Smashed Potato Soup

The Date: 7 December 2011

The Occasion: Continuation of Soup Week, which never quite got off the ground. Tuesday and Wednesday I made soup, but Thursday and Friday found us elsewhere at dinnertime. So I have a few soups to add to next week's menu.

The Recipe: From recipe.com, a featured recipe in a recent Daily Recipe email, adapted by me.

How it Went: Winner!! Excellent crock pot soup. Easy and extremely yummy. The only changes I would definitely make are to add bacon and to swap carrots for the yellow bell pepper which the recipe calls for. Bell pepper wasn't a good fit for the soup at all. The carrots are great because they break down when you mash them, just like the potatoes, and they add a bit of sweetness.

What You Need:
potatoes
carrots
garlic
black pepper
salt
chicken broth
whipping cream, half and half or milk
cheddar cheese
green onions
bacon or bacon bits

Your Turn:
Peel and cube 3 & 1/2 lbs potatoes (white or yukon gold are good).

In a crock pot, combine

• the chopped potatoes
• 3/4 C chopped carrots
• garlic (1 tsp bottled roasted, if you want to follow the recipe, or a few shakes of dried minced garlic if you're cheap like me)
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

Add 4 & 1/2 C chicken broth.

Cook 8-10 hours on low heat while you go to work at your wonderful job that you love.

When you get home, take a deep sniff. It will smell wonderful. 

This batch was made with yellow pepper instead of carrots. The pepper just didn't fit with the flavor or texture of the soup, so I changed the recipe to use carrots instead.

Now, you've got a few things to add.

First, though, we need to mash up the potatoes. Use a masher and get them good and smashed.

When you're satisfied with the consistency, add

• 1/2 C whipping cream, half & half, or milk
• 1 C shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/2 C thinly sliced green onions
• 1/2 C bacon pieces (or more)
• 1/2 tsp salt

Stir to mix well, and put the lid back on for a few minutes to make sure it heats back up.

If you want, sprinkle some scallions or bacon pieces on the top of each serving.

Mine was very thick. If you like it thinner, add additional milk, or even additional broth.