Recipe(tried): Homemade Potato Soup with Veggies

POTATO SOUP

(Note: I frequently add chopped turkey ham to this recipe.)

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

Heat olive oil in stock pot, add onion, carrot, mushrooms, celery/bok choy, garlic, and saut until translucent. Add potatoes, spices and broth. If needed, add enough water to cover everything with water. Cover, bring to a low boil and then cook on medium-low until potatoes are tender.

Remove bay leaf. Add a "dash" of milk. The amount of milk I add depends upon how thick or thin I want the soup.

(Note: I put the milk in after I remove the bay leaf because sometimes I use my potato masher to "thicken" the soup. You can also thicken your soup using instant mashed potatoes or left-over mashed potatoes. Or, make a roux using 2 tablespoons butter, and 2 tablespoons of flour. Add these items and stir constantly to make certain they are blended. Add a small amount at a time depending upon how thick you want your soup.)

Tips: I tend to cook my soups all day so the multiple flavors blend and the soup becomes naturally thick. I chop some of the vegetables small so they become the thickener for the soup. Chop some of the vegetables larger so they cook down to bite-size by the time the soup is finished.