Cream Cheese Potato Soup

This soup is FABULOUS.  It is super fast, super easy, and a great way to use dehydrated potatoes (or frozen).

Cream Cheese Potato Soup:

• 6 cups water
• 7 teaspoons chicken bouillon granules, or 2-3 TB chicken Base
• 2 packages (8 oz each) cream cheese, cubed (can use reduced fat)
• 1 package (30 oz) frozen cubed or shredded hash brown potatoes, thawed OR 2 cups dehydrated hashbrowns
• 1 1/2-2 cups cubed fully cooked ham
• 1/2 cup chopped onion (or 1/3 cup dehydrated onion)
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp dill weed

In a large pot, combine the water and bouillon.  Add cream cheese.  Cook and stir until cheese is melted.  Stir in remaining ingredients.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat; and simmer, uncovered, for about 20 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.  This is one of my family's absolute favorite.

Dehydrating Potatoes

This is a great time of year to pull out the dehydrator!  In a couple of months, the time will be filled with canning fruits and vegetables.  So, why not build your food storage with dehydrated food NOW, while some things are going on sale really cheap.  For instance, several weeks ago, a 10 pound bag of potatoes went on sale for .99 cents.  This week, frozen shredded hashbrowns went on sale for $1.25 for a 28 oz bag.  Potatoes are excellent for dehydrating.

To dehydrate fresh potatoes:

1. Wash potatoes. 
2. Boil potatoes until done.  You don't want them so done that they fall apart, but they do need to be cooked all the way through.  If not, they will turn black when they are dehydrated.  Gross.
3. Put cooked potatoes in fridge overnight, so they are very cold, and solid.
4. If you want, you can peel them.  I don't.
5. Using either a meat slicer or a cheese grater, either slice the potatoes or grate them.  The slices need to be pretty uniform so they will dry evenly.
6. Put slices or shreds on trays, in a single layer.
7. Dehydrate slices for 10-12 hours or until they are crispy and translucent. If your dehydrator has a temperature control, it should be between 120-125 degrees.  This will prevent case hardening (where the outside is dry, but there is still moisture on the inside).
8. Dehydrated shreds for 7-9 hours or until they are crispy.
9. Best to store in a vacuum packed bag with an oxygen absorber.  I like to leave them in a open ziplok bag, then in a vacuum bag.  They are pretty sharp, and I don't want them to poke through the vacuum bag.
10. These are EXCELLENT for AuGratin Potatoes, casseroles, etc.

To dehydrate frozen shredded potatoes (hashbrowns):

1. Choose potatoes that do not have added fat to them.  
2. Put frozen shreds on a single layer on dehydrator trays.
3. Dehydrate for 7-9 hours or until crispy. If your dehydrator has a temp. control, set it between 120-125 degrees.
4. Best to store in a vacuum packed bag with an oxygen absorber.  I like to leave them in a open ziplok bag, then in a vacuum bag.  They are pretty sharp, and I don't want them to poke through the vacuum bag.
5. These are wonderful rehydrated and fried, or in soups, casseroles, "funeral potatoes" etc.

Frozen potatoes, on sale, for a great price.  I love to dehydrate this type because all the work is done for you! It sure makes it easy.







Spread out in a single layer.  I like to rotate my trays about 1/2 way through.

All the trays are full and ready to go. 

 

Great for food storage!!