Welcome to Hibernate 2022 – Week Three
It’s 3:19pm on a Saturday and I am lamenting pulling my body from my warm nook where I have been absorbed in a magazine. I picked it up in one of those neighborhood libraries I found when taking a walk downtown. I have said “yes” to going to a casual dinner tonight. I want to delight in the invitation, but I also want to take my cozy afternoon with me. A sweater could be the answer to this internal dilemma. A few weeks ago, when half my family was ill, and school had gone online for the umpteenth time I slipped into a thrift store to embrace a moment of quiet.
There is something about searching through the racks of clothes and looking for hidden treasures in the backroom that makes my heart sing. I can let life go on around me, while I discover a new gift for my home or myself. On this trip I found a cozy wool sweater. It has been well loved which makes it all the softer. The cuffs are a bit frayed and it has plenty of room for base layers. This will be my answer tonight – my ability to leave my house with the coziness of warmth wrapped around me.
- Jennifer
Northern Michigan is full of thrift stores. Zany’s Consignment in downtown Traverse City, the Goodwill in Acme, The Roost in Suttons Bay, Samaritan’s Closet in Lake Leelanau, Hidden Treasures Consignment Shop in Cadillac, and on, and on we could go.
Each shop is full of treasures and if they could speak they would tell of adventures taken, heartbreaks that occurred, and great memories that were made. I love that when I put on clothing from a thrift shop, I am putting on a bit of history.
February is the month for winter sales. Sweaters that will soon be replaced with summer outfits are waiting to be purchased. If you need a little pick me up this week consider stuffing $10 in your pocket and head to a thrift store. Look for a sweater that will keep you warm throughout these last weeks of winter. If shopping alone feels like a drag, consider taking a friend, daughter, mom, or co-worker. A couple hours digging for the perfect used sweater may just put a smile on your face.
Once you have your cozy sweater on, it is time to find comfort in the perfect bowl of soup and a chunk of warm bread. Many local bakeries like Bay Bread in Traverse City offer day old bread at half the price. These pieces are perfect for dipping into a bowl of soup.
6 strips (uncooked) bacon cut into small pieces
3 Tablespoons butter
1 medium yellow onion chopped (about 1.5 cup)
3 large garlic cloves minced
⅓ cup all-purpose flour
2 ½ lbs gold potatoes peeled and diced into pieces no larger than 1” (about 6 Large potatoes for me)
4 cups chicken broth
2 cups milk
⅔ cup heavy cream
1 ½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground pepper
¼ - ½ teaspoon ancho chili powder
⅔ cup sour cream
Shredded cheddar cheese, chives, and additional sour cream and bacon for topping (optional)
Place bacon pieces in a large Dutch Oven or soup pot over medium heat and cook until bacon is crisp and browned.
Remove bacon pieces and set aside, leaving the fat in the pot.
Add butter and chopped onion and cook over medium heat until onions are tender (3-5 minutes).
Add garlic and cook until fragrant (about 30 seconds).
Sprinkle the flour over the ingredients in the pot and stir until smooth (use whisk if needed).
Add diced potatoes to the pot along with chicken broth, milk, heavy cream, salt, pepper, and ancho chili powder. Stir well.
Bring to a boil and cook until potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork (about 10 minutes).
Reduce heat to simmer and remove approximately half*** of the soup to a blender (be careful, it will be hot!)
Return the pureed soup to the pot and add sour cream and reserved bacon pieces, stir well.
Allow soup to simmer for 15 minutes before serving.
Top with additional sour cream, bacon, cheddar cheese, or chives. Enjoy!
Recipe from www.Sugarspunrun.com
With Love,
The Single MOMM Team & Our Favorite Soups
Amanda - Zuppa Toscana
Brittany - Loaded potato soup
Dani - Tomato Kimchi from the Soup Cup
Jennifer - Pho
Kammie - French onion with melted cheese
Kathleen - Chicken enchilada soup
Karin - Mom’s ham and pea soup
Lindsay - Egg Drop Soup
Patty - Homemade corn chowder
Sarah - Seafood bisque