Rainy Day Potato Soup

Alright, I realize that I am no good at keeping a blog. I have baked and cooked and made delicious things this past year, but have posted none of it! Some highlights: caramel pudding, fried rice, stuffed bell peppers, potatos gratin, molasses spice cookies, unstuffed cabbage etc etc etc.

ANYWAY I make soup. ALOT. Too often probably, but it is so easy and I am such a fan! I usually just start off with a vegetable broth and throw lots of veggies in, but sometimes I like to mix it up a little. The following potato soup is a quick nice change of pace, good on a rainy day, and can be made when you seemingly have no ingredients to make anything. It can be modified easily and always comes out delicious. It was adapted from Gil's Mom Sally who is both the master at cooking when the cupboards are bare and a rockin' potato soup maker. The recipe is for making enough for 3, good for a couple and 1 lunch the next day. I just enjoyed a bowl of this myself, hope you like it too!

Rainy Day Potato Soup

about 1 liter of water OR veggie broth OR chicken broth (put a few inches in a med. saucepan)
Potatoes, any kind will do, I use 1 large or a few small
onion, about 1/2 a medium onion chopped into sizeable pieces (the size of a cheez-it-ish)
zucchini, 1 or more, quartered and sliced
garlic, either fresh cloves chopped or pre-minced in a jar (I use a bit of TJ's crushed)
salt, pepper, and whatever other seasoning you like (I use a dash of Franks Red Hot Sauce)
1 small can of tomato sauce
Cheese, monterey jack or cheddar (You don't need much just a few grates)
Sour Cream, if you'd like just a dollop


put your water or broth in a medium saucepan and set to high so it will boil. While it is heating up, chop your potatos, zucchini, garlic, and onion. Add this stuff the pot when it is done being chopped, you don't need to wait till the waters boiling. Give it a stir. Add your seasoning, salt, pepper, hot sauce. Add the tomato sauce. Stir a bit more. Let it heat to a bowl, then reduce heat and simmer about 15 minutes until the veggies are to the right consistency. Always test a potato, but beware it will be SUPER hot. Shred a little bit of cheese into it and stir it around. I always put in very little, which works out well if you only have a tiny bit left. It gives it a little flavor and texture, but without making it all stringy. Add a dollop of sour cream and stir it around. Turn of the heat and dish up into big bowls so you can dip buttery toast or saltines into it. Nom Nom Nom Nom.