Sausage-n-Cheddar Potato Soup

I work at a resort in the mountains...  This means winter driving conditions and winter working conditions are part and parcel of my position.  Our guests are the outdoorsy types, hikers, mountain bikers, skiers, snowboarders - if it can be done outdoors, they're into it, so even if I'm not partial to driving in the snow, it's job security.  Unfortunately, like offices the world over, it's drafty in the cold months, hot in the warm months and the doors are constantly being opened as guests, housekeepers and sightseers come in and out.  What does this have to do with potato soup you say?  Well, I find my enthusiasm and appreciation for soup increases directly in proportion to the weather conditions at the resort!

Today, for instance, I pulled in to the resort parking lot and it was raining.  Within minutes, however, it began to snow and proceeded to do so all day long.  By the time I left, my truck had accumulated 3 inches of the fluffy, wet, white stuff.  As I drove home, the lower the elevation got, the wetter it got.  Yep, it was pouring everywhere else!  On nights like this, soup is a moral imperative.  Don't you agree? 

So, tonight I made the potato soup I had been thinking about since last week when I made a tasty pork roast and ended up with cooking liquid that looked good enough to use as stock...and it was so tasty, I just had to share! 

I used red potatoes and sweet, yellow onion.  I chopped up the onion and threw it in the soup pot with some olive oil.  Then I added some mild, bulk Italian sausage.

I chopped up the potatoes into bite-sized pieces and threw them in too.  I let it all cook together a bit, then added some flour...

I stirred the flour in and let it cook for a couple of minutes.

Next, I added the stock and some cream.  Yep, I added cream - and can I just say - YUM!  At this point, I added some salt, pepper, oregano, garlic powder and dried cilantro.  Then I grated some cheddar cheese...

...and threw that into the pot too!  I stirred it in and let it simmer for about 30 minutes.  We had it with some refrigerator crescent rolls - which didn't do it justice, but I was going for quick, easy, hot & hearty - once in awhile, it's ok to cut corners. 

Surprisingly, potato soup is one soup I make that the kids beg me to make.  They absolutely love it.  In fact, we only had one serving left tonight after dinner (and I'm lookin' forward to having that for my lunch tomorrow)!  It always surprises me that they like it so much - but I'm so glad they do since it's one of the heartiest soups I make. It's still stormy & rainy outside and I'm still warm and toasty, hours after dinner.. 

I didn't measure anything when I made this soup tonight (and I usually don't), and sometimes I bake the potatoes first and include bacon (and chives or shallots), and sometimes I don't include meat at all but here's a rough recipe for you.

Potato Soup

1 small or 1/2 large onion

1 lb. mild Italian Sausage, or sausage of your choice

5 or 6 medium to large potatoes

2 - 4 cups stock

1 pint whipping cream, half-n-half or milk to taste

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

salt & pepper to taste

1/4 tsp garlic powder

dash of paprika

1 tsp dried cilantro

Enjoy!

Baked Potato Soup

It's a very rare occasion that Steven, my husband, requests anything specific for dinner.  He's very easy going when it comes to meal time - he can take it or leave it, pbj it or gourmet it.  He always appreciates anything I make - even if it's less than my best effort (there's good reason I fell in love with & married this man!).  So, of course, when he does request something, I'm happy to oblige!

Friday night we attended a high school football game in Tacoma.  It was a fun, in house rivalry for us since our 15 year old's school was playing Steven's alma mater.  It was pretty chilly though and by the time we headed home we were all human popsicles so Steven's suggestion of soup - specifically potato soup - for dinner Saturday night sounded ideal!  We stopped at the store on the way home and I found some lovely, small to medium sized golden potatoes and picked up the rest of the item I would need to complete the meal.

Saturday evening rolled around and I decided to approach the soup a bit differently than I had in the past.  I really like to bake the potatoes, then put them in the soup for that lovely baked potato flavor but I wanted to try roasting the potatoes instead and see how that would turn out.  I was just about to put the potatoes in the oven when Steven announced we was going to play poker with his friends - just as well, I thought - I knew it would hurt the soup any to be made ahead and heated Sunday - in fact, it would probably make it that much better, so I continued on with making the soup.

We had it tonight for dinner & it was the thickest, heartiest potato soup I've made to date!  The potatoes were tender, the soup was thick, rich and ultra-filling - none of us could eat more than one bowl!  We had a simple spinach salad - just spinach and hard-boiled egg with it as well as shredded cheddar cheese, chives and light sour cream to top the soup.

Potato Soup
about 12 small-medium potatoes
4 strips of bacon, cut into small pieces
1/2 sweet onion, coarsely chopped
4 cups chicken stock
1 pint half & half
salt & pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Cut potatoes into 1/2 or 1/4's depending on their size, so they are about 1 inch wedges.  Place in a roasting pan, sprinkle with salt & pepper and drizzle with olive oil.  Toss to coat potatoes thoroughly.  Bake until nicely browned - about 30-40 minutes and set aside to cool.

Place a dutch oven on the stove top at med-med. high heat and allow it to preheat while you chop the bacon.  Cut the strips in 1/2 lengthwise, then slice into pieces.  Cook bacon in dutch oven until browned on one side, add onions and continue cooking until bacon is evenly crisp and onions are translucent, stirring occasionally.  Add about 2 tablespoons of flour stirring well, and let it cook about 2 minutes.  Reserve about 1 cup of the roasted potatoes and mash the rest right in the roasting pan.  (you may need to cut up the skins a bit with a knife)  Add the mashed potatoes to the dutch oven and stir well.  Add chicken stock and half-n-half.  Cube up reserved potatoes and add to soup pot.  Allow it all to come to a boil, stirring occasionally, then turn down to a simmer and allow it all to heat through or you can turn it off at the point and store it in the refrigerator over night.  Salt & pepper to taste.

Serve hot with shredded cheddar cheese, chopped chives (scallions will work too) and sour cream.