  Uncover and unmold bread from pan. Let cool and slice.  Slather with butter and serve with beans.

 I served it with salad, and some honey on the bread.

 Different from the normal, but very good!