Creamy potato and cheese soup

This is a soup we've been making for nearly 13 years. I've tweaked it over the years to eliminate the butter and dairy, but it is still as good as ever!

5-6 potatoes, diced with skins on (or 1 bag southern style hashbrowns)

1/2 large onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup water

3 cups chicken broth (low sodium, if desired)

1 cup milk or unsweetened almond milk

2 tablespoons oil

1/4 cup flour

1-1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Place two tablespoons oil in a large saucepan and saute onion and garlic on medium heat for one minute, watching carefully to avoid burning the garlic.  Add 1 cup water, 2 cups chicken broth, and diced potatoes and let simmer until potatoes are tender.  Combine 1/4 cup flour with 1 cup milk and whisk until combined, getting rid of all chunks of milk. Slowly stir milk/flour mixture into saucepan and let boil on medium heat until thickened. Add small amounts of chicken stock until desired consistency is reached. Add shredded cheddar cheese and mix until combined. Salt and pepper to taste. I like to garnish with croutons or diced green onions! 

Cream of Chicken and Wild Rice soup

"Mom, can you make that soup with leeks in it?"  These are words I never thought would come out of my oldest child's mouth. Picky eater #1, the enemy of chicken and all things meat, sulk about dinner as if it will magically transform into a quesadilla. Yes, he asked for a soup full of leeks, potatoes, CHICKEN, celery, and carrots.

I know you want the recipe. So, without further ado and with a big "Thank you" to my friend Kendra for sharing it with me, bon apetit!

While preparing the soup, bake 2-3 chicken breasts in a 350 oven for 1/2 hour, chop when juices run clean.

In the meantime...

Cook 1 box wild rice mix WITHOUT the seasoning packet or mix half wild rice and half white rice.

Melt 1 cube butter in a large saucepan and saute 1 teaspoon minced garlic for about one minute.

Add

2 leeks cut lengthwise and sliced (clean these out really well since they tend to have dirt in between the layers)

2 peeled and sliced carrots

2 stalks celery

1 teaspoon salt,

1/4 teaspoon pepper

2 bay leaves 

1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon sage (to your taste)

1/2 teaspoon thyme 

1/2 teaspoon italian seasoning

Saute veggies until tender.

Sprinkle 1/4 cup flour over mixture and stir and cook (med. high heat) about 1 minute.

Add 1 qt. chicken broth while whisking into the flour mixture (keep veggies in pot).  Whisk until smooth.

Add 3-4 red potatoes chopped with skins on and cook until potatoes are tender.

Add a small carton of whipping or heavy cream first, then add 1 qt. of half and half a little at a time until desired consistency (you may or may not use the whole qt.)

Add wild rice and 2-3 cooked chopped chicken breast. Adjust the seasoning. I always cook to taste, so add what you think it needs. 

Garnish with a few chopped chives. My kids love this with french bread.

Jacquie