Hearty Potato Leek Soup

I was just going through the fridge, cleaning it out for the week when I realized I had a combo of great leftover veggies to make a hearty soup. I had carrots, onion, leeks and potatoes, and had a leftover paper container of chicken stock...pretty much everything you need to throw together a hearty, tummy-warming soup! This recipe goes out to Chelsea, my fellow "soup connoisseur"!

Ingredients & Recipe: (Yields about 2 pints of soup)
Printable Recipe

• 1/2 white onion, chopped
• 1 1/2 leeks, rinsed well, chopped finely (green and white parts)
• 1 carrot, peeled then sliced finely
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 Tbls. olive oil
• 4 medium red potatoes, chopped all the same size
• 3 cups of chicken broth
• S & P
• dash of nutmeg
• 1 tsp. dried parsley
• 1/2-1 cup of milk (depending on desired thickness)

Begin by drizzling the olive oil into a medium pot, heat over medium-low heat. Toss in onion, leeks, carrots, S & P, nutmeg & parsley, and cook for about 10 minutes until the veggies are tender. Throw in the garlic, cook for 2 minutes. Stir in chopped potatoes and broth, bring up to a boil and cook until potatoes are very tender. Let the potato/veggie mix cool for about 20 minutes.

Mix the somewhat-cooled potato/veggies until you reach a desired consistency (use a potato masher, transfer into a food processor to blend, or use a handheld mixer like the one in the video below). Add 1/2 to 1 cup of milk to the pot(depending on consistency- go for less at first, add more as needed), along with S & P to taste, and cook 15 minutes over low heat. Grab a comfy blanket to snuggle in while you eat your soup in a big bowl!