The scratch way:
(For the cost of a couple of cans and a loaf of bread, I'd rather not spend the time. For those who do, I offer
this variation.)
3 T. butter
3 T. flour
1/4 tsp salt
Dash of pepper
1-1/4 cups liquid, use milk or stock or tomato juice.
Melt butter/oil in saucepan. Stir in flour and seasonings.
Cook over medium heat until bubbly. Add liquid slowly, stirring with wire whisk getting rid of lumps. Cook until thick.
Make this recipe twice. The first time, saute a small
potato, peeled and diced, in the butter before continuing and use all milk. The second time, use half milk and half
stock, and add 1/2 a cup of shredded Cheddar cheese, stirring until smooth.
1 medium sized potato, blanched, peeled, and sliced
1 Tbsp. butter
1-2 Tbsp. (to taste) Parmesan cheese
cream of potato soup (above)
Cheddar cheese soup (above)
1 1/2 cups milk
1-2 cups shredded Colby-Jack cheese
1 round loaf sourdough bread (recipe below)
Saute the sliced potato in butter and Parmesan cheese until
fully cooked. Add soups and milk, stir to combine. Slice the top off the loaf of bread and scoop out the middle
to form a bowl. Add the middles to the soup, in small pieces/crumbs. Add the shredded cheese. When soup
is warm through and thickened, and cheese melted, serve in the bread bowl. Serve the top plain, or broiled with butter
and/or cheese.