Creamy Potato Soup

It is cold outside!  We received our first winter snow yesterday on top of a sizable amount of sleet. Today is an inside day and I've been busy purging and organizing the pantry so everything starts out fresh and organized for the new year.

I've also been battling a cold, so the cleaning and organizing job was just the ticket; not to strenuous and I could easily pause for a nap attack.  
After a little break in my work, I was chilly and the hunger pangs set in.  My tummy was rumbling and I wanted something easy and something that would warm me inside out.  I spied potatoes and onions on the counter; in the pantry, a carton of chicken stock. Instantly I knew lunch was going to be a nice steaming bowl of potato soup with shredded cheese and bacon crumbles.  Yummers!

This recipe is easy and quick to make.  Enjoy reading through it as I go grab a second helping!

...and oh, by the way, my pantry and cupboards are looking neat and tidy now!

Creamy Potato Soup

Ingredients:

1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 cup diced carrots
1 stalk of celery, diced
2 Tablespoons butter
4 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
1 32 oz. box of organic chicken stock
2 Tablespoons dried parsley flakes
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
1 teaspoon thyme
1 1/2 cups milk
2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
Shredded Cheddar
Bacon Bits

Directions:

Chop the onion, carrot, celery into similar size pieces.
In a heavy bottom pot, melt the butter and add the chopped vegetables.  Saute until the onions are cooked until soft.

Meanwhile, peel and dice the potatoes, keeping them a similar size.

Add the potatoes to the pot.  
Stir in the parsley flakes, salt, pepper and thyme.

Pour in enough chicken stock to just barely cover the potatoes.
Simmer the potatoes around 15 minutes, until done.

Using a potato masher, give the cooked potatoes several mashes.  

You will notice that the potatoes will naturally thicken just a little.  I don't mash mine much because I like big chunks of potato.  If you don't have a manual potato masher, you can use a stick blender, just give it a few pulses.

Mix the flour into the cold milk and add the mixture to the potatoes.

Stir until heated through and the soup thickens.  Taste the soup and adjust seasons to your liking.

Ladle it into your serving bowls and garnish with a sprinkling of cheddar cheese and bacon bits. I do a bit more than sprinkle, as you can see from the photos!

...and that's What's Cooking at Cathy's ~ Enjoy!