Monday, December 17, 2012

Crystal's Potato Broccoli Soup

I'm doing it again. I post a potato soup recipe here and then I find a better one.  Really--this one is better! And easier. My sister-in-law (CRYSTAL) bestowed this recipe on me with only a little begging on my part.

Crystal's Potato Broccoli Soup
1/2 c chopped onion
2 tbsp. butter or margarine
5 to 7 med. potatoes, peeled and diced (some smaller chunks so they'll mash up and be creamy!)
2 crowns of broccoli, chopped
2 tbsp. chicken bouillon granules (or 2 cubes)
Approx. 3 cups of water (I just put enough water to cover the potato's and the broccoli so it could be more or less then that)
1 (8oz) *cream cheese softened
1/4c flour
1/2 c. - 1 c. milk
1/4 tsp. of paprika 

In large sauce pan, saute onion in butter until tender. Add potatoes, bouillon, and enough water to cover the potatoes. Cover and cook 10 min. or until tender. Then add broccoli (and any extra water you need to cover it) and boil an additional 5 min covered. In a small bowl, blend the softened cream cheese and flour until smooth. Make sure the cream cheese is really soft and mix until creamy before adding the flour. Stir into potato mixture. Use a potato masher to squish up the broccoli and potatoes. You still want SOME chunks, but mashing will make the soup creamier/thicker. Add milk if desired--as much as you want depending on how thick you'd like it. Heat until boiling, stirring frequently. Boil 1 min. Season to taste. Garnish each serving with chives or paprika or grated cheese, serves 4 to 6.

**I used neufchatel cheese to cut down on the calorie count. It doesn't melt and blend as well as cream cheese so the soup didn't look as pretty as when Crystal makes it. BUT...it still tasted great. However, do NOT use Fat Free cream cheese! It does NOT melt. Does NOT work. You have been warned.