Creamy Potato Soup and Crunchy Romaine Salad

Ingredients:

• 1 (5 lb.) bag Russet Potatoes
  
• 1 medium onion
  
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 8 cups chicken broth
  
• 1 envelope Country gravy mix
• Cooked crumbled bacon
  
• Hard rolls
• 1 bag classic romaine
  
• 1 lb. broccoli
  
• 2-3 green onions
• 1 packet ramen noodles (any flavor)
• ½ cup walnut pieces
• ¼ cup butter
• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
• ¼ cup red wine vinegar
• ¼ cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce

Method:

Peel and shred ½ of the potatoes. To keep potatoes from turning brown, put them in water until ready to use.) In a stock pot, saute onion until softened, about 4 minutes. Add potatoes (well drained from water) and cook for 2 minutes. (If they start to stick to the pan, add a little of the chicken broth.) Add chicken broth and gravy mix. Simmer 20-30 minutes. Garnish with cooked crumbled bacon and serve with romaine salad and hard rolls.

Pour salad greens into a large salad bowl. Chop broccoli into small pieces and slice green onions and add to salad greens. Break the ramen noodles up into small pieces. (I do this BEFORE I open the package - little or no mess) Remove flavor envelope from ramen packet and save for another recipe.

Melt butter in a large deep skillet. Add ramen noodles and walnuts and stir and cook over medium heat until light brown. Be sure to watch carefully and stir constantly- they will burn easily. Turn out onto a double thickness of paper towels and cool. When cool, add to salad greens. To prepare dressing, add all dressing ingredients to a blender and pulse until combined. Pour dressing a little at a time to the salad until desired seasoning is reached.