Recipe(tried): Homemade Potato Soup with plenty of vegetables

Hi BV. Your bridge luncheon sounds like fun. I would be sure that you make foods that can be prepared ahead so you can spend time with your bridge guests. I would suggest a homemade soup to serve with your homemade bread.. yummmmm.

Homemade potato soup, with lots of veggies, is one of my personal favorites. You could also serve a crisp green salad or a layered jell-o salad with this. Also, for appetizer treats, please see the "Surprise Cheese Puffs" recipe I posted above. Those are made ahead and chilled (or frozen) before baking. They are so good. Hope this helps. I am looking forward to seeing other ideas.
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POTATO SOUP
(Note: I frequently add chopped turkey ham to this recipe.)

1 tablespoon olive oil
3-5 large potatoes peeled and cut as if for mashed potatoes
2 to 3 cloves chopped garlic
1-2 cups sliced mushrooms
2 large celery or bok choy stalks chopped
1 medium carrot shredded
1 medium onion chopped
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp allspice
dash of chervil (just before serving)
salt and pepper to taste
2 cans (14 1/2 oz. each) vegetable or chicken broth

Heat olive oil in stock pot, add onion, carrot, mushrooms, celery/bok choy, and saute until the celery is translucent. If including chopped ham or turkey ham, include this while you saute the vegetables. Add potatoes, spices and broth.

If needed, add more broth or water to be sure everything is covered with liquid. Cover, bring to a low boil and cook until potatoes are
tender.

Remove bay leaf.

Use a potato masher to break down the potatoes into spoon-sized pieces. Your soup will thicken as the potatoes are broken down.

Add some milk to whiten the soup. Use as much milk as you wish to make your soup as thick or as thin as you like. (I like my soup very thick, like a stew.)

If your soup is too thin, use instant mashed potatoes to thicken it. Or, make a roux using 2 tablespoons butter, and 2 tablespoons of flour.

Add the chervil just before serving.