Four Cheese Potato Soup
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Two ways - the fast and easy way, and the inexpensive from-scratch way

The easy way: (I buy the canned goods on sale when I can and try to keep on hand at all times.  When I find the round loaves on the bakery reduction rack I buy all I can and make this or freeze the bread to use later.  I serve with a crisp green salad or carrot sticks for the kids.)
 
Ingredients:
1 can sliced new potatoes
1 Tbsp. butter
1-2 Tbsp. (to taste) Parmesan cheese
pinch salt
1 can cream of potato soup
1 can cheddar cheese soup
1 1/2 cans milk
1-2 cups shredded Colby Jack cheese
1 round loaf (boule) sourdough bread
 
In a heavy soup pot, melt the butter.  Add sliced potatoes (drained), Parmesan cheese, and salt.  Stir to evenly coat potatoes and let saute while you prep the rest.
Slice the top off the bread and set aside.  Scoop out the center of the bread to make a bowl - DO NOT DISCARD the middles.
Shred the cheese, if it isn't already.
Add the two cans of soup and the milk to the pot, stir to combine.
When it warms through, add the middle from the bread, breaking into small pieces/crumbs.  Add most of the cheese, saving some for garnish.
When soup is heated through and thickened and cheese is melted, serve in bread bowl with remaining cheese on top.  Serve the top from the bread either plain or toasted with butter and/or cheese.  One bread bowl is usually enough for 2 people or 1 person twice (leftovers), and there will be plenty left in the pot.  Can be refrigerated or frozen and reheated - it's dense, it takes a while to heat (in a bread bowl my microwave takes almost 10 minutes to heat through).

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.

Soughdough Starter

1C scalded milk

3tbsp plain fresh high quality yogurt

 

1.  Stir together in 1qt non-metallic glass or ceramic container.

2.  Cover and set aside in warm 70-100 degree F place for 24 hours

(gas oven w/ pilot light/oven w/ light on/top of regrigerator/top of

water heater/on top of heating pad set on low are good places)

3.  After 24 hours stir in 1C AP flour

4.  Cover loosely and again set in warm place for 2-5 days until it

bubbles and a clear-like liquid forms.  Stir daily

 

The starter is then ready for use.  Feed starter after every use by

replacing a ratio of 1:1 AP flour and water.  If you use 1C, feed

with 1C AP flour and 1C water.

 

Sourdough bread

1C sourdough starter

2 eggs

1-1/2tsp salt

2tbsp oil

1/4C sugar

3C bread flour

1-1/2tsp yeast (optional)

Place the ingredients in your ABM in the order recommended by your

manufacturer on the white bread/basic/light crust setting.  Or, mix and knead by hand.  For second rise, form into round boule shape.

 

If you want true sourdough bread, do not include added/optional

yeast, but be prepared for a long rise time, about 24 hours.  You

would need to make it on the dough cycle and rise in a pan to be

baked in your oven.