According to the hubs, this is Soup Perfection

So let’s go ahead and get it out in the open that I don’t cook much. I can, I suppose. I am really good at following recipes. I just am somewhat lazy, and my mind thinks of cooking, and then thinks ahead to cleaning up and then decides that really, The Best Mexican Food Around isn’t all that bad for us, and why don’t we just go there instead.

Sometimes, though, I think, “I am SO domestic! I can’t wait to cook and have everyone tell me how great I am!” Or at least have my kids actually eat what I cook, which doesn’t happen with my chili, though I find it to be The Most Perfect Chili Ever. Apparently it is too spicy for them. Wusses.

My mom is a big soup cooker, and so I thought I could do it too. And guess what…I can! So, henceforth, I bring you my Favorite Potato Soup. And yes, last night, my husband did tell me I had reached Soup Perfection.

The cast:

1 Full 5 lb bag of gold potatoes. At least “full” meaning all the ones that aren’t too ugly. I am quite a snob about food appearance at times. I threw out almost a whole potato because it just looked ugly. I chop these puppies up pretty small…like the size of the cubed kind of hash browns. I guess I could have used actual measurements (so like 1/2″ squares or so), but I was trying to tell it to you in potato terms so you wouldn’t have to think too much. I’m nice like that.

3-4 Carrots. This last time I made the soup I only had 2. But they were big. Though 1/2 of one was rotten. Is that too much to share? So I just cut off the rotten part. But whatever you have, throw them in there.

2-3 Stalks of Celery. I don’t know why I discriminate against celery. But I do. I think, “man, celery is stupid and tastes gross,” when really, in a soup, it all basically tastes the same. And celery does add a lot. So throw it in there and cook it a bunch so you can’t taste it by itself!

1/2 White Sweet Onion. The last one I used made me cry. Really hard. And it made my nose run. I’m not big on crying, so it made me feel like I emoted, so I was like cooking AND emoting. What a wifely day for me! Again, with the textures and tastes, I chop these up as small as I can. With the latest Onion That Punched Me in the Face, I chopped as fast as I could, and threw in what ever sizes I had when I just couldn’t take it anymore.

2 Boullion Cubes

32-oz  Chicken Broth

1 Cup Water

Kosher Salt. I’d say about the size of two quarters. I’m sooo scientific!

Garlic Salt. Enough to shake lightly across the span of your pan. Or maybe a little more. I love this stuff!

Pepper. Enough to shake extra lightly across the span of your pan. Is “Span of Your Pan” a scientific measurement? Cause I’m calling dibs on © if not!

1/2 Bag of Spinach. I put spinach in everything I can. And yes, I said “bag.” That’s how I buy my spinach. If you want to buy “real” spinach (or, heaven forbid, grow it), you can buy a bag first, figure out how many cups are in 1/2  a bag, and use your snooty spinach the next time, perhaps.

I usually throw all that stuff in (adding the spinach last for some reason), then cover the pan and bring it to a boil. After it boils, I turn it down to like…Medium-High…and let it continue to boil lightly for about 25 minutes, or until the potatoes are nice and soft.

THEN.

I use my Specifically For This Purpose Potato Masher to smush it all up. This is such an important step. Esp with little kiddos – it definitely keeps it on their spoons better!

Finally, I put a ton a smattering of grated (Colby-Jack) cheese on top of the soup to get all nice and melty. That seriously is the key to my soup success!

Well, there you go. The soup secret is out! Make it. Love it. Serve it to your friends. Repeat.

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Tags: cooking, recipes, soup