Nacho...smores?

This weekend was a productive weekend in the art of cooking. I made cheesy potato soup...twice, learning from the first experience to refine during the second. The boyfriend and I cooked dinner for some friends, a meal of ribs, the aforementioned-second-attempt cheesy potato soup, corn bread, and the famous Smores Nachos. I didn't take a picture, and therefore will post the recipe without because, well, I feel bad for delaying it so long.

BUT FIRST:

The two variations of cheesy potato.

The main recipe I followed was this one. A bit healthier than if I made regular, so that can't be bad. The first time through the recipe, I just followed the instructions given. Time consuming, but easy. Add. Boil. Add. Boil.

Here are some things I did differently the second time:

1. I used vegetable broth instead of chicken broth. Just a little extra something to make it a little less bad for you, and it tasted the same.

2. I took the advice of one of the people that commented and boiled the potatoes initially in the vegetable broth. Then, I just took out a cup of potatoes instead of draining. I also added salt, pepper, minced garlic, and rosemary while the potatoes were boiling and softening. The first time the potatoes were a little bland, and this definitely added some flavor, especially to the leftovers.

3. I used fresh instead of frozen broccoli, and also put in some fresh-off-the-cob corn, because, well, fresh is always better and I like corn in soup, or, you know, just in general.

4. Finally, I added a tad more cheese. Not much, but a little. And then added some on top for garnish.

I still think this recipe would be good with bacon (or ham, as one taste-tester of the first batch pointed out), or maybe turkey bacon. Perhaps that will happen third time around.

NOTE: This yields a very hearty and delicious soup, something I expect to order at one of those cute, cabin-y, restaurants. Just so you know.

And now, the moment you've all been waiting for, the super simple Smores Nachos, found here!

Here's just a few things to note about this:

1. I typically use less crackers than it says. Maybe, like 5-7 instead of the 8 it suggests.

2. I've made it twice now, and I like making it in a smaller dish and serving it in a more bar form instead of like actual nachos. Makes it a bit more "smore" like and, I imagine, easier to eat.

3. The peanut butter sauce doesn't really act like sauce, but more of a paste. Just embrace it. It's still delicious. I also don't measure out the pumpkin spice, but just add until I feel like stopping, which is still usually reluctantly.

NOTE: This is one of the easiest, most delicious, yet RICHEST desserts I've made, so a little goes a long way, even for someone like me who loves all things gooey and delicious.

Until next time!