"Special Potato Soup"--from someone on DG.
2-3 stalks celery, sliced
1 medium onion, chopped (I like onion--so I used two!)
2 tablespoons butter, melted (I used bacon drippings)
6 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed (I used 8)
2 carrots, sliced (or more--depends on size)
3 cups water (I used home made Chicken broth.
Can use low-salt, fat free Chicken Broth/stock-)
5 chicken flavored bouillon cubes ( I did not use--see above!)
3/4 teaspoon seasoned salt (did not use!)
1/2 teaspooon dried whole thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed (I have fresh in my garden).
Also added Onion Powder)--dash of garlic powder--dash of pepper
2 cups milk (I used 2 cups 1/2 and 1/2 and made the rest up with milk)
1 cup (4 oz) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
TO DO:
Sauté celery and onion in butter in a large Dutch oven until tender.
Add next 9 ingredients; cover and simmer about 20 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
Remove from heat and mash vegetables with potato masher, with a blender
or food processor—or “Stick Mixer”..
Add milk and cheese. Cook, stirring constantly, until cheese is melted. Yield: 10 cups.
****(comments from me after I made the second batch)
I have made it twice now...using my cast iron Dutch oven.
Of course--I tweaked a few things here and there—like:
--I browned some diced bacon and used that fat instead of butter to brown the onions and celery in.
--I put the bacon bits back into the soup at the end and also some diced, smoked ham.
(Seems they just "belonged!")
--I also added a few other spices...Onion Powder--a bit of Caraway seed (crush it??) and fresh Rosemary from my garden. Added lots of black pepper.
--I did not use a processor to cream the soup--just my masher. I gently mashed everything in the pot with that. The soup was a bit chunky--but SOOO good! A hand blender would work well here.
***This soup is surprisingly tasty and filling! Go with all my changes –they were all good! Gita
