If you ask me how was my dinner last night, this is what I would say.

☺

I think I could eat this soup and bread every single night for the next month.

Seriously, it was that good of a meal.

The soup is hearty, spicy, and chock full of potatoes and kale. It’s delightfully warming and rich.

And while we are talking rich…Oh-Em-Gee! That Bread!!

I knew I wanted to make this Cheesy Garlic Bread from the first time I laid eyes on a photo of it.

I thought ‘Hasselback’ was the surname of the blogger, but it turns out that it is derived from Hasselback Potatoes. The potato dish has roots in Sweden and is named after Hasselbacken, a Stockholm restaurant which first served the preparation in the 1700s.

So the Hasselback bread? WOW! Crusty on the outside, creamy and cheesy on the inside. Hands on time is hardly any at all, so if you don’t bake bread, or think you don’t have enough time, start with this recipe.

Sausage And Kale Soup

Ingredients:

1 small russet potato, peeled and chopped
4 slices bacon, chopped
1 pound sausage (I used mild Italian)
1 large onion, diced
2 bay leaves
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
4 medium potatoes, chopped
30 ounces low sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup cream
1 large bunch kale, ribs removed, and chopped

Directions:

1. Place the small russet potato in a small saucepan and cover with cool water. Set over high heat, bring to a boil, and cook until the potato is fork tender. Drain, and mash. Set aside.

2. In a large pot set over medium heat, cook the bacon until brown and crispy.

3. Add sausage, and cook until partially browned.

4. Stir in onion and bay leaves, and cook until onions are tender, about 12 minutes.

5. Add garlic, potatoes, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Pour in chicken broth, and 3 cups of water. Bring to a boil. Allow to simmer for 30 minutes.

6. Add reserved mashed potato to the soup. Stir in milk, cream, and kale. Simmer for about 5 minutes more. Add salt and pepper to taste. Remove bay leaves, and serve.

Serves 6

Recipe from Sophisitmom

Hasselback Garlic Cheesy Bread

Ingredients:

1 cup warm water
1 tablespoon honey
1 envelope Active Dry Yeast (2 1/4 Teaspoons)
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups bread flour (I only needed just a touch over 2 cups)
Olive oil, to grease bowl
⅓ pound sharp white cheddar
Garlic Herb Butter (melt 2 oz butter with a chopped clove of garlic and a tsp of Italian herbs)

Directions:

1. In a bowl of a stand mixer, stir water, honey and yeast together. Let yeast proof 5 minutes.

2. Stir in salt and 2 cups of the flour. Knead the dough with the hook attachment for 5 minutes. The dough should be smooth, soft and elastic. Add a little more flour if necessary.

3. Grease the bowl and the dough. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise 1 hour or until doubled in size.

4. Punch down dough and cut into two equal portions. Form into two long baguettes the length of the cookie sheet. Twist the dough as this helps keep its length and prevent it shrinking. Cover with kitchen towel and rise 30 minutes.

5. Preheat oven to 400℉. Decrease temperature to 350℉, put bread into the oven and bake 20 minutes.

6. While bread is baking, slice the cheese into thin slices and prepare the garlic herb butter.

7. Remove bread from the oven and brush with the melted garlic herb butter. Bake another 5 minutes or until bread begins to turn a golden brown. Remove from oven and cool 15 minutes.

8. Cut 1-inch slices almost all of the the way through the loaves. Brush garlic herb butter in between each slice and fill with a slice of cheese. Bake another 3 to 5 minutes or until cheese is completely melted.

Serve immediately.

Makes two loaves.

Recipe from Lauren’s Latest

Even if you don’t live in the United States, chances are pretty good that you have election fatigue.

I’m so fed up with this election and with my country for allowing presidential campaigns to wage the better part of a year. How can anything get done when so much energy and money is poured into getting elected?

All I know for sure is that after today it is over.

And I know that I adore this song.

Check out The Little Kicks on the band’s Website, where you can learn about some upcoming gigs in Scotland and also buy their music.

Cheers!