How can soup get any easier?

I'm sure you have all seen the adds for this device in newspapers and on TV for months, but I never knew anyone who actually had tried one until I received the Big Boss Blender & Soup Maker from Amazon this week.​

I decided to use one of the recipes included in their cookbook instead of one of my own to make sure I gave a product I was pretty sceptical of a fair chance.​

Soup the easy way: add ingredients and press a button.  The Blender & Soup Maker heats, cooks, and blends automatically. 

The recipe was for Corn and Chicken Soup, and the directions were pretty simple.  Add the ingredients, hit a button and 30 minutes later I was supposed to have soup for four ready to eat.​

The first soup from our new soup maker actually came out amazingly good with almost no effort. 

It seemed a ​little thin, but actually was pretty decent, and was cooked through and blended in exactly thirty minutes.  The family was quite impressed, and I was blown away that it actually worked as easily as described.

If you love soup and want a way to make it easier and with almost zero effort, this is an awesome idea that deserves a spot on your counter top.​

Leftover mashed potatoes? Earn some fat boy street cred with this Fat Boy Mashed Potato Soup

​The holiday season is full of big meals and family gatherings, but that means it is also full of leftovers.  One of the hardest things to reuse around our house has always been left over mashed potatoes.

i came across a recipe for mashed potato soup from Rachael Ray and decided to take it to the next level to make it a Fat Boy recipe instead of just a family friendly one.  The biggest changes are adding more bacon and switching to beef broth instead of chicken.  Both changes make for a deeper and richer soup, trust me, your family will love the changes.​

Ingredients

• A drizzle of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)

• 1 lb. bacon, chopped

• 4 tablespoons butter

• 1 medium onion, chopped

• 4 tablespoons flour

• 1 quart beef stock

• 2 cups leftover mashed potatoes

• 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

• Chopped chives, for garnish

Preparation

In a medium pot or Dutch oven, heat a drizzle of EVOO over medium-high heat. Add bacon and cook until crispy. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate and reserve.

Drain off excess bacon fat from the pot and add butter. When it is melted, add the onion and cook until softened, about five minutes. Sprinkle flour into the pot and cook with a wooden spoon for one minute. Whisk in the beef stock and bring to a bubble. Cook until slightly thickened, about 2-3 minutes.

Whisk in mashed potatoes, then stir in the cheddar cheese with a wooden spoon and cook until the potatoes are hot and the cheese is melted. Add half the bacon and let cook for 3-5 minutes to allow flavor to combine.

Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with the reserved bacon and chopped chives. Instant Fat Boy Heaven.