Milk or cream comes next, to the desired consistency. I use chopped fresh parsley and chives, with a dash of nutmeg. I made some a week or so ago with some chopped ham.

48-oz can chicken broth
approx. a cup of water
2 packets of Knorr's Leek Soup Mix
Medium onion, diced
potatoes, peeled and cubed (abt. 3 or 4 lbs?)
parsley flakes
boullion cubes (I used 2)
1 lb. hamburger, browned
half a stick of butter (Margarine)
approx. 4 - 6 oz. whipping cream
S&P to taste

Put chicken broth, water, leek soup mix and onions in a pot. Once heated very well add potatoes. Cook on a soft boil til desired tenderness. Add hamburger, parsley flakes, butter and cream. Stir well til butter is melted, the cream will help thicken it some. S&P to taste.

If you want it runnier, add more chicken broth. If you want it thicker, you can add some mashed potato flakes. Mine was pretty thick without the potato flakes. You don't have to use hamburger, I just do coz DH has to have meat in everything, lol.

These are starting point measurements. I keep tasting it til I get it where I like it.

Yum, comfort food for sure.

1/2 lb. grd beef
3/4 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup shredded carrots
3/4 cup diced celery
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. parsley flakes
4 tbl. butter, divided
3 cups chix broth
4 cups diced peeled potatoes (1 3/4lb.)
1/4 cup flour
2 cups (oz.)process cheese (Velveeta)
1 1/2 cups milk
3/4 tsp. salt
1/4 to 1/2 tsp. pepper
1/4 cup sour cream

In a 3qt. saucepan, cook beef until no longer pink; drain an set aside. In the same saucepan, saute onion,carrots,celery,basil and parsley in 1tbl. butter until veggies are tender. Add broth, potatoes and beef; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10 -12 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

Meanwhile in a small skillet, melt remaining butter. Add flour; cook and stir for 3 - 5min. or until bubbly. Add to soup; bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 2min. Reduce heat to low. Add cheese, milk, salt and pepper; cook and stir until cheese melts. Remove from heat; blend in sour cream.

Yum.

Cream Cheese Potato Soup
3 cups water, add 1 TB chicken stock in a jar
( or use 3cups of chicken broth instead )
4 1/2 cups diced potatoes
1/8 cup diced onions (more or less to taste)
1/8 cup diced celery
1 grated carrot
Natures seasoning & creole seasoning to taste
dash red pepper
8 oz cream cheese (I use just 4 oz and its fine)
1 slice of pepper jack cheese (opt)

Combine broth , potatoes, onion, celery, carrot & spices.
Boil on med. heat until potatoes are tender.
Smash a few to release starch for thickening
reduce to low heat, add cream cheese & a slice of pepper jack cheese,
cook just a few more minutes.

If you like it smooth use a hand blender or blend in blender.

enjoy......YUM

POTATO CHEESE CHOWDER

5 lbs. potatoes, diced
10-12 slices bacon, diced and fried
1 medium onion
1 lb. Velveeta cheese
1/2 stick butter
Dried parsley--couple of shakes (or used chopped fresh--even better)
1 (12 oz.) can evaporated milk

Fry bacon, remove from pan and saute onion in drippings. Fill a 6-qt. pot 3/4 full of peeled, diced potatoes and barely cover with water. Cook until potatoes are barely tender. Add remaining ingredients (including bacon drippings) except evaporated milk.

After cheese melts, remove from heat. When cool, add milk. Reheat when ready to serve.

NOTES: This makes a lot! You don't have to use all the bacon drippings if your bacon has a lot of fat in it. Start with a little and add to taste. The reason you cool before adding the milk is that the milk will curdle. The cheese is salty enough without adding extra.

These are some great recipes...and I have a version of pototo/ham/cheese soup simmering on the stove right now!

Cheese-Potato Soup
The Mother Earth News editors
November/December 1975

Working outside all day in windy, near-zero weather can leave a person chilled through and through. A deep bath, hot enough to relax cold-clenched muscles, will help cure an individual of this condition - but only a properly heroic prescription will fill that big, icy, gap where his or her stomach should be. The following midwestern farm recipe for Cheese-Potato Soup is one such formulation that does the latter job admirably.

For two moderately congealed people (or one suffering from an absolutely frightening case of the Cold Robies), peel and boil two slightly-larger-than-medium potatoes. Drain the tubers when they're done and save the liquid in which they were cooked. Then mash the potatoes well, add the water they were boiled in (and more liquid if necessary), and salt and pepper to taste.

Next, brown 2 to 2 1/2 tablespoons of flour in 2 1/2 tablespoons of butter (by stirring the flour and butter constantly, you can turn them a rich, golden color without burning them at all). Add the browned mixture to the potatoes and water and stir the whole savory solution as you boil it together for two or three minutes.

Finally, cut a good-sized chunk of longhorn or mild cheddar cheese into enough small pieces to fill a big soup bowl one-third full. Cover the cheese with the thick, bubbling potato-butter-flour ambrosia, dice a quarter slice of onion on top of each serving and sprinkle a few drops of vinegar over all. Break out the spoons and crackers and eat it hot! This simple but robust one-dish meal is guaranteed to warm you from the inside out.