Potato Leek Soup for the Soul

Few things inspire my cooking more than a seasonal change. Welcome to autumn -- my favorite time of the year. It seems like the most heartwarming dishes are served when the temps are cool. The romance of the turning leaves, a burning fire, and an early-setting sun melts into every bite.

Over the years, I've flirted with many fall recipes. But, one has kept me coming back: potato leek soup. I typically make it for Super Bowl and tailgate parties, and each time it's a winner.

I learned to cook by watching my mom prepare for our family of seven. So, I tend to prepare meals that could feed a small village. Also, I love the flavor combination of onion and leek, so I try to find the largest of each at the grocery store. You're welcome to adjust the ingredient portions to suit your needs and tastes.

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons salted butter
3 large leeks, thinly sliced
1 large white onion, chopped
8 russet potatoes, thinly sliced and unpeeled
6 cups chicken broth (easily replaced with veggie broth for a vegetarian option)
1 1/4 cups of heavy whipping cream
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Make sure all ingredients are fully prepped; the potatoes and leeks are thinly sliced and the onions are chopped.

In a large, deep pot, lightly simmer the salted butter over medium heat. Once the butter is melted, add the leeks and onion. Saute the combination until the veggies are a mix of transparent and and golden brown. Now, your kitchen smells like something straight out of Heaven. Ryan-Gosling-massaging-your-feet-shirtless kind of Heaven.

To the leek-onion mixture, add the potatoes and broth. In the same pot. How nice and easy is that? Potato sizes vary, so just make sure that you have enough broth to just cover the russets. Keep the heat set at medium until the potatoes are fork tender -- a fork goes cuts through the potato with ease.

Afterward, turn the heat to low. In the same pot and using a potato masher, mash the potatoes until you've reached desired consistency. Think of it this way, the more you mash, the thicker the soup will be. Stir frequently.

Your soup is close to done. Add the cream, salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper. Taste. Taste a lot -- it's the best part of cooking. Adjust the seasonings as necessary. Continue cooking the soup over low heat for an additional 5 minutes.

Serve. Eat your heart out.

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Cheeseburger Soup

I was on the hunt for the perfect hearty comfort dish for the snowy weather we've been having. I snatched and tweaked recipes from Taste of Home and Chocolate Covered Buttons. It is definitely not the easiest soup to make, but trust me -- the taste is totally worth it.

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground beef

3/4 c. onion, chopped

3/4 c. carrot, grated

3/4 c. celery, sliced

5 small - medium russet potatoes, cubed

1/2 c. all-purpose flour

1 1/2 c. 2% milk

4 c. chicken or beef broth

4 tbsp. butter or margarine 

1 1/2 c. sharp cheddar cheese

1 c. tomato (~ 2 tomatoes), diced

1 c. romaine lettuce, chopped

6 hamburger buns, coarsely cubed 

1 tsp. dried parsley

salt

pepper

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees for the hamburger bun croutons (YUM). In a large sauce pot, brown beef over medium heat; drain any excess grease and set aside in a medium bowl.

Ready all vegetables -- dice, grate, slice, cube!

To the same sauce pot for the browned beef, add the onion, celery, carrots, parsley, and one tablespoon of butter/margarine. Saute over medium heat until ingredients are softened--about 10 minutes.

Add the broth, beef, potatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for approximately 12 minutes, or until potatoes are fork-tender.

Meanwhile, cube the hamburger buns; place pieces on a baking sheet in a single layer. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt, and bake for 8 minutes, or until golden brown.

The soup is simmering, the hamburger bun croutons are baking, and your kitchen smells pretty fantastic, right? Mmm.

Melt the remaining butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the flour and cook for approximately 3-5 minutes, or until lightly bubbly.

Add the butter-flour mixture to the soup; bring to a boil. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Reduce to low heat.

Don't forget to check on the croutons!

Coarsely chop tomatoes and lettuce; grate the cheese.

Stir in the milk, lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, salt, and pepper. Cook until cheese melts.

Top with hamburger bun croutons, and enjoy!

 

Eat your heart out.

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