Grandmomma's Potato Soup

I was sitting here, looking through the internet at different recipes, trying to find something new that I can use my abundance of fruits and veggies for that I bought at the market this week and at a farmers market this weekend. I found a great pear crisp recipe that I am going to try, a ratatouille recipe that I'm going to try and I made up my mind I wanted my grandmomma's potato soup.

So, I was trying to remember how to make it. I have the recipe in my head, but have never written it down. I looked on the internet to see if I could find something, but all the recipes included ingredients that my grandmomma did not put in her soup. Her soup was plain and simple, but I still can taste the awesomeness in my mouth!

I knew I needed potatoes, onions, butter, salt, and milk. I peeled and cubed my potatoes, chopped my onions and started them on top the stove in a pot with water and salt. I called my grandmomma, just to make sure I had everything right.

Do you know what she told me? I could just cook the potatoes in the microwave, and the onions! What - that's not how she use to make it!! She told me that was quicker and easier now!! (my eyes were rolling) I like my microwave, don't get me wrong, but not for this.

So, here is my version of her potato soup recipe. No measurements really, you know how the older generation cooked - by sight, and strangely enough I am starting to do the same thing (except baking).

3-4 decent size russet potatoes, peeled and cubed into bite size

1/2 of an onion, diced small

Enough water in a pot to cover potatoes and onions

Salt & Pepper to taste

Milk (I use almond original flavor just because we don't do well with cow milk)

Butter (I use at least a half stick)

Boil the potatoes and onions until potatoes are done. (Now here is the problem I encounter - - onions not being quite done enough. This is why my grandmomma said she does them separately, so that she gets them both perfectly done, but she didn't use to do this when I was a kid) I chop my onions pretty small, so they usually get fairly done. Once the onions and potatoes are done, strain off some of the water. I say strain because when I am pouring out the water usually, bits of potatoes or onions will come out too, and, well, you don't want to lose those! Best I can say is that I pour off about of the water, half up the potatoes and onions. At this point, while everything is still hot, melt in your butter, add salt and pepper to taste (I'm horrible and use way too much salt) and then add in milk until it is back over the potatoes, completely covering them, plus some. You may need to put the soup back on low heat if the milk cooled the soup too much.

That's it. I like mine, just like that. Nothing else, no crackers or cheese or anything.

I guess I need to work on my recipe making skills a little better and give accurate measurements. I am learning, so, bare with me.

I just finished making this - - and eating a bowl. It was so good! Maybe not as good as my grandmomma's, but it satisfied my nostalgia.

So now, my next feat. Making a menu for the week. This is what I purchased at the farmers market this weekend: 1 head of green leafy lettuce, 1 eggplant, 4 huge carrots, 3 green peppers, 1 head of garlic, 4 onions, 2 tomatoes, 3 pears, 7 apples, 2 tangerines, 4 bananas, 6 zucchini, a bag of mushrooms, & 11 potatoes. The box did not include the eggplant, that was extra. The box included oranges, but we have a bunch already (5lb bag) and so I got extra zucchini instead. All organic, some of it local, $32.50 for everything. We had not planned on going to the farmers market, so earlier in the week we had purchased a bunch of spinach, celery, tomatoes, a head of cabbage, a bunch of broccoli, a 5lb bag of oranges, some grapefruits, 4-5 plums, kiwi and avocados. We still had some apples from the week before also. ALL this, and we still ended up eating out more times then I care to tell you about.

I plan on sitting down tonight and making a menu for the week, which will include, I think, the ratatouille over penne pasta, the pear crisp, and since my oldest is not fond of potatoes, I have all this yummy soup leftover for myself. I also have plans to slice some of this up and add to the lunch boxes. My oldest doesn't like potatoes, but he does eat a variety of things a lot of 11 year olds don't.