It's Fall! And that means . . . Soup for Dinner!

Ahhhhh, I am so excited for Fall!

This is definitely my favorite time of year, 

but perhaps even more so this year as we had such a long Summer.

One of my favorite things about Fall is all of the yummy soup options for dinner.

I don't love spending hours in the kitchen, nor am I able to with our busy schedule, so a big pot of soup with a side of salad and bread makes me super happy!

I tend to switch off among three of our favorites:

Cheeseburger Soup 

{we're a hunting family so we *always* have a freezer full of ground venison, making this a staple during Fall and Winter months}.

Chili

Half of our family LOVES chili, half of us aren't into spicy, but still this is one that winds up on our table fairly frequently.

And finally,

Ham and Potato

Whenever we have leftover ham, I make up a pot of this soup.

It is thick and delicious, and keeps us warm and full on those crisp nights.

You will need:

8 {ish} potatoes, peeled and cubed

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup grated carrots

2 cups diced ham

6 cups chicken broth

8 Tbsps. butter (divided)

2 cloves of garlic

1/2 cup flour

2 cups whole milk

salt & pepper to taste

Grab a large pot, throw in 2 Tbsps. of butter, onion, and carrots. 

Sauté for a minute or two over medium heat.  

Then add peeled and cubed potatoes, ham, and chicken broth.

Bring to a boil and allow to boil for 15 minutes or so ~ 

until the potatoes are tender, then reduce heat to low.

 Meanwhile, in a large skillet {Medium Heat}, toss in the remaining 6 Tbsps. of butter 

and two cloves of garlic {finely chopped}. 

Sauté for a few minutes, then add the flour.

Once the butter/flour mixture gets bubbly, slowly add the milk. 

Once it is thickened {4-5 minutes},

add to the pot. Stir to combine.

Voila!

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And then . . . ya need some bread, y'all. 

I typically make homemade bread 2-3 times a week.

If you like your bread machine, use it! 

I never could stand using mine, so I just use the old-fashioned oven.

Just remember to start the dough before the soup, 

so you'll have fresh baked bread to eat *with* dinner . . . not hours later.

Easy-Peasy Homemade Bread

You'll need:

2 Cups Warm Milk

2 Packets of Yeast

2 Tbsps. of Sugar

1 Tbsp. of Salt

3 Tbsps. of Softened Butter

5-6 Cups of Flour

Preheat oven to 350*

Throw the yeast, sugar, and warm milk into a bowl, and set aside for 5 minutes until bubbly.

Add salt, butter, and flour, and work into a dough.

Let rise for 45-60 minutes.

Dive the dough in half, shape into two loaves, and place on a large cookie sheet.

Let rise again for 30-45 minutes.

Pop in the oven at 350* for 25-35 minutes

{Ovens vary ~ mine seems to run hot, so my loaves are ready to be taken out at about 25 minutes}.