Gluten-Free Potato Soup for the Soul

*Note: I posted this here and here. So, this is really cheesy,but it's soup week at The Gluten Free Homemaker! So sue me - I'm proud of my soup!

My apologies if you're reading this for the second, or perhaps the third time. :)

It's a well known fact that I'm a gourmet wanna-be, but oh so bad, and not in a good way. I toil - sometimes, I slave - once in a while, I plan my meals - weekly, I stick to the chart - rarely.

Being the good, money-saving wife that I am, I searched high and low for something, anything to cook with this humongous bag of potatoes that had been purchased in bulk. What was I thinking? That I had a family of fifteen or something? Anyway, after researching and pondering and thinking about the weather (a snowy day in Atlanta - so much for thoughts of spring!), I decided to make a big pot of potato soup.

Normally when I try something new it's not well received.

Who knew that carbs, cream, and butter would be the miracle drug my family needed? Go figure.

Someone gave me this simple recipe yesterday and it provided that additional shot of warmth that we needed. I whipped up a fruit salad and that's all it took to complete this easy meal.

Homemade Potato Soup

{{I'll try to be accurate with the ingredients. Don't laugh - I'm an eye-baller}}

about 8 or so (maybe more) small russet potatoes

one large onion - diced

4 carrots - diced

2 stalks of celery - diced

olive oil

chicken broth (I used a carton - 32 oz.)

salt and pepper

butter

cream (I used fat free half & half) - about 3/4 cup

In a large stock pot, bring the cubed potatoes to a boil - oh, add water. :)

Reduce heat and simmer until soft.

While that's cooking, saute the onion, celery, and carrots in your olive oil

(in another pan - duh).

Hmm... a little minced garlic might be good at this point, too.

Be sure to salt & pepper the veggies pretty well.

Saute until soft.

Once the potatoes are done, pour off about half of the water.

Add in the chicken broth and the veggies to the potatoes.

Add more pepper and salt to taste.

In a separate saucepan over low heat, warm the fat free half & half and to that,

add about 3 lbs. tbs. of butter to melt.

Once the creamer is warm, add it into the soup mixture. At this point, I took my handy dandy potato masher and mashed some of the potatoes right there in the pot. This way, the soup became more starchy and thick. At least that's what I like to tell myself.

You can garnish with crumbled bacon. I didn't because I hate frying bacon - makes me feel greasy. The family complained, but they got over it and STILL thought I was a rock star.