Blue Cheese Smashed Potatoes

1 lb baby Yukon Gold potatoes
3 tbsp Blue Cheese
2 tbsp sour cream
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 scallions, chopped

Place potatoes into a medium pot, and top with cold water. Bring to a boil, and simmer until potatoes are fork tender, 13-15 minutes. Drain.

While potatoes are still hot, combine with Blue Cheese and sour cream using a potato masher. Season with salt and pepper, and mix in the scallions.

Soups On

Sometimes soup  is enough.

Lifting your spirits and warming your insides, soup is powerful stuff. That's why I think we should have more of it in our lives.

Here's a candidate with balls, literally. It's a meal in itself...

Spicy Mexican Meatball Soup

(yield: 6-7 servings)

Meatballs

1/2 lb ground beef chuck

1/2 of a medium red onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped

2 tbsp breadcrumbs

1 egg

3/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

2 tbsp canola oil
1 small carrot, small dice
1/2 of a medium red onion, small dice
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 cup cilantro, chopped

1 cup tomato puree

1/2 tbsp chipotles in adobo, finely chopped

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp ground cumin

4 cups chicken stock

4 cups water

3 Idaho potatoes, diced into medium cubes

1, 15 oz can white beans

Make the meatballs: Combine all ingredients for meatballs in a large bowl. Roll into balls about the size of a golf ball. The mixture should make about 20 meatballs. Set aside.

Coat the bottom of a large, heavy pot with canola oil, and sweat carrots and onions over medium heat for 2 minutes. Add garlic and cilantro and cook, stirring, for another minute. Add tomato puree, chipotles in adobo, spices, stock, and water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, and add the potatoes. Simmer for 10 minutes, and gently add the meatballs into the soup along with beans. Simmer for another 20 minutes.