Comfort, meet bowl. Bowl, meet comfort. This potato soup recipe has been a loyal member of my family’s recipe box for years. From cold nights to being under the weather or recovering from having wisdom teeth removed, my dad always remarked that this soup has, “magical healing powers.” Medicinal qualities aside, it is just good. It is no-frills and ready in about 45 minutes if needing in a pinch. It can be used as a vehicle to shovel mouthfuls of melted cheese and bacon (or cornbread!) to you or served a little bit lighter with chives and add some chopped veggies to the pot. From my grandparents’ kitchen to my parents’ to ours, this soup has brought cozy comfort into all of our homes. Bonus points because she’s a real crowd pleaser too—gotta love those type A, overachiever recipes!

Quick tip: When using chives, it is easiest to group and bind them together (like a bouquet) with kitchen twine, then you can chop with a knife or cut with kitchen shears. (Pictured above)

Ingredients:

• 5 peeled potatoes, cut into equal chunks

• 1 tablespoon kosher salt

• 1/2 teaspoon cracked pepper

• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

• 1 cup milk

• 2/3 cup flour

• 2 tablespoons butter (optional)

• Toppings: chives, cheddar, bacon, and sour cream (or Greek yogurt!)

Method:

1. Place potatoes in a large pot and cover with water. Cover with a lid, place over high heat until boiling.

2. Once potatoes are tender, in another bowl, mix together milk and flour. Bring together until well incorporated and smooth (read: not lumpy).

3. Pour milk-flour mixture into potatoes and mix well. Stir until potatoes start to boil again.

4. If too thin still, add more flour and milk together, mix, and stir into the pot, until the desired thickness is reached.

5. Once the soup has thickened, reduce to medium heat, and add in salt, pepper, garlic powder, and butter to season. Taste check and adjust as needed! If wanting soup extra smooth, blend with immersion blender!

6. Serve immediately and top with chives, cheddar, bacon, and sour cream!