Recipe: Leek and Potato Soup

This recipe really surprised me. I love leek and potato soup but, while doing the prep work for this, was telling myself I was just making another complaint-eliciting meal for my boys. This recipe makes a big batch, so the intent was to eat a meal's worth and can the rest for another time. My kids surprised me! The middle boy gave it two thumbs up and the oldest asked for seconds -- for kids that typically dislike soup, this was a pretty big deal! ;)

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter
• 7-8 large leeks, well-rinsed and sliced
• 8 medium potatoes, diced
• 1/2 cup flour
• 12 cups hot stock or water
• 2 tbsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

Melt butter in large pot. Fry leeks in butter for about 5min. Remove pot from heat, allowing leeks to cool a bit, and sprinkle on the flour. Blend the flour into the leeks. Add hot stock or hot water, potatoes, salt, and pepper, and return to heat. Bring soup to a boil, then cover and reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 30-40 min, or until potatoes are soft.

This makes a huge batch -- freeze some or can the extra, and you've a quick, yummy, homemade meal to enjoy another day! The entire batch cost about $8 to make, and we were left with 3 full quart jars of leftovers.