{"id":134,"date":"2017-08-23T07:00:23","date_gmt":"2017-08-23T07:00:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/betondinner.com\/?p=134"},"modified":"2018-04-30T00:56:52","modified_gmt":"2018-04-30T00:56:52","slug":"nanas-potato-soup","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/betondinner.com\/nanas-potato-soup\/","title":{"rendered":"Nana’s Potato Soup."},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Nana's<\/a><\/p>\n

I looove soup. I’m not scared to make a pot of soup in the middle of summer, but this time of year, when humidity is giving way to crispness, it’s even better.<\/p>\n

This is my Nana’s potato soup, and it’s hearty and comforting and full of potato flavor (i.e., it’s not a restaurant-style baked potato soup that’s chunks of potatoes in a creamy base…this is potato-y through and through!). I do feel obligated to tell you that my first memory of this soup takes place at the red kitchen table of my childhood. I wasn’t excited about the meal\u00a0in front of me – what were those flecks <\/em>of unknown Things?<\/em>\u00a0I had been reading a book called Nancy and Plum<\/em> by Betty MacDonald (which is still\u00a0one of my very favorites – saying I’ve read it dozens of times is not an exaggeration), in which cruel boardinghouse mistress Mrs. Monday forces the orphans in her care to eat terrible food, like oatmeal with stewed prunes. So I plowed through my bowl by pretending it was my daily portion\u00a0of gruel. In the process, I discovered\u00a0not only that there was nothing objectionable about it, but that it’s like extra good mashed potatoes meets soup, and it’s one of my favorite things!<\/p>\n

It starts with onions and celery and carrots, like many good soups do. Let the veggies start cooking while you peel and cut up the potatoes.\u00a0Then add chicken broth…or water and one of my favorite products, Better than Bouillon! I get it at Costco and in my opinion it’s the secret to great soup. I prefer it to buying chicken broth cartons because it’s much less expensive, creates less waste, allows you to make a small amount if you need, say, 1\/2 cup of broth for a recipe…and Cook’s Illustrated recommends it, so you know it’s good!<\/p>\n

\"Nana's<\/a><\/p>\n

I feel a little silly doing these disclaimers, but this is just a product I love and not something I’m paid to tell you about!<\/em><\/p>\n

\"Nana's<\/a><\/p>\n

Add some seasoning and those chunked potatoes and let the soup simmer away! I got this pot started during naptime, so I let it cook on low for the afternoon, but if you’re in a hurry the potatoes and other veggies should be tender in about 20 minutes at a gentle boil. Use a potato masher (or your meat pounder-thing if you’re me) to mash some of the potatoes – leave as many chunks as you like!<\/p>\n

\"Nana's<\/a><\/p>\n

A few minutes before serving, add half-and-half. The recipe calls for 2 cups, but I start with less (one or one-and-a-half). That way, I\u00a0can taste and make sure I\u00a0don’t dilute the flavor too much – plus, I like it to be thick! I often add more\u00a0to thin it back out when I heat up leftovers the next day.<\/p>\n

\"Nana's<\/a><\/p>\n

Cheese, bacon, and green onions are (kind of) optional toppings!<\/em><\/p>\nPrint<\/a>

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