Bluegrass and Potatoes

I don't have any of my guitars up here yet but I've been using Harley's lately. Cathy and I started playing some bluegrass, Old Joe Clark and the like. I was screwing around with the cello and mandolin but I think I'll stick to guitar.

Also I've taken to cooking lately. I've been cooking every night since I've been here. Here's some of the recipes I've made and used.

Cabbage Kielbasa Soup

Ingredients

• 8-10 medium red potatoes
• 2 kielbasa
  
• 1 head cabbage
• 1 whole medium onion
• 1 clove garlic
• 3/4 cup vinegar
• salt + pepper to taste

Directions

1. Cut potatoes into 1-2 inch cubes, place in large pot, add water till it's 1 inch above potatoes.
2. Cut kielbasa into thin round slices, place on top of potatoes.
3. Cut onion/garlic place on top of kielbasa.
4. Cut the cabbage into thin strands then half, place into pot.
5. Place a lid onto the pot and bring it to boil (cabbage should cook in the steam), constantly check to see that potatoes are not burned to the bottom.
6. Once cabbage starts to wilt stir everything and add vinegar.
   
7. Salt and pepper to taste

Of course if you want this vegetarian just don't add the kielbasa. I made this version and a smaller batch of the vege one for Omega, both were damn good.

German Potato Salad

Ingredients

• 10 medium potatoes
• 10 strips bacon (the whole pack will work the same if it's a few more slices)
• 1 whole onion (white or yellow)
  
• 2 eggs
• 2 tblsp sugar
• 1 cup vinegar
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp mustard
• pinch of Cayenne pepper

Directions

1. Cut the potatoes into 1-2 inch cubes and boil until soft (reds or russet, it doesn't matter).
2. Cut bacon into small chunks, cook until lightly crisp.
3. In a bowl, mix eggs, sugar, vinegar, salt, mustard and pepper.
4. Pour mixture into bacon with the bacon grease, stir well.
5. Add potatoes cooked potatoes and chopped onion.
6. Mix together on low heat.
7. Serve. Goes well with beer and brauts.

For the vinegar I used half a cup of apple cider vinegar and half a cup of white wine vinegar. It turned out great, had the sweetness of the apple and the dryness of the wine, a good combo. You could use all apple or all plain white vinegar but I like mixing it up.

Potato Spinach Soup

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 large onion
• 4-5 stalks celery
• 3 cups water
• 6-8 medium potatoes (red or russet)
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 cups chopped spinach (frozen works fine)
• 1/2 cup cream
  

Directions

1. Melt butter in pan, add chopped onions and chopped celery, cook till tender
   
2. Add potatoes, water and salt. Bring to boil, stir occasionally.
3. Once potatoes are soft, reduce heat, to low and cool for 10 min.
   
4. Add chopped spinach and cream
5. Serve. Grated cheese goes pretty well on top.

Flour can be added to thicken it, but I added a little too much last time and it was like a paste... that and the potatoes dissolved into the soup. It was pretty nasty looking but it tasted fine.