Rustic Potato Soup

Vacationing on a budget makes you plan a lot more than you might normally. I planned out meals and we packed all the ingredients we’d need in a cooler. I even pre-measured the seasonings and put them in bags labeled for each meal. We learned the hard way before that vacation rentals don’t always have what you need, so I wanted to be sure we had everything. I was extremely proud of myself for this level of planning. We may have forgotten to pack coats, but damn it, we had our seasonings!

When vacationing in a rented place you work with what you have. You won’t have your own pots and pans or other supplies, so you have to make do. I didn’t have an immersion blender (I wasn’t going to pack everything), so I used a whisk to mash the potatoes and whip the soup into a smooth consistency. I also did not have a cheese grater (or so I thought at the time), so I just had to slice it. This turned out really good considering I was cooking under different circumstances. It was a lot of fun though, and we got 2 meals out of it!

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Rustic Potato Soup
Serves 4
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 30 min

• 4 large Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 3 c vegetable stock
• 1 1/2 c milk
• 3 tbsp salt
• 1/2 tbsp pepper
• 1/2 tbsp chives
• 1 1/2 tbsp onion powder
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• Optional toppings:
  • Shredded cheddar cheese
  • Greek yogurt (or sour cream)
  • Cooked bacon bits

1. Place potatoes and stock in a large stock pot and heat over high heat until boiling.
2. Reduce heat to medium and continue to cook until potatoes have softened and can be pierced with a fork.
3. Puree with an immersion blender if you have one, or mash with a whisk, slotted spoon, or whatever you have available.
4. Slowly add milk, whisking as you pour, to avoid curdling it.
5. Add the seasonings and stir well.
6. Top with cheese, Greek yogurt, and bacon bits if desired.