homemade potato soup 101

How To Make homemade potato soup 101

• 
  Step 1
  In a medium saucepan, bring the celery & onions to a boil in about 2 1/2 inches of water. Turn the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook until the celery starts to soften, about 15 minutes or so.
• 
  Step 2
  Add the cubed potatoes, cover, and cook for another 12-15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender. At this point, some people, like my mother-in-law, prefer to mash some of the potatoes. (She used an old-fashioned potato masher.) Others wait until the soup is totally done and use an immersion (or stick) blender. Yet others, like me, just leave the potatoes as they are. Your choice. =^..^=
• 
  Step 3
  Cornstarch or flour? Either can be used, but cornstarch is easier to blend (no lumps!) and thickens quicker. So whatever you have will work. Add the cornstarch to the milk...
• 
  Step 4
  ...and stir well to mix. Add to the potatoes and other vegetables.
• 
  Step 5
  Cook, stirring constantly, until the milky broth reaches the thickness you prefer. Add butter and stir to melt right before the soup is done. If the soup is a little too thick, you can thin it with a little milk or water. If the soup isn't thick enough, cook it a little longer.
• 
  Step 6
  Ladle the soup into bowls and top with your favorite options. Enjoy! =^..^=
• Step 7
  BAKED POTATO SOUP: Bake the potatoes in the oven until tender. (This recipe is also great for using up leftover baked potatoes!) Some people choose to leave the skins on the potatoes while they cube them and add to the cooked vegetables in Step #2. Strictly your choice. Since the potatoes are already cooked, just heat them up and go on to Step #3.
• Step 8
  Thinner Potato Soup: This is the soup my Mom preferred. She cooked the vegetables, then just added milk with no thickener, heated it up, added the butter, and served it with lots of crackers.
• Step 9
  Shortcut Version: Instead of using raw celery, use a can of condensed Cream of Celery soup. This takes care of the thickener, too. Cook the onions and potatoes as listed above. Add the milk and the can of condensed soup. Once it is all heated, add the butter and serve.
• Last Step: Don't forget to share! Post a picture of your finished recipe here and on your favorite social network. Don't forget to tag Just A Pinch and include #justapinchrecipes!