This week I am making potato soup.  Why? The weather is not horrible I don’t feel I need comfort food but I have a friend who has had some dental surgery.  I found out after the fact, so a little late to the party.  Even though late, it is still made with the best of intentions.

This recipe takes me back to my childhood.  My mother made this soup, although not to the degree that I have jacked it up.  This again with age and experience,  I think I have found the perfect combination. I remember the first time I made this for the hubs.   We were newly married, eons ago.   Side note we will celebrate anniversary #29 this month.   They said it wouldn’t last, pfff we showed them.   For all you Portales folk, the hubs had THE conversation with my Dad in Les’s Sweet Shop.  If that doesn’t say commitment, I don’t know what does.
There is always much to be learned with men and their coffee when they get in groups.  Again, another story.
This is a whole other story as to how we met up many years after high school.  Anyway, sidetracked for a minute, back to potato soup.   I thought I would impress the hubs one evening when he came home with my cooking skills and made this soup.   Now mind you this is a total meat and potatoes guy.   I don’t think he ate a meal that didn’t have something fried (by the way the first meal he made me, everything was done in the Fry Baby, that fryer found the trash shortly after marriage) in it and for sure no meals without meat.   I wholly admit that the way I used to make the soup it was quite thin and probably looked like boiled potatoes.  I’m not sure why his actions shocked me, but it did and left a lasting memory.   There are several food related tales that have the same impression.   I can’t help but remember the look on his face when these things happened and still brings a smile.
Like all other meals from the time we married,  I set out the dishes and silverware.   If it’s not plated and set on the table it’s serve yourself then have a seat.  This was the scenario that day.   Bowls & soup spoons on the counter.   Not sure if it was oversight or male blindness.   After getting a plate out of the cupboard and finding the slotted spoon out of the utensil drawer, he proceeds to fish out the potatoes and put them on his plate.   At this point I’m just waiting to see what’s next.   I think I was at a loss for words at that point, which if you know me does not happen often.   I stress NOT.   After getting all the potatoes he wanted plated.   He then starts opening the oven, microwave and looking around the kitchen for the illusive meat.   SHOCK!!  There is none to be found.   At that point I finally decided I should tell him there is none.   After a look of confusion then dismay,  I hand him a bowl and tell him if he’d like to eat use the ladle and have some soup.
Mind you when I was making this years ago, I cooked the potatoes til tender, did not mash any and did not put any bacon in.  This one can be vegetarian easily.   Over time, trail & error and owning a sandwich shop I tweaked my recipe, not really a recipe.   I have never used a recipe per say.   The soup used to be quite plain and simple, with experimentation I think I have finally found my keeper.   A few secrets(additives) have since given to a much thicker tastier version of the original I grew up with.   There are somethings you just don’t mess with but this soup was not one of them.
I started using instant potato flakes when I had my sandwich shop.   Little know or at least it was to me that the flakes are used as a thickener for soups, gravy, batter on fired foods (only occasionally do I fry..if so the hubs think there must be an ulterior motive) meatloaf filler and gnocchi.   I’m sure there are other uses, those are just some that I have used.  For all you over achievers here is how to make your own potato flakes.   http://thehomesteadinghippy.com/make-dehydrated-potato-flakes-scratch/
Only when bacon truly became a staple in my life did I start putting it in more dishes.  Chocolate chip cookies for example, don’t knock it till you’ve tried it.  A simple easy BLT salad using the bacon pieces.  I stress real bacon pieces, those nasty dried out things will NOT give the same flavor.  Of course, the hubs added ranch to his salad, yuck.  When you want that little bit of flavor without the frying mess & clean up.  This is a staple in my house, I start panicking when I am down to my last bag.
When we were still an active Bountiful Baskets site we had an overabundance of fruits and veggies.  BTW the they are still realigning and doing a soft rollout, hopefully we will start up again, soon. Sometimes I would end up with 3 bunches of celery, mass quantiles of carrots, zucchini, bell pepper, fennel, onions and leeks.  I started chopping or shredding them after cleaned and placing in a freezer bag.
DANGIT! I just remembered I forgot the put the carrot in my soup, sorry Sharla.  Really it just adds more color than flavor.  Granted these veggies have a high-water content so when freezing they will get stuck together if not blanched (which I never do) or set in a cookie sheet in the freezer.  When you freeze be sure and remove all air from the bag, even better if you have a Seal a Meal.  I have found that if there is any ice accumulated when ready to use I just run it under water to thaw and that removes most all.  It is handy to have these veggies in the freezer for meatloaf, soups, stews and other random things I can’t think of now.  Imagine something slipping my mind, uggg.
Potatoes, I have altered this quite a bit from where I started.  Initially I would just use whatever I had on hand.  I used the peeled russets, now I hardly ever peel my veggies and leave all the skins on (that is where all your nutrients are) just wash them well or scrub/remove and bad spots.  As my recipe evolved I went from russet to new potatoes, to red now I just use the Yukon gold.  Size is great one or two cuts and you are done.  Did I mention I like shortcuts and easy?  There is little or no prep involved.
Don’t forget to comment, share and pin my Pinterest page https://www.pinterest.com/shakapuddn/the-roosevelt-review/
BTW the hubs did and continues to survive the occasional meal without meat, he’s still not fond of it but complies.
Potato Soup
3# pkg of Yukon gold potatoes quartered or cut into about the size of a quarter
1 onion chopped (your preference, I either use yellow or white unless a recipe specifies red)
A few cloves of garlic chopped
1 C celery, leeks, fennel (I used all three 1c ea, or you can omit any or all, I can’t guarantee the flavor if you do!)
½ C carrot shredded
2 TBL butter
2 C Milk (you can use 4C milk and omit the ½ & ½)
2 C ½ & ½ (makes for a richer flavor)
1 Pkg or more! real bacon bits
Instant potatoes
1-2 TBL salt
Tsp. pepper
In your stockpot or for this I used a 3qt and it was full, remember you can add more liquid to make it go further, also more potatoes to keep the consistency.
In your pan sauté your onion garlic and any other veggies in the butter until your onion is translucent, just a few minutes.
Add the potatoes, add enough water to the pan to cover the potatoes.  Add your salt here, yes, 2 tbl seems excessive but with potatoes it is not, if you want to adjust this feel free.  You want to keep this on a low simmer.
After you have your potatoes where they are fork tender add your milk & and ½ & ½, you can add your carrots now.  After all the liquid is heated, remove from the burner.
Take your potato masher and do a rough chop on the potatoes, do not decimate and mash them.
If you want the bacon in there add it now.  It is precooked and the liquid will warm it, no need to cook further.
Now this is where your judgement come in with the instant potato flakes, I only start with a tbl at a time then stir, it does not take much.  The variables will be how much you mash and what veggies are in the pot and the thickness you like. Bonus I have found that when needing a thickener, the flakes or cornstarch does need to be cooked out like flour and there is not that raw taste.
I add the pepper last, just to taste.
When serving, I don’t need anything with my soup, some might like a cracker or crusty bread.
ENJOY!