Potato Soup

Hey Friends.

I personally never thought I'd be one to make potato soup; it just seems too heavy and too caloric (forgive how ridiculous that sounds).  However, it's the end of the month and there was ZERO DINERO left in the grocery budget.  Since I'm working on self-control (ie; not dipping into next month's grocery budget), and I like the challenge of making dinner with what I have, this potato soup just sort of fell into my lap.  I had everything it called for, and the base- red potatoes- are CHEAP! I get them for $2.89 a bag and they last for aH long time.  Before making this potato soup, I made a potato frittata for dinner one night (had eggs, had the potatoes, hence the frittata).  All that to say, red potatoes (in my opinion) are  great way to stretch a buck and keep you full when you don't have a lot of ingredients in your house (like me). Oh, and this recipe is from Cooking Light, so I REALLY didn't feel guilty.  (Remember that this blog is about sharing recipes we have tried and loved, as well as our originals!)

Here goes-

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon of butter
1 cup chopped onion (I just used a medium yellow onion)
2 /12 tablespoons of All Purpose Flour
3 cups of chopped red potatoes (about 1 pound)
1 1/4 cup 1%  low fat milk
enough vegetable broth to cover the potatoes (maybe 1 1/2 cups or so)
1/2 cup shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese (I used white cheddar and some parmesan)
salt, pepper
green onions (garnish)
sour cream/yogurt (garnish/stir in)

Directions

Melt butter in a medium saucepan (medium heat).  Add onion, cook until tender, about 5 minutes.  Add a pinch of salt to your onions.  Sprinkle your onions with flour and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly (this process cooks the raw flour taste out of the flour).  Add potatoes (at this point I stirred it all together and de-glazed the pan with a little white wine because I had some and why not cook with wine...but you don't have to).  After you've added the potatoes, add your broth and milk.  Season with salt and pepper.  Cover the soup, reduce the heat, and let it simmer for about 10 minutes.  After ten minutes, check to see if the potatoes are tender.  If so, add your cheese and cook for another couple of minutes until the cheese melts.    I added parmesan, as well, because it adds a nice salty flavor and prevented me from having to over-do the salt.  Let the soup sit for 15 minutes off of the heat.  This allows the flavors to merry.  Top with green onions and sour cream/yogurt.

Cooking Light recommends serving this soup with Ham Sandwiches.  I say serve it with a salad and get your greens :)

There you have it!  Delicious, healthy (as far as potato soups go), and quick!  And  fairly inexpensive if you already have most of these ingredients!

Buen Provecho