She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands. Proverbs 31

Monday, January 21, 2008

From My Kitchen ~ Potato Soup



Stone Soup is one of my favorite classical children's stories. Remember how the entire town comes together to add what they have to make the most wonderful pot of hot soup? That is kind of how I make my potato soup. I start with a basic recipe, and just add whatever I happen to have in the kitchen.

It is a nice frugal, but filling meal ... especially when served with fresh baked bread!

POTATO SOUP
8-10 potatoes, peeled & diced
1-4 carrots, peeled & diced
1 small onion, diced
water to just cover vegetables
seasonings (salt, pepper, garlic, parsley)
1 stick of butter
1 C chicken broth
1/2 cup of cream or milk
2 T of flour

Add potatoes, carrots, onion & seasonings to pot. Cover with water. Boil them up until the potatoes can be pierced with a fork (but not too mushy). Remove from heat & add stick of butter. Let it melt. In a separate bowl, mix chicken broth, cream & flour with a wisk until smooth. Add to vegetables. Place back on heat to thicken, stirring gently. Then add more seasonings to taste.

Use what you have! You can garnish it with fresh parsley, cheese, croutons ... just whatever is in your pantry. Add chopped celery. No onion, just use onion flakes. No carrots? That's okay. It tastes just wonderful with just potatoes, too! We added fresh garlic our our soup since it is a booster to the immune system! It was delicious & healthful!

Of course, if you only happen to have stones, you can use the following recipe:

STONE SOUP
Heat some water in a pot,
Add some stones you've scrubbed alot,

Sprinkle pepper, salt & herbs,
Let it boil undisturbed.

Drop in carrots, onions, too.
Let the soup heat through & through.

Stir in milk to make it sweet.
Add potatoes for a treat.

Toss in meat cubes. Let it stew.
Let it bubble. Let it brew.

Taste the soup and when it's done,
Share stone soup with everyone!

May your pot be always filled,
Lea