Super Soup

Tonight was one of those unusual nights that despite my intentions to make tomato soup with goat cheese plus  rice squares, I couldn't settle down and do it.  I had a craving for potatoes and I wanted soup so I turned everything around and made a veggie type soup with tons of potatoes, well only four.  Considering, I was making soup for two, I made a hefty quantity which we finished.

We ended up eating a nourishing and filling meal with lots of good vegetables and a creamy, soothing potato base.

Ingredients:

2 cups water
2-3 cups vegetable broth
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 huge red onion, sliced
1 green pepper, cut into squares
1 stalk celery, slice
1 parsnip, sliced into thick chunks
1 zucchini, cut into thick slices (1/2 of an inch)
4 medium sized potatoes, chunked
3 carrots, thickly sliced
1 cup shredded cabbage
 1 cup milk
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley
1 cup cheddar cheese, grated

 Directions:

Add water and broth to four quart saucepan.
Heat on medium-high heat.
Add potatoes, parsnip, carrots, cabbage and zucchini.
Cook until just cooked (14 minutes)

While potatoes are cooking, in a medium skillet, in one tablespoon oil, cook onion, green pepper, and celery for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add these vegetables to pot with potatoes.  Mix all vegetables together.

Using an immersion blender, mix the soup to the creaminess you desire.  (We wanted chunks of vegetables rather than a puree style soup.  We watched carefully, checking on the amount of chunks.)

Add milk, salt and pepper.  Mix in well.  Leave on heat for a few minutes (3) until soup is hot.  Add grated cheese.  Mix in and cook for an additional milk.

Put into bowls and top with chopped parsley.