A tasty solution to holiday leftovers

Leftover Mashed Potato Soup. Photo by Nathan Conover

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! It's time for being thankful; a time for being with family. It's a time for parades on TV, football and food – LOTS of food! But, with all of that food comes the annual dreaded ...

Leftovers.

If you haven't planned your holiday meal proportionally (and, to be honest, I've never met anyone who has!), you're going to be stuck with some leftovers. What are you going to do with them? I don't have all the answers. But this recipe may help. I'm proud to say my mom came up with this one. I have no doubt that it was an idea handed down from my grandma, who grew up in the Great Depression where they never threw out anything!

Leftover Mashed Potato Soup

Here's what you're going to need:

1/2 cup diced carrots
1/2 cup diced celery
1/2 cup diced onion
2 cups leftover mashed potatoes
3 cups chicken broth
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 cup whole milk or half & half
4 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons chives
5 strips of bacon
2 tablespoons bacon grease (for love!)
Green onions (sliced 1/2" bias) and shredded cheddar cheese for garnish
Salt and pepper to taste

Here's what you do:

Cook your bacon in a skillet. When it's nice and crispy, drain bacon on paper towels and set the grease from the skillet aside. Melt the butter on medium-low heat in a 4-quart pot. Add the carrots, onions and celery and saute until they are tender and the onions are translucent. Add the minced garlic and stir. Garlic cooks faster than the onions, carrots and celery; this is why you add them after the others are tender. Next, add the leftover mashed potatoes and incorporate; then pour in the chicken broth. Stir all of this together and let it simmer for a little bit; let it meld together and get happy! Add in the reserved bacon fat, just to add a little bit of love to the soup! Slowly stir in the milk or half & half, then add the chives. Check the flavor and add salt and pepper to taste. As that comes back to a slow simmer, chop up the bacon and green onions to go with the shredded cheddar cheese for garnish. Now you've got a delightful soup to warm you up after a cold morning of Black Friday or Small Business Saturday shopping!

Nathan Conover

I am an aspiring writer from right here in Bay Village!

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Volume 6, Issue 24, Posted 9:59 AM, 11.25.2014