Cream of Potato Soup

3 c. chicken broth
2 c. chopped, peeled potato
dried, minced onion
4 T. margarine
4 T. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
pepper
2 c. milk

Bring chicken broth, potatoes and a sprinkle of onion to a boil. Keep covered and reduce heat and allow to simmer for 10 minutes. In a skillet, melt margarine. Stir in flour, salt and pepper. Allow to cook for about 1 minute. Whisk in milk and cook until thick and bubbly. Add to broth and cook till thickened slightly.

*I like to smash most of the chunks after it has finished cooking. This thickens the soup as well.

Easy Chicken Pot Pie

Pillsbury Pie Crusts - follow thawing instructions on box

In a big bowl combine:
1 big can (12.5 oz) canned chicken breast with juice
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 tsp poultry seasoning
Frozen cubed hash browns
Frozen peas & carrots
(You just have to guess on the amount of frozen hash browns and veggies.  Add them a little at a time, because you don't want the mixture to end up too dry.)

Put mixture in pie crust, top with another pie crust (make sure to cut cute designs in the top!).  Bake at 400 degrees for 1 hour.

Hints:
- Cover the edge of the crust with foil or pie crust protectors to keep it from burning.
- Make this in a large Pyrex pie dish.
- Don't smash the mixture into the pie; you want enough air to circulate within the pie to cook it all the way through.

Mashed Potato Cakes

Ingredients

• 2 cups chilled mashed potatoes
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, for dredging
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Divide the mashed potatoes into 8 equal portions. Use your hands to form 1/2-inch thick patties.

Heat the oil with the butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until almost smoking. Mix the flour with the salt and pepper in a pie plate. Coat the potato patties in the flour mixture. Add the potato cakes to the pan and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook until they have formed a golden crust, 15 to 20 minutes. (Peek underneath using a spatula before turning.) Turn and cook the other side until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Season with additional salt and pepper and serve hot.

Source: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/sara-moulton/mashed-potato-cakes-recipe/index.html

Potato Soup (originally from Barbie Curtis)

My husband was originally wary when my VT dropped off tupperware with this soup inside. But one day when I had nothing to give him for lunch, I sent him off to school with the soup. He came home raving about how delicious it was!

6 C water
6 chicken bullion cubes (or 6 tsp powder)
1 T parsley
1 T dried minced onion
2 carrots, diced (or more)
5 potatoes, chopped into square chunks

Boil until potatoes are soft.

Separately melt 3 T butter and then mix in ½ C flour, ½ tsp salt, and ¼ tsp pepper. Whisk paste together with 2 C milk and then stir into the potato/water pot. Heat this mixture until it boils and thickens.