Delicious Meals with What’s on Hand

By Joan Airey

Not everyone has as much time to spend planning their menu days ahead as I do using what they have on hand.

We are still eating potatoes grown in our garden last summer.

They need to be used up so I have been trying some new recipes and with an abundance of carrots on hand I’ve been incorporating them into our diet.

1.5 lbs. Creamer potatoes (I use Norland potatoes out of my cold room)

4 large carrots sliced

1/3 cup unsalted butter

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 teaspoon dried parsley

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon dried thyme

¼ teaspoon black pepper

Fresh parsley for garnish if you have some on hand.

Roast Potatoes and Carrots

Preheat oven to 400F. Cut the potatoes into small chunks and place in bowl or baking dish with sliced carrots. In a small bowl whisk together butter, garlic, parsley, salt, thyme and pepper. Spoon over potatoes and carrots in bowl. Stir vegetables to coat, and then spread in an even layer on a parchment lined baking dish.

Bake 45 to 50 minutes until desired tenderness is reached. This will depend how big your vegetables are cut.

I melted the butter mixed, added the seasoning and mixed it with the vegetables in the Pyrex bake pan.

Ham and Potato Soup

1 Tablespoon canola oil

2 large carrots peeled and sliced

1 medium onion diced

2 ribs celery chopped

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 teaspoon dried parsley

½ teaspoon dried thyme

¼ teaspoon black pepper

4 cups of chicken broth

2 lbs. peeled and chopped potatoes

2 cups of ham chopped

1 ham bone optional (I didn’t use)

¼ cup melted butter

3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 ½ cups milk

1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

In a large pot heat oil over medium high heat, add carrots, onion and celery, sauté until onions are softened about 45 minutes. Add salt, garlic, parsley, thyme and pepper and cook one minute. Add chicken broth, ham and potatoes to the pot. Bring to a simmer then reduce heat to medium low, cover and cook until potatoes are tender.

To thicken the milk:

Place melted butter in a measuring cup making sure the cup is big enough as mixture will bubble up. Whisk in flour, and milk using a spatula to get the flour from the sides of the cup as necessary.

Microwave in 45-60 second intervals whisking well each time, until milk has thickened considerably. Stand at the microwave and keep an eye on the mixture as it will bubble up.

When the potatoes are cooked stir in the thickened milk and cheddar cheese.

I halved this recipe because I was only serving two people and it did us two meals. I don’t freeze soups that contain milk or cream.