What's for dinner?

Potato and Ham soup

Typically growing up, my dad would make corn beef and cabbage for St Pats dinner.  I love that meal!  My family is not that thrilled with that dish so I decided to make potato soup with bits of ham, loosely based on my brother's sweet wife's recipe for clam chowder, switching out chicken stock, skim milk and ham. 

I love better then bouillon for broth

I use 1/2 package of diced ham

Trader Joes spice

Recipe

1 cup diced celery

1/2 cup diced onion

4 cups diced potatoes

6oz diced ham

1,stick butter

1/2 cup flour

1 qt skim milk

1 tsp salt

Boullions 

Seasoning of choice( I like trader joes)

Simmer above with waster to cover and 2T better than bouillon or 2 chicken boullions

While the veggies cook, in seperate pan mx milk butter and flour, cook until thick like a gravy 

Mix into veggie pot and continue to simmer until ready to eat

If not thick enough,you can cheat by adding a liittle instant mashed potatoes to thicken, just a few tablespoons

 Serve with shredded cheese and pepper 

Retreats are good for the Soul

The past week I enjoyed a couple days at the Knitting Pipeline retreat.  It was held in Washington, Illinois and put on by Paula who is the host of the Knitting Pipeline podcast.  I am so impressed with how well organized the retreat is and what a class act Paula is!  Here is a photo of Paula and me.  

There were 150 people there from 20'states!

Sweet Iowa City girl and I went together, we had such a fun time!

We went to two great quilt shops! 

We had several very good meals!

We visited a farm, Iowa City girl bought a fleece that was the most beautiful I have ever seen.

The funniest moment was while on the farm. It was a muddy, sloppy mess. Iowa City girl had nice shoes on so the sweet farmer put her on a 2 wheel cart and pushed her across the mud, it was so funny! 

There is a great antique shop in Washington, I was delighted to find a great deal on a red and white quilt.

I really enjoy podcasts and some of my favorite podcasters were there.  Here is Diane, she is a doll and just a little peanut! Very nice person.

Iowa City girl got her Hansen humming! It is such a great spinning tool.

There were several mini-workshops, I tried needle felting, not really my favorite but it was fun to learn!

Another workshop was on dryer balls, more on that in future podcasts!

I was able to finish my 4ounces of spinning 

We loved meeting Laura, what a sweet lady! (Another podcaster)

We met so many new friends! Here is the group at our table.

Wrigley was very glad to have me home, I really missed him and my whole family. It was so fun to go to the retreat, I sure hope to go again next year.