Soup's for Supper

I make this potato soup on a regular basis for me and my husband, Stew, but I recently made it with a couple of tweaks so that Kody could enjoy it as well (minus some of the salt).  I received this recipe from my Mom though I have made a couple of modifications to the original recipe.  It is so easy and wonderfully delicious.  It is the perfect soup to have in the frig or freezer during the fall and winter seasons.  As with the majority of my recipes, any time I cook for Kody, I try to use only organic products when they are available, which is the majority of the time at grocery stores such as Whole Foods.

Easy Potato and Leek Soup

Ingredients
8 medium potatoes, cubed
4 carrots, peeled and chopped
4 celery stalks, chopped
1 medium yellow onion, chopped (optional since this recipe also has leeks in it)
3 leeks, chopped and rinsed (see note below for cleaning leeks)
10.75 oz can of cream of mushroom (low sodium if you can find it)
10.75 oz can of cream of celery (low sodium if you can find it)
32 oz box of chicken stock (unsalted or low sodium if you can find it)
1 c whole milk
extra virgin olive oil
salt
pepper
celery flakes (optional)

Recipe
Add potatoes to a pot and cover with 1/2 the box of chicken stock (enough to cover the potatoes - use water if you need more liquid).  Bring to a boil and cook potatoes until tender.

While potatoes are cooking, heat olive oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat and add carrots.  Cook for a couple of minutes, then add the celery.  Cook for a couple more minutes, then add the onion and leeks.  Add a pinch of salt and pepper.  Add the remaining 1/2 box of chicken stock.  Cook until vegetables are tender.  Once the potatoes are tender, add them and the cooking liquid to the vegetables.  Stir in both cans of soup.  Add the milk.  If desired, add a pinch of celery flakes (these flakes are strongly-flavored so add them a little at a time to taste).  Add a little more salt and pepper to taste, but remember that this is for a baby or toddler so the salt content should be very low.  Simmer for about 20 minutes to let all the flavors incorporate.

When the soup is cooked, use a food processor to blend it up to make it more suitable for little ones.  I do this for Stew and me as well - makes the soup very creamy!  Freeze in appropriately-sized containers for future meals!  If the soup is too thick for your little one after it has been chilled or frozen, just add a little milk to it before you heat it up.  If your toddler would like it, add a couple crushed up oyster crackers to the soup just before serving.

Note: Leeks get sand and dirt trapped in their layers so it is imperative to clean them well.  This is very easy to do and ensures you will not bite into sand or dirt when eating your soup, which is very unappetizing!  I have personally found that the best method to clean leeks is to chop them into small pieces first and then clean them.  I know others clean them first and then chop them, but I have never been able to clean them well enough this way (I suspect I wasn't doing it correctly though...).  To follow my method, cut the green tops off the leek and discard them, slice the leek down the middle so that you have two long pieces, then chop the two long pieces into small bite-sized pieces.  To clean them, fill a large bowl with water and add the chopped leeks to the water.  Note that you may need to clean the leeks in two batches depending on the size of your bowl.  Separate the leek layers with your fingers, swish them around the water a little to release the sand and dirt, and let them rest in the water for a few minutes.  To remove them, use a sieve to gently lift them out of the water and transfer them to a plate with a couple of paper towels.  The trick here is to not stir up the sand and dirt that has settled at the bottom of the bowl.

Happy eating!