Baked Potato Soup

This is one of my newer favorite meals, I LOVE this soup! I got it from the Everyday With Rachel Ray magazine in the fall of 2008. I also love that it calls for the use of my immersion blender which otherwise sits sadly in a drawer. The immersion blender is fun to use, but make sure you keep the head IMMERSED in the soup or you will learn the hard way (like I did) that soup will go flying around your kitchen. Oh, and keep an eye on that potato and milk mixture at the beginning otherwise you will learn the hard way (once again, like I did) that hot milk boils over quickly and is not fun to scrub off your range. Are you laughing at me yet? You should be, I was a mess the first time I made this soup, but it was fun! Since then I have made it a couple of times with much less of a mess.

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BAKED POTATO SOUP

2 large baking potatoes, peeled, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise
4 cups whole milk
salt & pepper
1/2 head cauliflower, cored and chopped
1 bunch scallions, white and green portions thinly sliced separately
4 cooked & crumbled slices bacon or Bac'N'Bits
shredded cheddar cheese
sour cream

In a large saucepan, combine the potatoes, 3 cups of milk and 1 tsp. of salt. Cover and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Lower the heat to medium-low, add the cauliflower and scallion whites, cover and simmer until tender, 10-15 minutes. Add the remaining 1 cup milk, then puree the soup with the immersion blender. Season with salt & pepper to taste.
Serve with bacon, cheese, sour cream and green scallions to top your soup like you would top a baked potato.
Note: The original recipe called for 3 cups of milk; I like it better with 4 cups.
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The only other thing I can think to tell you is that the soup is a little blah at first, so keep tasting and adding salt and pepper at the end to really brighten the flavor. My favorite toppings are sour cream and cheese, then I mix it all up so I get soup and cheese and sour cream in every delicious bite!

So far the only other soup I have made is French Onion. I have tried a few recipes, but have not hit on The One yet. You know, The One that tastes like the Baked French Onion soup I would eat when my grandmother would take me to that little French cafe after shopping at Marshall Fields, The One I will keep and make over and over forever. The last time I made French Onion soup we convinced our then 4 year old daughter that it was Worm Soup - LOL! I have six Oneida ramekins that I got at a resale shop for $2.00 that are perfect for Baked French Onion soup. Now I just need to find that perfect recipe. I found one from Paula Deen that I will try next and of course you, dear reader, will be along for the ride when I eventually make it.

Happy eating!