Potato cheese (and optional vegetables) soup

1 Servings

Ingredients

QuantityIngredient
1tablespoonButter
1Clove garlic; large one
1largeOnion; coarsely chopped
2cupsPotatoes; peeled & coarsely chopped, that's about 2 potatoes
1Carrot; sliced into 1/2\" pieces
1cupChicken broth***
1cupWater***; or veg broth
1cupSkim milk
4ouncesCream cheese*
1teaspoonDried dill
¼teaspoonPowdered cayenne
cupSharp cheddar*; grated
1cupFresh broccoli**
Salt & pepper
Chopped parsley or chives; opt.

Directions

Brenda's Notes:

This is a yellow, cheese saucy looking soup base with green broccoli added at the last. It is yummy just as it is. (The kind you can't have just one bowl of.) Even with the lower fat ingredients, it tastes fattening! You could add more last minute veges and meats -- leftovers, perhaps. Could work as an easy 'clean-out-the-fridge' soup.

IT IS GOOD! Next time I make it, I will also parboil up some celery and (more) carrot chunks and (more) onions to throw in at the last with the broccoli.

* I used fat free cream cheese. For the Cheddar Cheese, I used mostly (8 ounces) Bandon's reduced fat cheddar cheese (the best tasting lower fat cheddar found in Oregon) and about ½ cup of full fat cheddar.

** Can use frozen. I used chopped up fresh and let it be a tad crunchy.

*** I used 14½ ounce can of chicken broth, poured into measuring cup and then added water to bring measure to 2 cups.

Directions for soup:

In soup pot, saute garlic & onion in butter until lightly browned. Then add vegetables, chicken broth and water (or veg broth) to pot. Cover & simmer for 30-40 minutes until veggies are tender. Use emulsiphier to puree. (OR add the milk and pour mixture into blender & puree.) Return to pot, add milk and spices, cheese and broccoli (and other vegetables/meats, if any) and simmer until cheese melts and broccoli softens a little. Serve topped with chopped chives or parsley (optional).

Notes that came with the original recipe: This cheese soup is lower in fat than standard versions. If you want to use low fat cheese to reduce the amount of fat even further, make sure it has a strong, aged flavor. I recommend using a low fat yellow smoked cheddar.

Originally posted to EAT-L by twallace@... on 10/21/96. MC converted by MC_Buster, minor edits and taste testing done by Brenda Adams <adamsfmle@...> (see Brenda's Notes). Thanks for posting this very good recipe T. Wallace! It's a keeper. :) Recipe by: Mother Earth News (Feb/Mar 94) Posted to MC-Recipe Digest V1 #891 by Badams <adamsfmle@...> on Nov 22, 1997