Guess who is home and well enough to enjoy a dinner in the dining room!?
Karen says cheers!
She is feeling [and looking and seeming] MUCH better tonight. We went to the hospital and brought her home around 5PM, tucked her into her bed (after a hot shower!) and I got started on dinner while Matt went to pick up her prescriptions.
I chop-chopped veggies for a Potato + Bean Soup
A souper simple recipe
Souper Easy Potato + Bean Soup
Serves 4
- 1 pint mushrooms, chopped
- 5 stalks celery (or onion – ew), chopped
- 1 tbsp canola oil
- 3 big russet potatoes
- 1 box broth of your choice
- 1 can big white beans, drained
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- Basil, red pepper flakes salt, pepper to taste
- Brown mushrooms + celery for a LONG time on medium high until they are super fragrant
- Add potatoes and broth, bring to boil, reduce to simmer, cover, cook for 15 minutes
- Stir in beans
- Combine cornstarch and buttermilk and mix well
- Add buttermilk mixture to soup along with seasonings. Stir until thickened.
- Serve with greek yogurt on top
I also made cornbread!
Wish I could say it was made from scratch, but Karen bought this mix for me to use. We all decided it wasn’t very good – next time we’ll try something better.
While I was cooking, I got hungry and raided Karen’s pantry for a snack. I spotted some Naturally Nutty Vanilla AB and had a taste on a spoon
And then I found my homemade Pumpkin Spice Almond Butter I’d given Karen – she apparently didn’t love it as much as I did! I took a [clean] spoonful of that too
I like my cornbread with honey on top
As NYE treat, Matt brought along a special occasion beer – Sierra Nevada’s 30th Anniversary Black Barleywine
Mmmmm!! I liked it, but it was a bit too hoppy of a barleywine for me to l.o.v.e.
A while later Karen went up to bed, but first she put out a treat for us – a bite of apple bar she had leftover with a bit of frozen yogurt
All mixed up!
Served with mint tea
I’m now sipping off of Matt’s beer as I type.
RAM This
This blog post has taken me over 2 hours to do. Why? Because my computer was being sooooo slow I could barely stand it. Writing a post is a piece of cake – it’s the photos that take up all of my time. And with a slow computer, it is an excruciating process. Turns out that I was trying to do it with only 1 GB of RAM! My laptop is 3 years old and only has 2GB, so Matt took it out the other day to examine the type to order me a little more. When he put the memory back in, he misplaced it and I thought it was just a dumb computer quirk. 3 restarts and a restored RAM later…things are back to normal-slow instead of molasses-slow. Hoping my new RAM arrives soon! If it doesn’t do the trick, someone is going to be laptop shopping. With a job based on a reliable computer, I certainly can’t waste time when I’m traveling on the computer when I need to be out and about.
NYE
We decided to call tonight a low-key evening and watch a movie by the [gas] fire instead of venturing out to our friends’ house. I’ve never been a huge NYE person anyways. Something about the party not getting started until midnight wears me out before it begins! I don’t think I’ve ever missed the ball drop though, so I intend to fight sleepiness and stay up as late as I can!
Clearly I have a case of wordiness tonight : )
Have a Happy New Year!
Hannah says
Well done – Karen’s a real trooper 🙂 Happy New Year!
lynn (The Actors Diet) says
wow karen does look quite well! happy new year – i am more into mellow celebrations as well. i’m in bed by 11:30 so staying up past midnight is like work!
katiebiss says
So glad Karen is doing well! You are all truly blessed Kath…
My husband and I stay in on New Year’s Eve. It’s just to nuts out there!! Life’s so much better at home anyway right??
I’m a long time reader, soon to be blogger and just wanted to finally leave you a message. My thoughts and prayers are with you guys during the recovery stages…
Thanks again for all that you’ve done over the years. You are truly incredible people!
Kath says
Thanks Katie!
Beth @ Beth's Journey to Thin says
So glad to hear that Karen is home and well! And that soup looks fabulous – and souper simple. 🙂
kelly says
Karen looks great! Glad she’s home and feeling better.
Happy New Year!
chelsey @ clean eating chelsey says
Happy New Year! I hope this upcoming year brings you great things!
missy says
So glad to hear that Karen is doing well!
Wishing you all great things in the new year. 🙂
Camille says
That cornbread looks incredible!
Happy New Year, Kath!
Averie (LoveVeggiesAndYoga) says
Omg computer issues…SUCK! I will say that blogging is all about efficiency…both post writing and photo uploading and when one of them or both of them are slow, not b/c of you but b/c of the equipment or platform glitches..it’s a hair tear 🙂
I hope you get your ‘puter working soon!
And wooohooo for karen doing well!
🙂
Alaina says
Glad to see Karen is doing so well!!
Tonight will actually be the first night that I won’t watch the ball drop. My hubby and I both have early mornings at work so its bedtime for me. Last year was our big to-do anyway when we went to Montreal.
Happy New Year! 🙂
Ma Fea says
Karen, you look beautiful.
MaryBe says
Karen looks great!
Happy New Year to you all
Kate (What Kate is Cooking) says
Happy new year! I’m glad everything went okay with your mother in law 🙂
Sana says
So happy karen is doing well! Happy new year!
Namaste Gurl says
Happy New Years, Kath and Matt! How sweet of you two to take such good care of your mother- in law 🙂
kim says
Happy New Year Kath, Matt & Karen!
Well wishes to Karen and I think that is great that you and Matt are able to be there for her & help her out 🙂
I’ve been following your blog for about a year now and I never miss a day of checking KERF. Keep up the good work!
Grins & Peace
Bethany says
That soup looks good, but I hate recipes with buttermilk. They don’t sell it in small containers. Every time I buy some for a recipe I use the tiny amount the recipe calls for and then the rest just goes bad in my refrigerator. What are you going to do with all that left over buttermilk?!
Kath says
Both the soup and cornbread used it, but yeah, that’s why I avoid buttermilk recipes too!
megan @ whatmegansmaking says
You can freeze buttermilk. When I buy it, I portion it out into one cup increments and freeze the leftovers for when I need it. Works great!
Nikita says
You can make a buttermilk substitute for cooking by adding about a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar or a couple teaspoons of lemon juice per cup of milk. It even works with soymilk. just let sit for at least 5 minutes.
Heidi - apples under my bed says
I’m very happy that Karen is doing well! Thinking of her and sending her strength and love. That bean soup sure will nourish her up!! We had an extremely low key NYE. They’re the best imo 🙂
Heidi xo
Jessica says
I don’t know if you can get it where you live (it’s made in Michigan) but Jiffy Mix makes a fabulous corn muffin mix!
http://www.jiffymix.com/recipes.php/Jiffy+Corn+Muffin+Mix
I took a tour of the factory once when I was in first grade 😉
J3nn (Jenn's Menu and Lifestyle Blog) says
That’s great that Karen is doing so well post-op!! 😀
Happy New Year, Kath!!
Justeen @ Blissful Baking says
Karen looks great!
Hope you guys have a wonderful evening 🙂
Happy New Year!
Alice Arnold says
Gotta say…going out on NYE, not that awesome…What’s awesome is feeling like MILLION BUCKS on New Years Day. Probably not me tomorrow but please take full advantage. Btw…best of cheer and good thoughts to Karen! Surgery and looking that lovely in 24 hours=badas&% in my book.
Jessi @ Life-Tangent says
Yay, Karen!
carlee says
WELL well well, looks like you do need a new computer! 2 hours is crazy! I mean not to say I have not spent that long before! But not Kath lol!
I’ll take the pumpkin spice almond butter for ya!
haha Happy new years!
jassy says
happy new year! 🙂
Linda says
Happy New Year Kath!!!!
Sarah (Running to Slow Things Down) says
Happy New Year!!
So glad to hear Karen is feeling better! 😀
Meagan says
Yay! Karen is better 🙂 I love your bowl (again)
Michele @ Healthy Cultivations says
I had a quiet, peaceful NYE as well. Sometimes, it’s kind of nice that way.
Gabriela @ Une Vie Saine says
Happy new year!! Glad Karen is home safe and sound and you all started 2011 as a family 🙂
Chelsea @ One Healthy Munchkin says
Karen looks great! I’m so glad that she’s doing well.
I had a low key NYE too. Sometimes it’s nice just to have a quiet night in!
Kris says
Happy New Year to you! Glad to hear Karen is doing so well. Our very quiet NYE included a late afternoon visit to World of Beer for some brew tastings and then dinner at home. Was so nice to wake up refreshed, not headachey. We decided our 2011 will include a visit to C’Ville for winery visiting and beer tasting (our friends were nice enough to invite us). Cheers!
Kelly says
Glad to see Karen is feeling okay! Happy New Years Kath!
Rachel says
I am so happy to hear that Karen is on the mend and in the comfort of her own home again 🙂 I am not much of a NYE person either, actually I am not much of a late night person 😛 I was in bed at 10pm last night! Happy New Year to you all!
Samantha says
Every time you make soup sans onion, I die a little.
Hope Karen feels better very soon!
XO
Sarena (The Non-Dairy Queen) says
Happy New Year Kath! I hope it is a great one for you and your family!
Katy (The Singing Runner) says
Glad to see Karen is doing well!!!
Hope you had a great New Years! 🙂
Jil @ Big City, Lil Kitchen says
The soup looks delicious and glad to hear that Karen is home!! Happy New Year!
Erin says
Happy New Year, Kath!
Recently you mentioned that you wear earplugs to bed. Would you be willing to share what kind? I am looking for something to drown out night noises (aka a snoring husband :)) but am worried about them not being comfortable. Thanks!!
Kath says
I have some from CVS – they are hot pink and yellow swirls. They are great!
Christin@purplebirdblog says
I sleep with earplugs too and it’s such a lifesaver! Mine are the plain hot pink ones, they fit better in my ears! 🙂
Stacy @ Every Little Thing says
Happy new year! My computer isn’t slow so much as it freezes all the time. It’s on it’s fourth year though. I’m kind of waiting for it to die before I get another one, because I desperately want a Mac!
stacey-healthylife says
That’s a great soup recipe. 🙂
The Edgy Vedgy says
Your oatmeal always looks so delicious…you’ve inspired me to do more with my oatmeal and muesli and find a way to do it in my dorm room…love reading your blog! it’s great to see what you’ve done with nutrition!
Michelle @ Give Me the Almond Butter says
The new RAM should help a lot. My mac was like molasses when I tried to do Adobe’s Design Suite, but as soon as I upgraded to 4GB RAM, it was fantastic.
Jillian@ Reshape Your Life says
I’m so glad Karen is doing well. She looks AMAZING. You wouldn’t even know she had surgery! I hope she has a speedy recovery!
fairfaxmamma says
You and Matt are the most wonderfulest son and daughter-in-law! You are so generous and kind with your time and be available for Karen.
She is looking FANTASTIC!
faith @ gracefulfitness says
My friend Jessica said the same thing about NYE, “If it was a morning holiday I would be all about it but a holiday that isn’t celebrated until midnight?”.
We missed you last night but I am glad Karen is home and on the path to recovery.
Ahn Ei says
Hello!
So happy to see Karen is doing well! All my best to your family.
Have a great 2011!
Diana @ frontyardfoodie says
I love Sierra Nevada and I haven’t tried this one! I tried to get all the different 30th Anniversary ones but this must have slipped my notice!
Krista says
omg I am OBSESSED with Naturally Nutty nut butters…I got six jars for my birthday last week!
Jackie Smith says
I’m glad to see Karen’s home smiling. Surgery is NEVER fun, but at least she can be in her own home where she’s comfortable. When you said ‘gave her a shower’ I laughed because it reminded me of shaving my mom’s legs after she had back surgery a few years ago.
Jess says
The soup looks amazing! Too bad about the cornbread, though. Happy 2011 to you!
Lana says
Hi Kath,
Just wondering what sizes are you servings? It always seems as though it is alot but do you use like salad plates at dinner and small bowls for breakrfast. My mother just bought me a new set of dishes for Christmas and they are square. My husband and I have been using the salad plates to eat our suppers on I feel it keeps my portions in check.
Kath says
We have both dinner and salad plates in our square set. Most of my plates are salad size – although it is hard to tell. The above soup bowl was a regular cereal size bowl and the orange plate was an appetizer plate – pretty small.
Heide M. says
This soup is perfect for winter. Thank you for posting this easy recipe.