Cheesy Potato Soup--edited

(A faithful reader pointed out to me that this post was incomplete. Since it is my favorite recipe, I thought I'd complete it and repost it. Hope you like it!)

I would pick this as my very favorite recipe—I usually have all the ingredients on hand, it's simple, cheap, tasty, and freezes well.

Cheesy Potato Carrot Soup

from Anastasia Tuckness

4 servings

1 cup chopped onion (usually one onion)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 potatoes, peeled, thinly sliced
2 carrots, peeled, thinly sliced
2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1/2-1 cup milk
1 cup grated cheddar cheese

Heat the oil over medium heat. Saute onions 5 min. Add potatoes, carrots, and broth--make sure there's enough liquid to cover the vegetables. Simmer at least 15-20 minutes, until all vegetables are very soft. Add cheese and milk. At this point, either a) blend with a special hand immersion blender or b) pour 1/3-1/2 of the soup into a blender and allow it to cool for 10 minutes. Blend the soup in batches--it's important that the soup not be hot and that the blender be half full or less or the top of it will blow off. Add salt and pepper to taste at the table.

If you like your soup thick, reduce the amount of liquid. You can also add pureed squash at the end, or sliced parsnips with the vegetables at the beginning. This soup freezes well and is well-liked by almost everyone. If you like a more earthy flavor, leave the peels on the vegetables. I eat this soup both hot and cold.