In the bleak midwinter...

We've sure had lots of snow recently. This is my wintery view each morning as I sit in our little office/den at the back of our house with my coffee and Daily Bible. Pretty, isn't it?

On snowy days I love to tie on an apron and putter about the kitchen . . . though it is still far from organized. The other day my husband was joking that we could have our own game show. "Now who wants to guess what is behind cabinet door number 2?" He's funny that way.

Anyway, here's an easy recipe for a yummy and filling potato soup. I made it last Tuesday from ingredients I had on hand when I didn't feel like going grocery shopping during yet another snowstorm. It made plenty for our family of six, with lots of leftovers for lunches later in the week.

4 pounds of potatoes, peeled and diced
1 pound of carrots, peeled and diced
4 stalks of celery, diced
2 onions, diced
7 cups water
3 cups milk
1/2 cup butter, cut into slices
salt, pepper, garlic salt
6 slices turkey bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled.

Cook the potatoes, carrots, celery, and onions in the 7 cups of water until tender. Turn heat down to low, and add the milk and butter. Then add sea salt, fresh ground pepper, and garlic salt to taste. Simmer gently for a few more minutes to blend flavors.

Ladle into individual bowls and crumble bacon over top. I also added a very thin slice of cheddar and a sprinkling of dried chives. Yummy!