Cheating

Not REALLY cheating. We didn't go out to eat, but I am using a shortcut tonight. A month or 2 ago I bought a mix for Potato Leek Soup from alice.com. Alice is a company here in Middleton, WI that I started using a few months ago. They are like Amazon, but specialize in household and dry goods. Their motto is something along the lines of ordering toilet paper. I have found the site to be handy. Typically, when I go to Target I spend about $50 no matter what. I go there planning on buying 3 or 4 things, but then I see the stuff I "need" and spend more. With Alice, I decide at home, compare prices, use coupons etc, and then it comes to my door. Typically in about 2 or 3 days. While this sounds incredibly lazy, the best thing to me is no more impulse buys. I am totally an impulse shopper. Even with a list, I buy more.

The packaging is eco friendly. They are efficient in packaging. The box I recycle every week (no plastic bags...) and the air pouches can go into recycling as well. I am not sure this is the best way to shop considering the carbon footprint, but I like to think that the fact that I am not buying more junk counteracts that.

Ok, back to the point. Potato Leek Soup. So, I have this package sitting in my pantry. So I decided to make it. Soup is always so good and hearty on a cold day. It's overcast and cold and freezing rain is in the forecast. Unfortunately, this is not a soup the kids will eat. So, the grown ups will eat this and for them it's a canned tomato soup with cheese. Not sure if it will be topped with cheddar or parm at this point.

So this soup does give me the opportunity to add my own touches. For example, I have to add 6 cups of chicken broth. I had 4 that were just plain from Swanson AND I happened to have 2 cups left over from when I made the Chicken & Dumplins' a few weeks ago. Let me tell you. Those 2 cups of homemade smell incredible. I am also adding my own Yukon Gold Potatoes. I love Yukons and I am sure I will go through the spice drawer and add something else.

Since it's not from scratch, it IS cheating a bit. I will let you know how it tastes.