Margaret Callon Makes Potato Soup

Margaret Callon shows us how to make a quick and hearty meal that will get you through the last of these chilly months.

Potato Soup Recipe

• 2 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and chopped (should make about 4 cups)
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 ounces cream cheese
• 1 cup half and half

Directions: in a big pot, fry the diced onion in olive oil until soft. Next, add garlic and fry for just a couple minutes more.  Add the potatoes, salt, and about 3 cups of the broth to cover the potatoes.  Bring to boil over high heat, then cover the pot and reduce heat to simmer until potatoes are soft enough to mash.  Now, turn off the heat, add the cream cheese in small chunks, and cover the pot again.  In a few minutes, the cream cheese will have melted and it is time to roughly mash the entire mixture.  Leave some lumps of potato.  Finally, stir in the half and half.  Heat through on low heat-the cheese and cream shouldn't boil.  Check the soup, add salt and pepper to taste.  It is at this point one may add in ingredients below to create another version of the soup.
Yields about 8 cups of soup/4 servings

Broccoli and cheddar version: 12 ounce bag of frozen chopped broccoli-steamed, 2 cups sharp cheddar-shredded, reserve a little cheese for garnish, crumbled bacon.

Corn chowder version: 12 ounce bag of good frozen corn-steamed, 2 cups sharp cheddar-shredded

Sausage and kale version: use red-skinned potatoes, 1/2 pound italian sausage-fried, drained and crumbled, 1 bunch of kale-washed, chopped and steamed, parmesan cheese for topping.

Leftovers:  This soup keeps well in the fridge, but tends to thicken up quite a bit.  When reheating, add a little liquid-broth, milk, or water.