Creamy Potato and Leek Soup

Last week Hubby was away in Banff on business – which means I had to actually come up with a meal plan for my children.

I have a few go-to meals that are easy and relatively healthy, but if Hubs is gone for any number of days we do seem to find a McDonald’s drive-thru at some point.

Enter our friends and neighbours Sherri & Andy – nope, not the same Andy that showed off his amazing nuts (although I’m sure this Andy’s nuts are equally as fantastic), but a different Andy with equally as amazing cooking skills.

Sherri took pity on my poor, malnourished children and sent over some of her and Andy’s creamy, scrumptious, snuggle-up-under-a-blanket, warms-you-to-your-toes potato and leek soup.

It is SOOOOO GOOD!

So I begged to see if they’d share their recipe here (and they said yes! YAAAY!)

Andy’s easy-peasy Potato and Leek soup recipe:

Ingredients:

3 large leeks
Butter to coat the bottom of the pot as you soften leeks
5-6 yellow potatoes
¼ cup whipping cream (optional)
2% Milk to obtain preferred consistency
Salt/White pepper to taste
2 – 3 tins Swanson Chicken Soup broth if you do not have homemade broth (found in the International section of the grocery store)

Instructions:

Cut green part off of the leeks, discard
Cut white portion of the leeks into small pieces
In a medium sauce pan over medium heat, melt a generous portion of butter (enough to coat the bottom of the pan)
Pour in leeks, cook on medium to medium low until leeks are softened – do not brown the leeks, add more butter if the bottom of the pan is not covered
Peel, and chop potatoes into small pieces
Add the potatoes to the softened leeks
Pour in 2-3 tins of Swanson’s Chicken Broth – the goal is to have the potatoes/leeks fully covered by the broth
Simmer/light boil potatoes & leeks in the chicken broth until the potatoes are soft
When the potatoes are soft, remove from heat temporarily:
Use a potato masher to mash the potatoes & leeks
Add ¼ cup whipping cream (optional)
Add milk to obtain desired consistency (depends on how thick you like it)
Use hand held blender to whip the potatoes/leeks to a smoother blend (or leave it a bit chunky if you prefer)
Add white pepper & salt to taste
Put the soup back on the burner & simmer on medium low until the soup is warmed up & ready to eat!!

Serve with a fabulous fresh bun (AKA really fresh white squishy bread that is bad for you) & ENJOY

I added a good dollop of butter and a bit of shredded cheddar to the top (and let them melt into the potato and leek soup), then crunched a few crackers in and let me tell you it was bliss!

If I had the fresh bread I totally would have dipped. In fact, I would have bread-scraped the bowl clean.