2 Make Ends Meet: Baked Potato Soup

"A Soup Smorgasbord"--that was what I called yesterday's menu plan. I already had 2 kinds of soup in the freezer, but after I posted my menu plan I realized I had some potatoes that really needed to be used...you know the kind that were starting to sprout! Well, they really weren't that bad, but I hadn't made any potato soup lately, so I thought I would add that choice to my "smorgasbord" menu.

The recipe that we have enjoyed before, comes from an old Family Fun magazine. The page has been ripped out and added to my 3 ring binder, which is brimming with recipe ideas! It is called Creamy Corn and Potato Chowder. Yum!

Now, I will let you in on a little secret...sometimes my boys can be picky...
gasp!
I know, I know...they aren't perfect. ;) You see, they haven't always enjoyed the recipe "as is", so I decided to leave out the corn. I also decided to change the name of the soup (chowder sounds yucky, I guess), so they would have a better attitude to begin with...even before tasting it! (Parenting uses a lot of psychology, you know)!

So, I called it Baked Potato Soup, and I had them top it with shredded cheese and bacon bits.

We had a winner!!!!!!!!!!

Even the 13 year old, who didn't want any of it after basketball practice, admitted to my husband that "yes, it was good". :)

Here is how I made it, substituting milk for the heavy cream, and using more potatoes than the original recipe.

Baked Potato Soup
**2 T. butter
**1 celery stalk, chopped
**minced onions (or 1 small onion chopped)
**6 cups chicken broth
**6 potatoes, peeled and cubed
**1/2 tsp. salt
**1 cup milk
**2 T. corn starch
**black pepper, to taste
Saute onion and celery in butter in sauce pan for approx. 7 minutes. If using minced onion, watch carefully so it does not burn. Add chicken broth, potatoes and salt to the pan. Bring to a low boil. Turn heat down and cover pan slightly. Simmer for 7 minutes, until potatoes are tender. Whisk the corn starch into the milk, and add to the soup pot. Add the pepper too. Bring to a low boil, and simmer for 8 minutes, or until soup thickens. Serve with shredded cheddar cheese, and bacon bits.
Enjoy!