Souper Sunday #1: Green Vegetable Chowder

The theme of this chowder is green.  As in the colour of food that I haven't eaten in a week.

 

Sorry, except for green Skittles and a mint chocolate and two pieces of honeydew on Christmas morning.  The scale will not be kind to me in January, but it's still December, so I'm not counting yet.

Although, I did take it upon myself to make this somewhat healthy, gluten-free, green vegetable chowder today.  There are five green vegetables in it:  broccoli, green pepper, spinach, celery, and zucchini.  I almost felt like my body did a slow-clap as I was eating it.  But then for dessert (apparently over Christmas holidays dessert at lunch time is normal for me) I had peanut brittle and two cookies (seriously, I know, it's bad), so it all balanced out.

The Best Mashed Potatoes I've Ever Eaten

Enough said.

 

This potato dish has been a constant at my family's holiday dinners since I was but a young girl first developing an early preference for salty over sweet.  It is the best.  And really, that makes sense when you read the ingredients listing.  Mashed potatoes with cream cheese, sour cream, and butter?  Hello!  I'll take a third helping please.

Baked Chicken with Creamed Spinach and Squashed Potatoes

I decided to try another recipe from my Jamie Oliver's Meals in Minutes cookbook recently, and this happened:

 

I don't know why I don't use this cookbook more often!  This time I decided to make Baked Chicken with Creamed Spinach and Squashed Potatoes.

Now, did it happen in about 30 minutes this time you ask?  No.  Did it happen in about 2 x 30 minutes this time?  Close.