White Bean and Mashed Potato Soup: A Cozy Solution to Leftovers

Turn your leftover ingredients into a creamy, filling soup

You know how we recently made an excessive amount of mashed potatoes? ...We also made an excessive amount of white beans when we made quesadillas. So now we have slightly less in the container of potatoes but also a large pot of beans to work through. Time for us to get creative and combine them!

Not so long ago, we tried a white bean soup at a local restaurant. Theirs was very tasty and very filling, and it became a jumping-off point for what we've done here.

In the event you aren't starting with a bunch of leftovers like we did, please take the time to prepare potatoes and beans as needed. Using instant potatoes and canned beans are totally options if time is tight and you need food on the table soon!

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked white beans

1 whole yellow onion

1 rib celery

3 tablespoons minced garlic

1 cup mashed potatoes

1/2 cup milk

2 tablespoons butter (optional; see notes)

3 tablespoons dried parsley

1 bay leaf

2 tablespoons better than bouillon variety of choice (we used chicken)

5-6 cups water

salt and pepper, to taste

Tools:

large stock pot with lid or Instant Pot/pressure cooker

food processor or blender

measuring cups and spoons

serving spoon or ladle

knife

cutting board

Any produce you plan to work with that isn't washed and ready to eat will, of course, need a quick bath before you get to chopping. You already know this, we're sure, but we'd feel like we failed you if we didn't give you the reminder each time. If you’re making your beans from scratch for this recipe, make sure to consider whether you want to soak them or not, and how that will affect the recipe as well. 

Open up the food processor or blender, checking for loose pieces because you really don't want to find out the bottom ring of the blender jar is loose or that the food processor blade isn't seated /after/ you've already put food in... Ask us how we know.

Rough chop your onion (we were a little lazy and just quartered it, which was enough to fit the chunks between the blades) and add it to the food processor. Dice and add your celery, then measure in your minced garlic. Put the lid in place, make sure it's secure, and pulse until you have a vegetable slush of mostly uniform consistency.

You can add your potatoes at this point if there's room in the food processor. We ran out of space and ended up mixing those in by hand later, so we hope you've got some space to spare.

Take your cooked beans and transfer them to the stock pot or pressure cooker. Add your mashed potatoes and the contents of the food processor and stir. If the food processor couldn't take care of the potatoes for you, reheat them before adding and melt in the butter - cold mashed potatoes have a tendency to be congealed and lumpy, and this will help them mix better

Measure in your dried parsley, Better than Bouillon, bay leaf, salt and pepper. As you can see in the photo, we used a LOT of pepper, but that's a preference thing. (Probably don't use that much. We just like pepper here.)

Add the milk and water, put the lid on the pot and bring it up to temperature.

If you're doing this on the stove top, set the burner to medium and bring the contents of the pan up to a simmer. Cover and cook for at least 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

If you're using a pressure cooker, set to low pressure for 20 minutes and allow natural pressure release. Also, watch out for the "food burn" warning; our Instant Pot can be annoyingly sensitive, and it set off the warning alarm twice because of, as far as we could tell, a lump of potato stuck to the edge. May you have fewer headaches with yours.

This soup works great as a main dish or as a side along with something else. It would even work great as an easy lunch for the week, if you’re into food prep. We enjoyed it served alongside some slices of thick bakery bread. 

If you’re working specifically with your Instant Pot (or similar small appliances) because your oven is giving you trouble, we’re here to help. At Appliance Rescue Service, our goal is to get your home running smoothly again, whether it’s your oven or your dryer, your refrigerator or your dishwasher. You can reach out to us via our website below or by giving us a call. We’ll work with you to find a date and time that works best for your situation. 

Website
Call: (214) 599-0055

Additional Reading

Punchy Potato & Cheddar Rolls 

 Layered Veggie Bowl

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Too Many Potatoes? Try These Tasty Crescent Pockets

Crispy on the outside, creamy on the inside—your leftovers never tasted this good

We made the critical error of asking for help peeling potatoes two nights ago. Our helper was a little too helpful, went on autopilot and peeled... basically all of them. For one dinner. We ended up with five. whole. pounds. of peeled potatoes. It was not a holiday, and no guests were expected.

Suddenly, we had a lot more mashed potatoes than we originally bargained for. Waste is not an option with perfectly good food, and we had to come up with something to avoid "potatoes again?" complaints over the three or more consecutive days of potato side dishes. In case you ever find yourself in a similar bind, here's a silly little recipe to dress up said potatoes. Another one will follow, for sure. Stay tuned.

Ingredients:

1 can crescent rolls

2 cups plain mashed potatoes

2 teaspoons garlic powder

2 tablespoons sour cream

3 tablespoons butter, melted

salt and white pepper, to taste

1/2 pound assorted cooked mixed vegetables

1 cup chicken broth

1/2 teaspoon celery salt

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

2 tablespoons cold water

1 tablespoon flour

shredded cheese, if desired

Tools:

baking sheet

parchment paper

measuring cups and spoons

mixing bowl

spoon(s)

We elected to leave the potatoes plain when we cooked them and to add seasoning in batches to keep things from getting too boring as we worked through what appeared to be a bottomless bucket of potatoes. If you're beginning with some leftover potatoes that are already seasoned, please feel free to skip the seasonings here or dress up your spuds with something else.

Preheat your oven to 375 and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a microwave safe mixing cup, stir together the two tablespoons of cold water and the single tablespoon of flour to make a slurry. Once well combined, pour the cup of chicken stock and the half teaspoons of celery salt and onion powder into the slurry. Heat in the microwave for 45 seconds. Remove, stir well, and repeat the heat-remove-stir process until the mixture thickens into gravy.

Reheat your mashed potatoes in a mixing bowl or other microwave safe container. Measure in the garlic, melted butter, sour cream, salt and pepper. Stir well to combine. Taste test, because some potatoes just need more flavor. Add more as necessary.

Unroll the can of crescent rolls and place the dough on the baking sheet. While we chose to use the eight triangular pieces the sheet is perforated into and show the filling poking out, you may prefer to do four larger pockets and fully enclose them, or press the perforated lines back together and re-cut into rounds or squares. Play around with it if you'd like.

After you've decided on a shape and laid out all your dough, place a quarter cup of potatoes on each portion of dough. Press a scoop of vegetables into each mound of potatoes, and drizzle just a little gravy over the vegetables. (Set the remaining gravy aside to top the pockets later.)

If you'd like to add some cheese, feel free to do so at this point. We had some other cheesy food planned for the dinner plate this time around and skipped the extra here. Be sure to add only a low-moisture cheese to prevent the crescent dough getting soggy.

Fold the edges of the dough over to trap all the filling inside. Pinch to fully enclose, if you'd like. The parchment paper makes for easy cleanup even if the filling leaks out a little during baking, so that's totally optional.

Bake for 10-15 minutes until dough has begun to turn golden-brown and any exposed filling is sizzling. Allow to cool at least two minutes before attempting to remove from the baking sheet. Drizzle with remaining chicken gravy and serve as a side.

If while cooking you find that your oven is only cooking half of this delicious dinner, it might be an issue with the heating elements. We’ve got a link in the additional reading section below for different issues that can crop up with your range. And if you’re already aware that your range needs servicing, you can reach out to us today. We’ll work with you to find a date and time that works for your schedule, and send out our technicians. At Appliance Rescue Service, keeping your home in tip top shape is our goal. 

Website
Call : (214) 599-0055

Kitchen Hazards Unveiled 

Crispy Bottoms to Raw Centers: A Chef's Nightmare

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Chicken Satay Made Easy – A One-Pan Wonder

Big flavor, simple ingredients, and zero need for outdoor cooking.

Every so many months, we make it our mission to dig about in the back of the pantry cabinet and check for things getting dangerously close to their best-by dates. This round, we found some coconut milk and a bottle of San-J Thai peanut sauce, and we decided a satay was in order. The grill, unfortunately, was not an option, since we've had rainy weather for the whole week, so we chose to omit the skewers and charcoal and employ a hefty saute pan instead. Turns out, a little flexibility goes a long way in the kitchen. With a few simple swaps and the right technique, you can enjoy all the bold flavors of a classic satay—no grill required.

Ingredients:

1 pound chicken tenderloin

1/2 large yellow onion

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

8 ounces peanut sauce, divided

6 ounces coconut milk (about half a can)

1 tablespoon red curry paste

1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce

1 teaspoon lemon juice 

1 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon coriander

1/2 bag fresh spinach

Tools:

gallon Ziploc bag or other watertight container for marinating

measuring cups and spoons

cutting board

knife

tongs

spoon

large saute pan with lid

can opener (if your coconut milk doesn't have a pull tab)

The night before, put your chicken into a Ziploc or other container, shake the bottle of peanut sauce and pour 3-4 ounces of the sauce over the chicken, seal the container up and set it in the fridge to marinate overnight (and to safely defrost, if necessary).

In the event your veggies aren't washed and ready to go, take a moment and wash them before you begin all the other steps. The spinach in particular will take a bit to drain.

Measure your olive oil into the saute pan and tilt to spread it around. Add extra if you feel so compelled, but we don't feel like it really needs much. You may even need less if you're using a nonstick saute pan.

Food safety rules dictate that the first item on the cutting board should be your onion (veggies before raw meats to avoid cross contamination; a good habit to stick to, even though in this case we intend to cook the onion and chicken together). Trim the ends, cut in half down the center, and save half for something else. Cut the remaining half down into skinny slivers, separate the onion layers and toss them into the saute pan with the olive oil.

Drain off and discard the watered-down peanut sauce from the chicken, and cut the chicken into bite size pieces. Use the tongs to transfer the chicken to the saute pan, then crank up the heat to medium and place the lid on the pan. Allow the chicken and onion to cook for about five minutes, stirring occasionally. Larger pieces of chicken will call for longer cooking times, but the goal is to cook the chicken through. If in doubt, you can always use a meat thermometer.

Shake and pop open your can of coconut milk and measure six ounces (about half the can) into the pan. Add the soy sauce, lemon juice, and red curry paste. Stir until a uniform color is achieved. It'll take a little convincing for the curry paste to melt into the sauce. This why we're holding off on our other darker-colored ingredient for a moment: to ensure we get that paste evenly distributed.

Reduce the heat to a quick simmer, place the lid back onto the saute pan, grab and shake the bottle of peanut sauce, and make sure you've got most of the moisture out of your fresh spinach. Give it a little squeeze or press if necessary; you don't want to accidentally water down your sauce. The spinach brings enough moisture without excess water.

Remove the lid from the pan, sprinkle in the cumin and coriander, add four ounces of the peanut sauce, and stir thoroughly. Allow to simmer - uncovered this time - until the sauce reduces, about four minutes.

Add in the spinach, stir quickly, put the lid back on, and turn off the heat under the saute pan. Allow everything to sit undisturbed for a few minutes, watching until the spinach is visibly wilted.

Lift the lid, stir again to distribute the spinach evenly, and serve with your choice of carbohydrate (rice being the most traditional choice).

Great meals don’t always need elaborate planning—sometimes, all it takes is working with what you have. The same goes for your kitchen. Whether it’s a quick fix or routine maintenance, keeping your appliances in top shape ensures that every meal, whether planned or improvised, comes together without a hitch. If your stove, fridge, or any other essential appliance needs attention, our team at Appliance Rescue Service is ready to help. Because when your kitchen runs smoothly, so does everything else.

Website
Call (214) 599-0055

Additional Reading
Energizing Tuna and Turmeric Rice Balls: Perfect for Busy Days

Caffeinated Comfort: Pumpkin Muffins with Coffee Cream Cheese Frosting

Spice Up Dessert: Walnut Cayenne Tahini Cake 

How We Fixed the Holiday’s Most Divisive Dish

 More veggies, more flavor, and way less salt—this is green bean casserole done right.

It seems like every holiday season, every gathering is subjected to the "classic" green bean casserole. You know the thing - a giant dish of canned green beans, cream of mushroom soup, sometimes bacon, usually fried onion... Always buckets of salt, and the same cloying, sticky mass lacking both flavor and texture.

Ingredients:

2 14-oz bags frozen Prince Charles vegetable blend

1 smoked sausage rope

1 yellow onion

5 ounces shredded cabbage

2 tablespoons minced garlic

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus a little extra to grease the dish

2 tablespoons all purpose flour

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/2 teaspoon dried parsley

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 cup low sodium broth (chicken or vegetable)

1 cup 2% milk

 salt and pepper, to taste

2 ounces shredded cheddar or Colby jack cheese (optional)

Tools:

Sauté pan with lid

Colander

Cutting board

Knife

Whisk

Tongs

Measuring cups and spoons

9x13 baking dish

The guys in particular are adamantly anti-green bean casserole. One (beloved) grandparent has made it the same Campbell's-approved way for FORTY FIVE YEARS. Dad won't even look at it any more, after a childhood of the siblings sneaking their portions onto his plate. The teen won't touch it, or any other canned vegetable, having been rather spoiled by a combination of hidden vegetables and as-fresh-as-possible at all other occasions. The rest of us look at it and kind of sigh internally, but will consume it in the name of family harmony. There are a few left in the family who truly enjoy it, but we feel it was long past time for a change. 

While it took us a while, we believe we have finally tackled the challenge of a non-standard green bean casserole. Something with visual impact, depth of flavor, and a variety of textures. And also a LOT less salt. Some of us are sensitive to it, after all. In short, we think we've devised something to put on the table next year that hopefully won't be ignored like the usual casserole. Try it on the in between so you have most of the year to make it yours, and you can really take the family by surprise next Thanksgiving.

The big difference maker in this is the fact we're using five vegetables instead of just the bland, mushy singular. Green beans are fantastic - but canned green beans are just sad. Fresh is always the best option, but in the names of frugality (out of season produce is expensive!), availability (does your grocery store have fresh wax beans? Ours doesn't) and convenience, we're opting to use frozen.

If you're not familiar with the Prince Charles blend of vegetables, it's just green beans, wax beans and carrots. We feel like the mix is normally a little light on the carrots, so we like to add in an extra handful of baby carrots. Whether or not you do the same is your choice.

As always, wash any produce that didn't make its way to you already washed, prepped and ready to eat.

Toss your green beans, wax beans and carrots into the sauté pan with just a little water (half a cup at most). Set the heat to medium, put the lid on the pan and let them steam for six to eight minutes.

While they steam, chop your onion, shred your cabbage and cut the rope sausage to whatever size pieces you prefer. In this case, larger chunks of sausage will not affect the cook time, since it's precooked. You can choose any flavor of smoked sausage, but we used the Hillshire Farm roasted garlic chicken sausage.

After you've steamed the vegetable mix, pour it all into the colander to get rid of the excess water, then transfer it to a large mixing bowl. If you started with frozen like we did, it won't be cooked through, and this is a desirable outcome. We don't want mushy green beans after they've been baked - the whole point here was to flip the script on squishy, sad casserole - so we don't want them floppy before they've even made it to the oven.

Put the sauté pan back on the stove and flip the sausage, cabbage and onion into it. Add the garlic. Replace the lid and allow that to cook, covered, until the onion is translucent, stirring occasionally. When the onions are translucent and the cabbage has changed color, use tongs to transfer all of it into the mixing bowl with the beans and carrots. Stir to combine.

Preheat the oven to 350 and grease the bottom of a 9x13" baking dish. Pour the big mixing bowl of veggies into the baking dish and arrange them into an even layer. Add a little salt and pepper, if you so desire.

That same sauté pan, which probably would like to know when it gets a break by this point, needs to go back on the burner, still on medium. Melt the two tablespoons of butter and sift the flour into it, whisking it together to make a roux. As the color starts to deepen, add the smoked paprika, parsley and thyme. Continue to whisk to combine. Measure in your broth and milk, stirring constantly. Make sure to scrape sides and the bottom of the pan as you go, stirring until the sauce thickens.

Once your sauce has reached the desired consistency, pour it evenly over the vegetables and set that poor sauté pan down to cool (its work here is finally done for the day). Grate a thin layer of cheese over the top if desired, move the dish into the oven and allow it to bake uncovered for 20 minutes.

The holidays are all about tradition, but there’s nothing wrong with giving those traditions a little refresh—especially when it means bringing bold flavors and vibrant textures to the table. And just like a good holiday dish, your home’s appliances need a little care to keep everything running smoothly. Whether it’s a finicky oven or a fridge that’s working overtime, our team at Appliance Rescue Service is here to help. Because the only thing that should be bubbling over this season is your excitement—not your appliances!

Website

Call   (214) 599-0055

Additional Reading

Berry Bliss: A Delectable Mixed-Berry Clafouti Recipe

Ladle Love: Wholesome Potato Leek Soup Recipe

Fall Comfort Food: How to Make Perfectly Creamy Pumpkin Pasta

How to Make a Crescent Veggie Bacon Ring That Even Picky Eaters Will Love

A simple, creative recipe that combines veggies, bacon, and cheese in an irresistible way.

Sometimes, inspiration comes from the weirdest places. This recipe is, in part, inspired by a computer game we played as kids and somehow continue to play now (despite the elapsed time being measured in decades). One available character enjoys bacon and broccoli omelettes. While this hardly counts as an omelette, containing only one egg, and has much more potato and onion than bacon or broccoli, none of that changes where the idea was inspired. And honestly, getting the teenager to eat vegetables can still be a bit of a chore. Hiding the veggies inside a distracting presentation sometimes does the trick. Excessively carb-heavy foods can also do the trick. This is both visually interesting and carbohydrate-laden, and the teenager ate a double serving. The metric holds.

Ingredients:

8 slices of bacon

1 12-oz bag frozen broccoli cuts

3 red potatoes

1/2 yellow onion

8 ounces Colby jack cheese

1 can of crescent rolls

1 large egg

2 tablespoons 2% milk

1 tablespoon dried parsley

salt and pepper, to taste

Tools:

Cutting board

Knife

Cheese grater

Vegetable peeler

Measuring cup(s) and spoon(s)

Frying pan with lid

Baking sheet or pizza pan

Small bowl

Plate with paper towel (for bacon)

Whisk or fork

Tongs

Parchment paper

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

As always, wash your produce before beginning! This step isn't necessary for the frozen broccoli and will instead make it soggy - but if you instead choose to use fresh broccoli, please wash and allow to dry thoroughly.

Peel your potatoes and dice them finely. The smaller the pieces are, the quicker they'll cook. Give the yellow onion half the same fine-dice treatment, and chop your broccoli to the desired size. If you're not sneaking veggies into the dish, feel free to leave larger florets for the visual impact. 

Fry up your bacon slices in the frying pan on medium-high. Don't drain off the grease when you remove the bacon slices - you'll need it for the veggies.

Set the bacon to the side (use the paper towel on a plate to absorb any excess oil) and transfer your chopped vegetables to the frying pan. Season generously with salt and pepper. Seriously, generously! However much you think is enough, be prepared to add more. Taste a little and decide.

Reduce the heat to medium and cover. Allow to cook until soft, stirring occasionally with the tongs. This may take several minutes, depending on the size to which you diced your vegetables and the size and material of the pan.

Since you've got a few free minutes while you wait on those vegetables, it's a good moment to take that block of cheese and grate it. We're sure you've heard it before, but freshly grated cheese melts so much better than the stuff in the plastic bag in the grocery store. It's extra work, sure, but the improvement in the end product is so worth it. 

Spread a sheet of parchment paper out on the counter or table. Pop the can of crescent rolls and separate the triangles. Lay them on the parchment in a star configuration with an open center. Have the corners of the base of each triangle overlap a little so that they stay connected while they bake.

Make sure your crescents are close enough together to fit on your baking sheet. We prefer a pizza pan, since we're making a ring, but not every household has one rolling around a cabinet and we get that. A baking sheet is fine so long as you have enough space to support your ring without crushing it into an oval.

Gently transfer your crescent ring to the baking sheet or pizza pan. It's fine if the points of the triangles are drooping over the sides, since you'll fold them inward shortly. Place a slice of bacon on each triangle. If you've cooked the bacon extra crispy, like we did, press down a little on the center to break the bacon strip so it will fold easier when you close up the ring.

Take the rest of the bacon and chop, tear or smash it. Set that aside for now, but you'll want it again soon.

Crack the egg into a small dish and measure in the milk. Whisk the egg and milk together. Once the veggies are soft, pour the egg and milk mixture over and stir. Don't worry about cooking the egg through entirely; it's more just a binding agent.

Scoop a spoonful of the egg and vegetable mixture onto each triangle. Try to distribute it as evenly as you can, but there's pretty much always going to be one that's accidentally heavier than intended - usually right as you get started or as you reach the bottom of the pan. You can move little bits around with the tongs to try and even it out, but try not to break it up too much (we want the egg to sort of  hold it together).

That bacon you pulverized a minute ago? Sprinkle it all over the egg and vegetable mixture. Add your dried parsley at this stage, too. It's fine if some ends up in the center of the ring, but try to get most of it to stick to the egg.  

Sprinkle the majority of the cheese over the hot egg and vegetable mixture. Reserve a little for the top of the crescents. Fold each crescent triangle over toward the center. Break the bacon strips in an extra spot or two if necessary, just be sure not to stretch the crescent too thin in bringing the point to the middle.

Spread the remaining cheese over the top and pop it in the oven for 22 minutes. Allow it to cool for at least two minutes before cutting and serving the crescents.

Who says getting creative in the kitchen can’t be both delicious and practical? This crescent veggie bacon ring isn’t just a hit with picky eaters; it’s a surefire way to use simple ingredients to make something unforgettable. And while you focus on whipping up dishes like this, let Appliance Rescue Service take care of the heavy lifting when it comes to keeping your kitchen appliances running smoothly. Because whether it’s your oven, fridge, or dishwasher, our team is here to ensure your culinary adventures never miss a beat. 

Website

Call (214) 599-0055

Additional Reading

Cheese Lover's Dream: A Must-Try Cabbage Bake

Hearty Chicken and Broccoli Bake for Chilly Nights

A Taste of Autumn: Easy Chicken Bake with Spinach and Artichokes