La Kitchenette Souris: Baked Potato Chowder & Light Rye Bread

At first, I was just attempting to make 2 more recipes that day, and these were the two I lite upon.

Turns out, they are a wonderful combination! 

This Rye Bread recipe would go well with just about any kind of soup, and other meals as well.

The Baked Potato Soup, well that might be more of an acquired taste, but it wasn't half bad! 

There is one ingredient I would definitely leave out, and I will put a note beside it.

Baked Potato Chowder

2 large potatoes, baked

3 Tablespoons butter

1 cup onion, diced

2 Tablespoons flour

4 cups chicken broth

2 cups water

1/4 cup cornstarch

1 1/2 cups instant mashed potatoes (I would definitely leave this item out~ adds an odd flavor & makes it much thicker)

1 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon thyme

1 cup rich milk

1/2 cup Cheddar cheese, shredded (optional)

1/4 cup bacon, cooked and crumbled (optional)

2 green onions chopped (optional)

Cut cooked baked potatoes in half and remove contents with a dessert spoon. Chop into about 1/2 inch pieces.

Melt butter in a large saucepan. 

Saute onion until lightly browned.

Add flour to onions and stir well. 

Add broth, water, cornstarch, instant potatoes, and spices to the pot and bring to a boil. 

Reduce heat and simmer for a few minutes. 

Add chopped potato and milk to the saucepan.

Bring soup to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for about 15 minutes or until thick. 

Spoon into soup bowls and top each with a tablespoon of Cheddar cheese and bacon and a teaspoon of chopped green onion. 

Serves 6. 

♥

Light Rye Bread

1 cup water, lukewarm

1 teaspoon sugar

1 3/4 Tablespoons Traditional yeast

1 1/2 cups buttermilk (I used Kefir instead)

1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 teaspoons salt

2 cups rye flour

3 1/2 cups white flour (possibly a little less or more)

white flour, for kneading stage

Combine water, sugar, and yeast and let stand for 10 minutes.

In a mixing bowl, combine buttermilk, margarine, brown sugar, salt and yeast mixture. 

Add rye flour and mix well.

Add white flour until dough is stiff enough to be turned onto floured board/counter top. 

Knead for 10 minutes, place in a greased bowl, cover and let rise until doubled.

Form into 2 round or oblong loaves on a cookie sheet and let rise until doubled.

Bake at 400F for 25 minutes.

♥

The happy chef with her bread~ I had never made bread before!