And all of a sudden, it's fall

 

My first fall on Whidbey Island has arrived suddenly. Sure, the weather had been getting a bit cooler, and the fall colors have been appearing with gorgeous brightness. That tree is in my neighbor's yard, so I see it every day from my back deck. It's a lovely burst of autumn color in my daily life. But over the last day or two things have taken a sudden turn. It has gotten rather chilly, and it's been rainy and gray and windy. I love it. I really do.

 

Sunday was a cold, rainy day, so I was in the mood to cook. I made a huge pot of applesauce, a pan of cornbread, and a longtime favorite, Potato Cheese soup.

Back in my college days, my friends and I often left the dining hall when dinner options were especially grim and headed to Marie Callendar's -- you remember, the pie place. They had a great salad bar, and I grew especially fond of their regular Saturday soup: potato cheese. At some point I came across a recipe that reminded me of that soup, and it has become a regular family staple. Ironically, a few years ago I came across a Marie Callendar's, had the potato cheese soup, and found it horribly gloppy and unappealing. Turns out my version is way better. 

Want to give it a try? The base recipe is from a California Culinary Academy "Soups and Stews" cookbook. But I vary it a fair amount, adding a lot more carrots and celery. That's why my soup is actually a beautiful carroty-golden color. I think this would also be good with half potatoes and half butternut squash or even sweet potato. Anyway, here is the recipe.

1/4 cup butter or margarine

1 medium onion, chopped

1 small carrot, chopped

1 stalk celery, with leaves

1 clove garlic, minced or pressed

1/4 tsp each white pepper and white marjoram

4 medium sized smooth potatoes (about 1 1/2 lbs), peeled and cut into cubes or chunks.

3 1/2 cups chicken broth (or 2 14 oz cans)

1 cup milk

1/4 pound cheddar or swiss cheese, shredded (1 cup)

1. In large saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Add onion, carrot, celery, and garlic, and cook, stirring often, until soft but not browned.

2. Mix in pepper, marjoram, potatoes, and broth. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat slightly, and boil gently until potatoes are very tender.

3. Puree soup until smooth. Return to cooking pan.

4. Gradually blend in milk and reheat until steaming hot. Do not boil.

5. Stir in cheese about 1/4 cup at a time, until it is smoothly melted into soup. Taste and add salt if needed. 

Makes about 8 cups.

So, I vary this a lot. I usually use one large onion, a few carrots and a few stalks of celery. I often skip the marjoram. I think I usually use maybe 5 potatoes, depending on what I have on hand. I add enough broth to just cover the potatoes, then simmer away until the potatoes are soft. I puree it in the pan with a hand blender.

I almost always use cheddar cheese, and reserve some to sprinkle on top when it is served. 

I've had good luck freezing this. Also, be aware that it will thicken if it's overnight in the fridge, so dilute with milk when you reheat it to serve. This is a filling soup, it's not light or brothy. It's substantial and the perfect soup for a rainy fall day. 

Let me know what you think if you make it!