This hearty, fall garden soup gets its lovely, golden colour from the carrots. 

I prefer to use all organic produce, and think it tastes better, though it isn't required.

I make it in the Instant Pot, however, I've included instructions for other methods as well.

For an easy to print version, click here to be taken to this recipe on All Recipes, and, if you like it (or even if you don't), please leave a review!

Potato Carrot Soup with Leeks and Kale 

 

Yield: approx 6 quarts

 
Ingredients:

• 8 - 10 medium sized potatoes (or equivalent - any variety/ies) - chopped into bite sized pieces
• 2-3 leeks - thickly sliced
• 1 good sized bunch of kale
• 1-2 large carrots with greens
• 1/4 lb bacon, chopped small
• 1-2 Cups shredded, sharp cheddar
• 1/4 - 1/2 Cup sour cream
• Sea salt to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper or pepper medley to taste
• Several healthy shakes Hungarian paprika (or the regular stuff, if you must)
• Enough Beef/chicken/vegetable broth to reach max fill line/almost top of pot (home made vegetable/bone broth is ideal!)

• 1/8 tsp nutmeg 

Directions:

• Cook bacon in large Dutch oven or soup/stock pot/Instant pot (on sauté setting) until nearly crisped, stirring regularly.

• While bacon is cooking, cut the greens off the carrots and stalks off the kale. Set aside tender greens. Chop/slice carrots and kale stalks and add to sauté when bacon is almost crisp, then thickly slice leeks and toss them in. Keep stirring, and be sure to scrape bottom of pot regularly!

• Add kale, carrot greens, and spices and sauté briefly (stir/scrape more).

• Add potatoes and broth and give a good stir.(If using Instant pot, lock lid on with valve set to pressure and set it for 13 minutes on manual - let pressure release naturally for at least 10 minutes or so - then ok to manually release. Skip steps 5 & 6).

• Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.

• Reduce heat to low and simmer until potatoes and carrots are tender.

• Add cheese and sour cream and stir in well.

• Serve garnished with carrot leaves.

Notes:
• I like to double the bacon and vegetable sauté amounts, and scoop out half the mixture to freeze for another batch (or other soup/stew) before adding the potatoes and broth

• If you prefer a vegetarian/vegan version, omit the bacon and sauté the veggies in your oil of choice.
• Feel free to add other veggies, meats, spices, etc to personalise the dish!

Delicious, Nutritious, Hearty Bone Broth/stock for Free

This weeks thrifty food tip is how to make your own bone broth, absolutely free.

(I'm cheating here, and using lots of the wording from my vegetable broth post, so if it looks familiar, that'll be why!)

You can buy chicken or beef broth in cans, cartons, or powder at the store, but not only is it pretty expensive, even for the cheap stuff, but it is also usually full of preservatives and artificial flavours and colours and very high in sodium to boot. 

Instead, why not just make your own?

You'll need gallon freezer bags, a freezer, some cheesecloth  (optional, but makes things much easier) or a wok skimmer or strainer, and a crock pot/slow cooker, rice cooker, Instant Pot, stock pot, or other large pot for simmering or pressure cooker, and a marker. 

Every time you have bones left from cooking (or bringing home a roasted chicken), save them. You can even ask for take away bags/boxes to save bones from when you eat out, if you like. After all, you DID pay for everything on your plate!

Put them in all in labelled freezer bags and keep them in your freezer (if you have a deep freezer, better still!)
I have some separate bags for chicken, turkey, beef, pork, etc, some for general poultry, some specifically for smoked meats. You can separate them however you like.
When a bag gets full, time to make your broth (or start a new bag and make the broth later.. whichever). 

• Line your pot with the cheesecloth, if using and dump all the bones in. 
• Fill to the top with water. 
• Add any additional salt or seasoning, if desired.
• Turn the crock pot on low and let it go for 8-16 hours. 
  •  If you're using a rice cooker, turn it to the "cook" setting until it starts boiling, then leave it on warm for the same amount of time. Check water level periodically and add as needed.
  • If using the stove, bring to a boil and then simmer on lowest possible setting for 3-5 hours, at least. Check water level periodically and add as needed.
  • If you're using the Instant Pot/pressure cooker, set it to manual/pressure for 90-120 minutes and let it do a natural release.
• When it tastes like broth, turn off the heat and let it cool enough to handle. 
• Pull up the cheesecloth and squeeze out all the liquid you can into the pot, or skim solids out with a wok skimmer or strainer. (The bones and scraps can then be composted or added to animal feed. Just make absolutely sure the bones are soft enough to easily crush with your fingers before giving to animals)

That's it!

Once it's done, you can use it right away, or you can freeze or can it. For freezing, I suggest using a rinsed out, cardboard milk carton, freezer bags, reditainers, or, if you want more measuring control when you use it, ice cube trays.

Vegetable broth for free!

This weeks thrifty food tip is how to make your own vegetable broth, absolutely free.

You can buy vegetable broth in cans, cartons, or powder at the store, but not only is it pretty expensive, even for the cheapo stuff, but it is also usually full of preservatives and artificial flavours and colours and very high in sodium to boot. 

Instead, why not just make your own?

You'll need a gallon freezer bag, a freezer, some cheesecloth
 (optional, but makes things much easier) or a wok skimmer and a crock pot/slow cooker, rice cooker, Instant Pot, stock pot, or other large pot for simmering or pressure cooker, and a marker. 

Every time you make a salad, trim veggies for dinner, slice onions, etc, there are some bits, like ends, stems, peels, and such that usually get thrown out. 

All you have to do is start saving those bits in a freezer bag kept in your freezer. Green onion caps, onion skins, celery and cucumber ends, tomato cores and stems, bell pepper seeds, stems and the white "pulpy" bits, artichoke stems, green bean ends, carrot peelings... You name it! Toss it all in the bag. When it gets full, time to make your vegetable stock (or start a new bag and make the stock later.. whichever). 

• Line your pot with the cheesecloth, if using and dump all the trimmings in. 
• Fill to the top with water. 
• Add any additional salt or seasoning, if desired.
• Turn the crock pot on low and let it go for 8-16 hours. 
  •  If you're using a rice cooker, turn it to the "cook" setting until it starts boiling, then leave it on warm for the same amount of time. Check water level periodically and add as needed.
  • If using the stove, bring to a boil and then simmer on lowest possible setting for 3-5 hours, at least. Check water level periodically and add as needed.
  • If you're using the Instant Pot/pressure cooker, set it to manual/pressure for 90-120 minutes and let it do a natural release.
• When it tastes like broth, turn off the heat and let it cool enough to handle. 
• Pull up the cheesecloth and squeeze out all the liquid you can into the pot, or skim solids out with a wok skimmer or strainer. (The veggies can then be composted or added to animal feed. Just take out any bits that are still too tough, like tomato stems, and beware of giving dogs onion, as they can be toxic to some dogs)

That's it!

Once it's done, you can use it right away, or you can freeze or can it. For freezing, I suggest using a rinsed out, cardboard milk carton, freezer bags,reditainers, or, if you want more measuring control when you use it, ice cube trays.

What to do with Leftover Marinades

It's a common issue, perhaps more so in the warmer months...

We marinate meats (or other things) for the grill, but there's always some left.
You don't want to re-use it for the next batch, because it has juices from the previous, which can spoil the whole lot, but you don't want to just throw it out either. What a waste!

Here's what I do:
I stick the leftover bits in the freezer, in the same Ziplock freezer bags I used for the marinades (they are still labelled, of course). Then, I use them in soups, stews, or casseroles later, often in the crock pot. It's a great way to have an instant "flavour profile" for something which may otherwise be bland or unimaginative. You don't need a "recipe" to make a great meal - Just things from the basic food groups and some imagination!

As an example, a recent dinner was a soup made with the previous day's water from boiling corn on the cob, the leftover Cholula BBQ steak marinade (generous portion Cholula, a bit of whatever BBQ sauce you have lying around, minced garlic, and a bit of olive oil), a can of condensed cream of chicken soup, a can of chicken & rice soup, some leftover roasted chicken, a big can of green beans, a handful of rice, some dried, roasted red bell pepper, and dried mixed vegetables. Started in the slow cooker on low in the morning.

It made a delicious dinner, plus another couple of lunches!