Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Mema's Potato Cheese Soup!



My sweet little friend Cary gave me a recipe book for a hostess gift at my Christmas Cookie Exchange and I have been loving it! It is the Kitchen Cornerstone by Purcellville Baptist Church and every recipe I have made is wonderful! This recipe for Mema's Potato Cheese Soup was sent in by Jane and it is no exception!

Mema's Potato Cheese Soup
4 potatoes, cubed
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup butter
4 cups water
8 oz sharp cheddar cheese
4 oz Velveeta cheese
1 cup diced ham (optional)
2 cups heavy cream

Saute onions and garlic in butter; add water and potatoes; cook until tender, mash potatoes with masher or hand held blender, but leave slightly chunky. Turn heat down very low; add ham, sharp cheese and Velveeta cheese. Cover and cook until cheese is melted. When it is good and hot - do not boil- add cream and stir thoroughly. DO NOT BOIL as it can cause curdling of cheeses and milk. Garnish with cheddar cheese. Excellent served with rolls. My kids love popcorn on top - sort of like croutons - but more fun!



One of my girl's teachers at school was going in for surgery and they asked the parents if they could make some meals, freeze them, and bring them in for her to take home to eat during her recovery. This soup was the perfect recipe. I also made some chili mac and a great recipe for White Chicken Chili - which I will post on Friday!



I like to put all the soup in the same containers. Put in fridge to cool - then move to freezer. I unscrew top - but leave sitting on top while it becomes frozen. This will stop the container from breaking. Once frozen screw on top and attach recipe. I like to put the recipe in a ziplock bag (Pictured below) and attach it to each container with a rubber band (Shown above). If a person likes the dish - they can duplicate it!



Giving Warms the Heart! What dishes do you make to give away?

6 comments:

Robin said...

Now when I see that signature red mug on you blog I know that you are going to fill it with a delicious soup! I hate when the container breaks, I will be sure to leave the lid propped like you said! Good idea to put the recipe in those little bags- love those bags, they are a life saver!

Sheila said...

This is a great idea for my daughter's lunch; she always craves soup. How cute to use popcorn as croutons! Maybe we will have to do a soup bar one Friday and have a mixture of popcorn and croutons for toppings.

Anonymous said...

I love the soup...mmmm potatoes my favorite!

Sabrina said...

Oh that soup is very similar to the one my mom has made for years. It is a favorite. I will try adding the sharp cheese while cooking next time. I love your storing and sharing ideas.

Elyse said...

You know any soup made with cream is going to be good! This soup sounds sooo delicious. I mean, what's not to love: potatoes, cheese, cream? Yes, please!

Aunt Spicy said...

I am more of a baker...so I usually give cookies/brownines/cakes. But for one friend, who I knew was going to have a busy few weeks with a funeral, wedding, and kids birthdays, I made her many batches of cookie dough, rolled it and froze it. Then when she needed to take a dessert she could just pop them in the oven.