So as much as I wanted September to be a fabulously fresh start full of unicorns and Technicolor rainbows, I woke up on Tuesday at 3am with an abscessed tooth.

But, as I am a professional at such revelries as abscesses, and I shan’t have you feeling all sorry for me twice in one week, please understand that this was the best abscess I’ve ever had.

(Then again, my last abscess happened three weeks post-partum and during a rare Alabama ice storm that kept us homebound and every business in the state closed for days, so I couldn’t get relief for 72 hours and my face swelled up to the size of a giant squid and then when I did get to my Endodontist and he cut into my face, it exploded with the force of a gallon of green slime.  So really, what abscess wouldn’t be awesome after that??)

Oh I’m sorry – were you eating?

Anyway.

This abscess really wasn’t bad – I took Ibuprofen, and within 45 minutes, I was back asleep – a true miracle.

Tuesday afternoon, I paid a visit to my favorite slime-removing Endodontist, who was delightfully relieved to find no such substance stored in my gums this time.  On the way home, I was mulling over my options for (edible) food, and I latched onto what I MUST have: Potato Soup.

I texted Chris and told him not to pick anything up – I was going to cook.

I’m pretty sure he looked at his phone with a ludicrous expression towards my inexplicable industriousness after being drilled upon, and his reply was something to that effect.

I reassured him that Potato Soup was extremely easy to make, and that I MUST have it.

It is one of the first recipes that I remember memorizing as a kid – I used to make it for my lunches all the time.  Then, after I married and moved, my Mom dumped this recipe for what she thought was a bigger, better potato soup recipe.

I assure you – it was not.

Since she’s currently busy adventuring and surely will not be reading my blog this week, I think it’s safe to tell you: she made a grave mistake.  Her new recipe as compared to the old recipe would be like replacing Ryan Seacrest with Nicholas Cage – too rich for it’s skill set, way too cheesy, and a bit thick.

So a few years ago, I focused my memory on recreating the Potato Soup of my youth – the potato soup in which you could actually taste the potatoes – the REAL potato soup.

Cozy Potato Soup

Here’s all that you need:

5 lb Regular Idaho Potatoes
3 Large Onions (I use Vidalia)
4 Beef Buillon Cubes
Salt
Pepper
1 – 2 c. Shredded Cheddar Cheese
1 – 2 c. Milk

Optional Table Garnishes:

More Cheese
Sour Cream
Bacon – freshly cooked or real bacon bits.  But not Facon – that stuff is nasty.

And here’s all you have to do:

1. Peel the potatoes and rinse.  Cut into large chunks.
2. Cut the onions into large chunks.
3. Put the potatoes and onions in a soup pot and cover just barely in water.
4. Add a liberal amount of salt and pepper (freshly ground is nice), and the buillon cubes.
5. Bring to a boil, then cook on medium until the potatoes are very tender and starting to break up.  Set on low (uncovered) until the broth thickens to a potato-heavy consistency, but before the chunks of potatoes have completely dissolved.
6. Add cheese and milk, stir and simmer on low for a few more minutes.
7. Serve with table garnishes.

I typically start eating mine without any garnishes, because I love the simple flavors.

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Then somewhere halfway through, I add cheese and sour cream.  NOT bacon – that was just for the photos.

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(Chris, however, adds ridiculously large portions of bacon.)

(But I don’t complain – I’m just happy to have a husband willing to eat soup.)

In short, it’s good.  Real good.  It’s even worth an abscess of the agreeable variety just to have an excuse to eat copious amounts of it.

30 thoughts on “Cozy Potato Soup: The Cure for What Ails Me.

  1. Couldn’t have posted this at a more perfect time- I think I have all these ingredients at home and that looks GOOD!

  2. I love soup. I love potatoes. I’m sure to love this. Thanks for sharing your recipe!

    I’m sorry about your tooth but so happy that it was a nice one.

    My favorite line from the post: “I’m sorry, where you eating?” I died.

  3. I had no idea that some people don’t eat soup until I got married. Now I’m stuck with a man who, while being very nice, will only tolerate the occasional heavy chowder. It’s quite sad. Cheers for your darling husband!

  4. looks yummy. i just may have to try this. i have a similar recipe that i add chicken to. still sorry about your teeth? what is it with your mouth?

  5. Soooooouuuuup….yummmmm…

    I had an abscess a little over a year ago. It didn’t get bad because I am crazy sensitive to tooth pain so when I woke up with an ache in my mouth, I hightailed it straight to the dentist! Two days later I was getting a root canal. Yay! :-P The reason I’m so sensitive to tooth pain is once I had a pinched nerve in my jaw that felt like someone was driving hot needles through my teeth into my face. The pain was second only to childbirth. So yeah…I take dental issues pretty seriously…

    And the green pus story? Awesome. In a gross way. But awesome.

  6. ah, the dental horror stories I can tell..all that despite the fact that I always taken good care of my teeth so must be something genetic. Had to have TWO root canals recently so had to live on blended soup and fruit and vegetable smoothies for 4 days. Oh joy..so yes, I know how you feel :(

  7. Oooh, yummy! I’m making this tomorrow for dinner! I have purple potatoes from the farmer’s market (who could resist purple potatoes??) so the soup will be purple! Ha!!! My daughter will be in heaven. :)

  8. Umm ouch…that sounds awful. Anytime I hear of an abscessed tooth I think about in Castaway when Tom Hanks uses that ice skate to knock out his abscessed tooth. Gruesome.

    But the soup looks amazing! As soon as the 90+ summer weather decides to make its exit here in KY and it starts to actually feel like fall, I’m so going to make us a pot. I love potato soup!

    1. We finally got some cooler weather this weekend so I made a big pot of this soup for lunch after church. Ummmmm…..amazing! We loved it! It was so yummy and so easy to make! Thanks for this new recipe :)

  9. Look delicious…may just have to give it a try. Especially with fall and winter approaching here soon. :) Sorry to hear about the abscess. Hope it feels better asap.

  10. I made your soup tonight. It was yummy! I loved it, my husband loved it, our 16 month old loved it. The 3 1/2 year old is in a “I don’t like anything” phase, so i dont think she counts:) I was a little short on time so I started the potatoes in the microwave and then finished everything on the stove. I think the only difference was it didn’t get quite as thick because some of the starch was lost by the microwave. I will have to start earlier next time! Thanks for the fabulous dinner.

      1. definitely. it was yummy. i was glad i didn’t mash like they instructed and just let it disintegrate like you did. but i thought the bacon was a necessity. although, i mistakenly bought maple syrup bacon and my house STILL smells like it.

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