Paula Deen's Potato Soup

[BarbP]

I usually make this in the fall and winter; it's too heavy for a spring or summertime dish. It goes well with warm crusty bread and some raw carrot and celery sticks or a lettuce salad.

Paula Deen’s Potato Soup
½ stick butter
1 small onion, sliced
2 medium carrots, diced about the same size as the onion
2 tablespoons flour
8 medium russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
4 cups milk – whole, 2% or low fat (1%) – I have used skim and it’s fine
2 chicken bouillon cubes, dissolved in ½ cup hot milk
1 cup half and half
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 lb medium shrimp in the shell (optional) – or use some frozen corn, thawed**
Garnish: crumbled bacon bits, grated cheddar cheese, sliced green onions

In 4 qt saucepan, melt butter and saute onion and carrots until both are slightly tender, about 5 minutes. Whisk in flour and cook 1 minute. Add potatoes, milk and dissolved bouillon cubes. Cook over medium heat 15 minutes, until potatoes are very soft and some of them have begun to dissolve into mush. Add half and half, salt and pepper.

If using shrimp in shell: bring 2 cups lightly salted water to a boil. Add shrimp all at once and stir well. Watch closely; as soon as they all turn pink, 2 to 3 minutes, turn off heat and drain. The shrimp should be slightly undercooked. When cooled, peel and chop roughly into big chunks.

Add shrimp (or corn) to soup and stir well. Or, use the shrimp as garnish on top (that’s what we do). Serve soup with available garnishes of bacon, cheese and onion.

6 servings

** Most of the time I omit the shrimp, and also the corn.