Peppery Potato Soup

We're back!

Metaphorically speaking, that is. We have indeed been cooking up a storm, but in our respective houses with our respective families. And after 2 weeks of baking, eating, lounging, talking, shopping, (repeated several times), we're ready and eager to attack a new year. Especially considering the mounds of new and fabulous cookbooks I got for Christmas. I've actually been thinking that I might need a new hobby aside from cooking. All people talk to me about is food. Not that I mind...
Anyway. On to the topic at hand: potato soup. This soup is great. It's comforting. It's amazingly easy. All you need to do is throw a few ingredients in your slow cooker, put the lid on, and wait, trying to ignore the tantalizing smells wafting in from your kitchen. A short hour before dinner you stir, add some milk, wait a few more minutes, mash the potatoes and you're ready to go!

Peppery Potato Soup
Recipe by Kelly
Pictures by Kelly

Serves 4

2 cans (14.5 oz) vegetable (or chicken) broth
5 small baking potatoes, halved and sliced
1 onion, roughly chopped
2 celery stalks, sliced
2 tablespoons flour (optional)*
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup milk
1 tablespoon butter

1. In a slow cooker, combine potatoes, onion, celery, flour (if using), pepper and salt. Pour in vegetable broth and stir. Cover; cook on low heat 6 to 7 hours.
2. Stir in milk; cover and cook 30 more minutes.
3. Remove half of potato mixture and puree in food processor or blender (Alternatively, crush potatoes with a potato masher). Stir in butter and cook uncovered another 15 minutes. Serve with a dollop of sour cream.
   

*For a thicker soup, include the flour. You may want to wait until step 3 (after you have mashed the potatoes) to see if you really want a thicker soup. If you do decide to wait, mix the flour with a tablespoon of water to make a paste. Then add it to the soup.