Day 2 – Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

We had another good day of bike riding, basketball, reading (me) and favorite movies (Ben).

In honor of St. Patrick’s Day, this Ben’s Day Wednesday dinner is dedicated to the humble potato. If you are looking for a simple recipe that is not only nutritious, but warms your soul, look no further.

Potato Soup

5 large potatoes, peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces

2-4 cups milk (we used 3)

2 tablespoons butter

1-2 teaspoons salt

Black pepper to taste

Toppings:

1/2 pound bacon, fried, drained on paper-towel lined plate, and broken into pieces

Shredded cheddar cheese (Ben simplifies and calls this “shredder”)

chives, chopped (unless your local grocery, like ours, has suffered a bout of chive hoarding)

Sour cream

Boil the potatoes until tender when pricked with a fork. Drain potatoes and place in mixing bowl fitted with flat beater attachment. Mix about 1 minute, or until smooth, at lowest speed. Add butter, 1/2 cup milk, 1 teaspoon salt and pepper, and beat on medium-low about 30 seconds until milk is absorbed. Gradually turn to medium and beat about 1 minute, until fluffy. Scrape the bowl, and if lumps remain, mix again until they are gone. Exchange the flat beater for the wire whip. Turn to highest speed and whip 2-3 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat 1 1/2 cups milk over medium-low heat, in a large pot (I use the same one I cooked the potatoes in) and add potatoes to the milk. Whisk vigorously, until you have a frothy, creamy soup. Add additional milk, if necessary, to thin to desired consistency. Add salt and pepper to taste. Top with desired toppings and enjoy!