Potato Cheese Soup...

 

Fall is upon us... well, maybe not me so much. I wish it was, though. As I've mentioned before, I live where it is warm, pretty much year round. The trees do not turn vibrant colors of red, orange, and yellow. No Autumn breezes or trips to go apple picking.

Those are some of the things that I miss from when we lived on the east coast.

While I may not have the fall weather to enjoy, I still have some great fall recipes I like to make. One of them being my mother-in-laws potato cheese soup recipe.

Everything about this soup says comfort. It is the most requested soup recipe in my household. My girls absolutely love it.

Yeah, I'm bustin' out my fall recipes... and I don't care that it's 85 and sunny.

Potato Cheese Soup

• 8 Whole New or White Potatoes, Peeled and Cubed
• 2 Cups Reserved Potato Water, From Cooking Potatoes
• 3 Tablespoons Butter
• 3 Tablespoons Flour
• 3 Cups 2% Milk, Divided
• 1 Bag Shredded Mild Cheddar Cheese (16 oz.), Divided
• 1-1/2 Teaspoons Salt, Or To Taste
• 1/4 Teaspoon Pepper, Or To Taste

Begin by placing the peeled and cubed potatoes in a large soup pot. Cover the potatoes with cold water and bring to a boil. Cook for 15-20 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender. 

While the potatoes cook, melt the butter in a medium saucepan on medium/low heat. Whisk in the flour until combined. Whisk in 1 cup of milk until combined with the four mixture. Turn the heat up to medium high and mix in 2 cups of the cheese. Continue whisking in 1 cup of milk to 2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese. Turn the heat to low and whisk the sauce until it begins to thicken slightly. When you are able to coat a spoon without much sauce dripping off, remove the sauce from the heat.

Once the potatoes are cooked through, drain them, reserving 2 cups of the potato water. Return the potatoes to the pot and add the cheese sauce and the potato water. Place over low heat to stir and warm through. Add the salt and pepper and adjust seasonings to taste. Serve with french bread and butter. Makes 8 servings. 

Enjoy!