Party Potato Soup

Yesterday after church, I came up with this spontaneous plan, which is not out of the ordinary for me.  It was a most beautiful, sunshiny, warm day and that works together to rejuvenate my mind.  Rebeca had a birthday the day before and I thought, why not have a girls tea party to celebrate.  While the men were playing volleyball I walked around, inviting all the young mothers to my home.  You can not come to my kitchen without having to work.  I am a productive gal, so if you are around me, I will put your to work.

As the tea was steeping, the swirling steam collected in a cloud.  We sat there, us girls, laughing, and sharing stories.  All at once, an idea came to mind.  3 cakes!  Rebeca was concerned that we don’t use up too many of my ingredients.  I was not having it, it was 3 cakes or else!  I knew the men would be hankering for something to eat after a long afternoon of volleyball.  Ahhh, potato soup!  I had the girls grab a 50 pound bag of potatoes, a couple onions, and celery.
My kitchen was, you might say, FULL of fun!

Grandma Evie was making gingerbread.  Molly and little Miriam were making a chocolate cake…

Two of the ladies were peeling potatoes and and dicing.  Another was cutting up onions and celery.

Little children were licking out the batter bowls!

One can not imagine the joy that was beaming from each corner of my kitchen!  What a feeling of accomplishment.  We made 3 gallons of creamy potato soup.   One by one, the men showed up.  They came with a hearty appetite.  The soup went over really well.  Most people went up for seconds!   I called it Party Potato Soup because it feeds a flock of visitors.   It was a very inexpensive meal to feed the 24 people that came that evening.

$5 for 10 lbs potatoes
$1 for celery
$4 for bacon
$1 for onions
$2 for milk
= $13 to feel 24 people!

Do not throw away the end of that celery!!!!!
You can regrow your celery in your kitchen, plant it, and later reuse it…

The Canning Sisters…

Just seeing all these young ladies enjoying the work to make a meal inspired me.  Why not start a club!

We can call ourselves the Canning Sisters.  We will revive the old ways of community fellowship right here on our little homestead.  I told the girls that a couple times a month, they can come here to can with Evie and I.  They will bring 20 lbs of potatoes next Thursday and we will can them together!  Mentoring the young ladies will be such a joy for Grandma Evie and I, inspiring them to be keepers of their homestead!  They will have plenty of food to store up and it will feed their growing families for the year to come.  We will can potatoes, dried beans, jams and jellies, meat, broth, vegetables, fruits, and pickles.  If they bring their own jars, lids, and ingredients, we will make a fun work day, processing together.

There is nothing quite like canning bees and “bee”ing productive together.

Many hands make light work!

Stay tuned for our canning bees.  I will share the recipes and fun with you.

Start your own club called the “Canning Sisters”, by inviting some friends or family over.  Follow our step by step instructions and you can join our fun!