Creamy Baked Potato Soup

Here we are in October and we finally got a couple of days under 80°! I was so excited that I decided to make one of my fall favorites for dinner. This potato soup is a mix of a couple different recipes I have tried and altered to our needs and tastes. If you are looking for some amazing comfort food in under an hour then this is the soup for you!

What you need:

·     6 Russet Potatoes, Peeled & Cut Into 1” Pieces

·     2 Small White Onions, Chopped

·     1 Tbsp. Minced Garlic

·     2 Tbsp. All-Purpose Flour

·     3 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

·     4 Cups Chicken Broth (32 oz.)

·     ½ Cup Half & Half

·     1 Cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese, (plus more for topping)

·     1 lb. Bacon, Cooked & Crumbled

·     Green Onions, Chopped (optional)

How to make it:

1. Bring water to a boil in a medium pot. Add potatoes. Meanwhile cook bacon on a non-greased cookie sheet in a 425° oven for 20 minutes; flipping half way through.

2. While the potatoes and bacon are cooking; sauté onions with olive oil in a large pot over medium heat for 8 minutes before adding garlic and cooking for 2 more minutes. Add flour and stir well. Scrape any burnt bits from the bottom while slowly adding chicken broth and then the cheese. Stir.

3. Once potatoes are cooked; drain and lightly mash. Personally, I like to leave some bigger chunks of potato for my soup. Add potatoes to soup and reduce heat. Remove bacon from oven. Drain, crumble, and set aside.

4. Add half & half to soup and simmer 5 minutes.

Serve topped with shredded cheese, bacon crumbles, & green onions. The perfect comfort meal for a chilly fall day! Or… if you’re from Texas; any day that in the 70s or less. 

Hello There Stranger!

Hello everyone! I know, I know... it's been forever! Where do I even begin? 

It's been so long since I have posted and boy has life changed dramatically! I am so blessed to be mommy to a very spunky 5 month old boy! He is such an amazing little man and he lights up my days and keeps me on my toes (not to mention exhausted).

I know that I have been majorly neglecting Hello Lucybelle, but since giving birth to my son I felt it was so important that I really focused on bonding with him and getting accommodated to my new role as mommy. Something that is no easy feat. Add battling unchecked Fibromyalgia to juggling caring for an infant, cooking, cleaning, looking after 4 dogs and let's not forget remembering to be a wife as well... Needless to say I have not had much time for showering; much less writing. Don't get me wrong. I'm not complaining. I wouldn't trade the chaos for anything! My life may not be perfect, or even easy, but it's amazing and more than I probably deserve. I have the most understanding and patient husband, my miracle rainbow baby, a roof over my head, and food on my table. What more could I ask for? 

 I am excited to get back to posting and working on improving Hello Lucybelle! If you have any suggestions or questions, please feel free to comment below or send me an email directly! 

Chocolate Loaf Bread

This is one of my favorite recipes to make when I want something sweet, but not too sweet. To be honest; I usually make it to have for breakfast with coffee in the mornings. 

The recipe makes two 8" x 4" loaves. While I probably could eat both in just a couple of days, I usually either give the extra loaf away or hold off on topping it with the chocolate glaze and freeze it for later. 

Well, let's get to it then!

What you'll need:

Loaves:

• 1/2 cup butter (no substitutions)
• 2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips, melted
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 1/2 cups applesauce

Chocolate Glaze:

• 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 Tbsp. butter  (no substitutions)
• 5 tsp. water
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar (more for dusting if desired)
• 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
• Dash of salt

How you'll do it:

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add the melted chocolate, eggs, and vanilla; mix well. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Add to creamed mixture alternately with applesauce.
2. Divide batter among two greased loaf pans. Bake in oven for 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks. Cool completely.
3. For chocolate glaze combine chocolate chips, butter, and water in a saucepan.  Cook and stir over low heat until chocolate is melted. Remove from heat; stir in powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt. Drizzle over cooled loaves. Once chocolate glaze has cooled, dust loaves with reserved powdered sugar if desired. 

*** For even more of a chocolate explosion mix in 1/2 cup miniature chocolate chips to the batter before baking. ***