A Picky Eater

Who out there has a picky eater at their house?  Everyone right.  My house is no exception, although you might be surprised at who my picky eater is.

John David...nope.
 Ella...not her either.  Those two eat virtually everything.
Harrison?  Although pickier than either John David or Ella, he still isn't that picky.  He just really doesn't like mashed potatoes.  Oh well.
Then it must be Ava.  Wrong again.  So far the only thing she hasn't liked is bananas.
That leaves husband right because it couldn't be ME.

I have to admit, I am, by far, the pickiest eater in our household.  Husband would say I don't like anything green.  And while there are quite a lot of green vegetables I don't like, there are a number that I do.  Like peas....I love green peas.  There are also a number that I will tolerate and eat small amounts of in order to set a good example for my children.  Asparagus, zucchini, and brussell sprouts all fall in this category.  Broccoli on the other hand....is my most hated of all vegetables.  Ironically, it is my children's FAVORITE vegetable of all time.  They eat it like candy.  I usually have to cut them off after their third helping to make sure and save a few pieces for husband.

Anyway, this post isn't about which vegetables I will or will not eat.  It is, sort of, about picky eating.  You see, I'm not just picky about vegetables.  I am picky about all sorts of food products, including Potato Soup, the reason for this post.  I love potato soup.  It is warm and comforting, filling, but not too heavy.  I love it.  My favorite potato soup is from, or all places, a barbecue place here in town called Chips.  I don't know that I have ever actually eaten the barbecue there but they make awesome potato soup and pies.  Really yummy cream pies.  But back on topic, they make delicious potato soup.   It has thin slices of potatoes in it, and is broth based so it isn't too thick and heavy, and they grate a little cheese on the top.  I'm making myself hungry.

My all time worst experience with potato soup took place in Enid, Oklahoma.  Years ago, back in my former life as an auditor with a public accounting firm, I travelled quite a bit.  Not to really exciting places but mostly to small towns all over Arkansas, Kansas and Oklahoma.  My first year with the firm, I was sent to Enid, Oklahoma, town of less than 50,000, in north central Oklahoma, to audit a small oil & gas company.  One night for dinner, I ordered potato soup.  It was the worst, most disappointing bowl of "soup" I've ever had.  My bowl of soup was a greasy and very salty baked potato, cut into chunks, covered in butter, cheese, bacon, and a smidgen of milk, sitting in the bottom of a bowl.  It wasn't soup at all and it was horrible.  I ate virtually none of it.  I learned my lesson though and did not order potato soup in Enid again.

As a result of my love of potato soup, I am always on the lookout for a good recipe.  I've tried numerous ones over the years and haven't been satisfied with any of them.  They are always too heavy. I don't want to feel like I just ate a bowling ball after having a bowl of soup.  So the search has continued until the other night when I was reading The Pioneer Woman's blog about the perfect potato soup.  What caught my attention was that she talked about how she was picky about her potato soup.  I continued reading and her recipe sounded good.  I figured I would try it.  And you know what, I liked it.  I have finally found a potato soup recipe I like.  In fact, I have made it twice since reading her blog post.  Here is the link to her original post.  I've also copied her recipe and repeated it below for your convenience.

The Pioneer Woman's Perfect Potato Soup

Ingredients
6 slices Thin Bacon, Cut Into 1-inch Pieces
1 whole Medium Onion, Diced
3 whole Carrots, Scrubbed Clean and Diced
3 stalks Celery, Diced
6 whole Small Russet Potatoes, Peeled and Diced
8 cups Low Sodium Chicken Or Vegetable Broth
3 Tablespoons All-purpose Flour
1 cup Milk
1/2 cup Heavy Cream
1/2 teaspoons Salt, More To Taste
Black Pepper To Taste
1/2 teaspoons Cajun Spice Mix
1 teaspoon Minced Fresh Parsley
1 cup Grated Cheese Of Your Choice

Instructions
Add bacon pieces to a soup pot over medium heat and cook bacon until crisp and fat is rendered.  Remove the bacon from the pot and set it aside.  Pour off most of the grease, but do not clean the pot.
Return the pot to medium-high heat and add the onions, carrots, and celery.  Stir and cook for 2 minutes or so, then add the diced potatoes.  Cook for 5 minutes, seasoning with salt, pepper, and Cajun spice.
Pour in the broth and bring it to a gentle boil.  Cook for 10 minutes, or until the potatoes are starting to get tender.  Whisk together the flour and the milk, then pour into the soup and allow the soup to cook for another 5 minutes.
Remove half to 2/3 the soup and blend in a blender/food processor until completely smooth.  Pour it back into the soup pot and stir to combine.  Let it heat back up as you taste for seasonings, adding more of what it needs.  Stir in cream then stir in parsley, reserving a little for garnish.
Service in bowls garnished with parsley, grated cheese, and crisp bacon pieces.

Hope you enjoy it as much as I do.  It's what we are having for dinner tonight.  I can't wait.