Potato Soup Recipe 445

BEST EVER POTATO SOUP

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp, stirring occasionally; drain drippings. Add vegetables, seasonings and broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, until potatoes are tender, 10-15 minutes., Mix flour and milk until smooth; stir into soup. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly; cook and stir until thickened, about 2 minutes. Stir in cheese until melted. If desired, serve with green onions.

PERFECT POTATO SOUP

Steps:

• Place potatoes into a large pot and cover with water; bring to a boil. Cook until fork-tender, about 10 minutes. Drain.
• Place bacon in a large saucepan and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until crispy, about 8 minutes. Drain bacon slices on paper towels. Pour out bacon grease.
• Melt butter in the saucepan over medium heat, scraping the bottom of the pan with a flat-edged wooden spoon. Add celery, onion, carrots, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper; cook and stir until tender, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle in flour; cook and stir for 2 minutes.
• Pour half-and-half and chicken broth into the saucepan. Add potatoes, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, thyme, cayenne pepper, and nutmeg. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Stir in bacon pieces. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring often, until flavors combine, about 10 minutes.
• Ladle into serving bowls. Garnish with 1/2 teaspoon pepper, green onions, and paprika.

WORLD'S BEST POTATO SOUP

Steps:

• In a large stock pot combine potatoes, onions, celery, bouillon cubes and enough water to cover all ingredients. Bring to a boil and simmer on medium heat until potatoes are with in 15 minutes of being finished.
• Add half and half, bacon, cream of mushroom soup and stir until creamy. Add cheese and stir until completely melted. Simmer on low until potatoes are done.

OLD-FASHIONED POTATO SOUP

Steps:

• Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the onion; cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes.
• While the onions are cooking, place the diced potatoes, carrots, water and chicken soup base (or vegetable base; see Cook's Note) in another pot and bring to a boil. Cook until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Do not overcook. Season with ground black pepper to taste.
• Add the flour to the cooked onions to make a paste. Cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Gradually add the milk and stir well. Cook over low heat stirring constantly until warmed through. Add the potato and carrot mixture. Stir in the parsley and thyme and heat through. Serve hot.

BACK-TO-BASICS EASY POTATO SOUP

Steps:

• To a 4-quart or larger dutch oven or soup pot, add the potatoes, onion, celery, and carrots. Add water to approximately 1/2 inch below the top of the vegetables.
• Set on stove and turn to high.
• Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cover. Simmer until all of the vegetables are soft, stirring occasionally - about 20 minutes.
• Using a potato masher, carefully mash most of the soup (it's going to be hot!), leaving a few chunks for texture.
• Stir in the milk and the parsley. Add 1 teaspoons salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Taste and add more salt and pepper if desired. (I usually add about one more teaspoon of salt - potato soup takes a lot of salt! But you may wish to use less. Or more!)
• Serve. The soup will thicken as it cools.
• To store, refrigerate in an airtight container. Reheat in soup pot. If the soup is very thick upon reheating, it can be thinned out with some water.

BAKED POTATO SOUP WITH CRISPY POTATO SKINS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400°F. Scrub potatoes clean; prick each a few times with fork. Bake directly on rack in center of oven 60 to 70 minutes or until tender. Cool 10 minutes.
• Increase oven temperature to 450°F. Cut each potato in half; scrape potatoes out of skins into bowl, leaving 1/4-inch shell. Mash potatoes with fork or potato masher. Set aside. Brush shells, inside and out, with melted butter; sprinkle with salt. Cut each shell in half lengthwise, and then into 1/2-inch strips crosswise. Place on cookie sheet; bake about 20 minutes or until golden and crispy. Set aside.
• Meanwhile, in 4-quart Dutch oven, cook bacon over medium-high heat until crisp. Remove bacon with slotted spoon; set aside. Decrease heat to medium. Add onion. Cook 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender. Add 3 tablespoons of the flour, the thyme leaves and pepper; cook 1 to 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Beat in chicken broth and mashed potatoes with whisk; heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low; simmer 30 minutes. Stir in cream; heat to simmering. In medium bowl, toss 1 1/2 cups of the cheese with remaining 1 tablespoon flour. Add cheese mixture, 1/2 cup at a time, until cheese is melted and soup is smooth after each addition.
• To serve, ladle soup into serving bowls. Garnish with remaining cheese, sour cream, green onions, bacon and crispy potato skins.

UNBELIEVABLY EASY POTATO SOUP

Steps:

• Peel and cube potatoes.
• Put in a saucepan along with the onions and celery.
• Add water, but don't quite cover the vegetables.
• Bring to a boil, lower heat, cover and simmer for 25 minutes, or until all of the vegetables are very tender.
• Using a potato masher, coarsely crush the potatoes, but don't mash them--you want chunks left.
• Add enough milk or cream to thin to desired thickness and add salt& pepper to taste.
• (It will take a lot of salt!).