Potato Cheese Soup

Just made a great potato cheese soup. This recipe comes from Sacramental Magic in a Small Town Cafe Recipes and Stories from Brother Juniper's Cafe by Br. Peter Reinhart

POTATO CHEESE SOUP

Serves 8 Served........ with a loaf of fresh baked bread, this is a meal in itself.

1 quart chicken stock or canned broth (I used organic)
2 1/2 lbs. potaotoes, unpeeled and coarsely chopped
2 bunches scallions, diced
1 quart half-and-half, milk, or low-fat milk ( I used lowfat with a little half-and-half)
4 TBS tamari (soy sauce) (I used low sodium)
1 tsp. freshly ground pepper
3/4 lb. Swiss or Cheddar cheese, grated (I combined lowest fat sharp cheddar and Amish Swiss)
1 cup dry white wine or beer (I used white wine....a little for me and some for the soup)
Paprika and fresh parsley sprigs for garnish

In a large soup pot bring stock to a boil. Add potatoes and simmer for about 30 minutes. Add scallions and remove pot from the heat. Add the half-and-half or the milk to the pot.

Puree the potato-broth mixture in a blender (when blending hot mixtures, fill blender only half full and cover the blender lid with a dish towel to protect against steam burns). Return puree to the pot. I alternated between puree and chop because I like a few pieces of potato in my soup. Add the tamari and pepper the slowly bring the soup back to a simmer.

When soup begins to simmer, stir in grated cheese. It will melt very quickly. The addition of wine or beer at this point is a flavoring option. I believe it enhances the flavor. As soon as the cheese has melted, remove the soup from the heat and serve.

It was delicious. Great for a cold night. Wonderful comfort food. I really love this book because it blends good story-telling, humor, and inviting recipes.

Temperature was teens when we got up at 6 AM. I went to my hour yoga class while Cliff exercised in the gym. The day was sunny and the temperature reached 73 for a high. Next couple of days will be the same.

Do people change all the clocks in their house at the same time or does it take weeks to get everything in sync? I just realized my stove, my coffee pot, the Seth Thomas that Michael gave me years ago, and who knows what else, are all still on the old time. I haven't worn a watch since I walked out of the classroom almost two years ago, so that's one less time piece to think about.