Cheesy Potato Soup

4 medium potatoes (chopped into medium size chunks)
1 onion (diced)
2 cloves garlic (chopped fine)
5-6 celery stalks (chopped)
3 medium size peeled carrots (chopped small)
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon season all
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon basil
½ cup butter
1 pint Heavy Whipping Cream
1 Knorr Homestyle Chicken stock concentrate
6 cups water

Chop your onion, celery, garlic and carrots and sauté in the butter in a 5 quart pan. When your celery is just about done, add the 3 ½ cups of water and the Knorr Chicken stock concentrate. Stir until stock is completely dissolved. Add your spices and chopped potatoes (I leave the peels on, feel free to peel yours). Add the heavy cream and remaining water and bring to a boil. Once it is rolling, put on a lid, turn it down to a simmer and let it go for about 35 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand 2 hours. Bring to a slow boil once more and thicken with the cornstarch (mix cornstarch in 1/2 cup cold water add slowly to the soup). Once thickened, remove from heat and add your shredded cheese. IMPORTANT – add cheese AFTER you thicken otherwise it will all go to the bottom and not blend correctly.

Of course you can modify this recipe to be less fattening by using half and half or even skim milk in place of the heavy cream. You could also omit the butter and use extra virgin olive oil in its place.

Creamy Asparagus Soup

1 ½ lbs asparagus
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 yellow onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
¼ cup dry vermouth
3 cups chicken stock, plus more if needed
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
¾ cup heavy cream

Snap off the tough stem ends from the asparagus spears. Cut the tips off 8 of the spears into 2-inch lengths. Set the tips aside. Chop the remaining asparagus into 1 inch pieces.

In a heavy soup pot over medium heat, melt the 4 Tbs. butter. Add the onion and garlic and sauté, stirring occasionally, until tender and translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the vermouth and cook until most of the liquid has evaporated. Add the chopped asparagus and the 3 cups of chicken stock. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and cook until the asparagus is tender, about 20 minutes.

Using a blender, puree the soup until smooth, about 2 minutes. Pour back into pan and stir in cream plus more stock if needed to reach the desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set the pan over low heat and reheat the soup to serving temperature.

In a small sauté pan over medium heat, melt 2 tsp butter and add the reserved asparagus tips and cook until just tender, about 2 minutes. Ladle the soup into warmed bowls, garnish with the asparagus tips and serve immediately.

Serves 4

Potato Ham Soup

Total time Start to Finish:  1 hour

3 1/2 cups diced potatoes (peel if you prefer)
1/3 cup celery
1/3 cup onion
3/4 cup cooked ham (I chunk it but you could dice as well)
2 cups water
1 can chicken broth (or fresh stock if you have some)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground white or black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon basil
5 tablespoons butter
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups milk

Sautee the onions and celery in one tablespoon of the butter. When the onions become translucent, add the potatoes, broth and water in a deep pot. Bring to a boil and then cook over medium heat until potatoes are tender. Add the seasonings and let simmer.

In a separate saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Whisk in flour with a fork, and cook, stirring constantly until thick, about 1 minute. Slowly stir in milk (like making a gravy. Continue stirring over medium-low heat until thick, 4 to 5 minutes.

Slowly stir the milk mixture into the soup and cook until heated through. Serve immediately.

Variations:

Add cheese: 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese or ½ cup Pepper Jack and ½ cup cheddar for a little zip. (add the cheese after you’ve thickened the milk sauce or it will lump at the bottom of the pan.

Add a can of corn (drained).

Omit the ham and add clams.

Homemade Beef Stew

This recipe is always a favorite at my house in the cooler months.

Prep time = 35 minutes

1 lb chopped stew meat
1 onion - chopped
1 Tbs chopped garlic (3 chopped cloves of whole garlic)
2 cups chopped celery
2 cups chopped carrots
2 can whole kernel corn
4 cups chopped potato
2 cans beef stock or 4 beef boulion cubes fully disolved in 3 cups hot water
2 Tbs Butter
3 TBS Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon Season All
salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon basil
2 bay leaves (whole)

melt butter in pan, add onion and sauté until just barely done. Add meat and Worcestershire sauce, cook until done. Add remaining vegetables and beef stock. Stir and add enough water to cover ingredients. Add spices and whole bay leaves. Cover and cook on medium heat 1 hour until potatoes are tender.

Thicken with cornstarch to desired thickness. Serve with cornbread.

You can easily substitute the meat in this stew with any preferred. If you use pork, chicken or turkey, substitute chicken broth for beef broth.