Cranky v. Comfort Cookery

November 05, 2010

I love cooking, except when I'm tired, out of ideas, or frankly, cranky. I never not like eating, so I often browse the cookbooks that promise ease and speedy preparation, married with great taste. (Just like everyone else I work with.) Allow me to share a weeknight-type recipe for comfort food from Southern Living's Christmas Family Favorites Cookbook by Keri Bradford Anderson.

Easy Potato-Sausage Soup

1/2 pound ground pork sausage
16 ounces frozen hash brown potatoes (4 cups)
1 large onion, chopped
1 (14.5 oz.) can chicken broth
2 cups water
1 (10 3/4 oz.) can cream of celery soup, undiluted
1 (10 3/4 oz.) can cream of chicken soup, undiluted
2 cups milk
Garnish: shredded cheddar cheese

Step 1: Brown longer pink. Drain; return to Dutch oven.

Step 2: Add hash brown potatoes and next 3 ingredients; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes. Stir in soups and milk; cook, stirring often, until thoroughly heated.  Garnish, if desired.  Yield: 10 cups.

I'm sure you'll know how to embellish this if you'd like to. This book has other great recipes, like Raspberry-Cheese Coffee Cake, Refrigerator Yeast Rolls, and Aunt Kitty's Lemon Pie. (Why, yes. I do have a sweet tooth; how about you?)

You'll find that Southern Living's Christmas Family Favorites Cookbook (641.566 C464) by Keri Bradford Anderson is available at several branches. Please feel free to place a hold on it, and pick it up at your convenience.

Thanks for reading.

Geri H.
Blue Ridge Branch