Souper Supper

After Jeff's successful bout with an oral surgeon, something soft was in order for dinner - potato soup.

Of course, there are many variations on this classic, but my favorite is basically really thin mashed potatoes with extra cheese. I always make a good sized pot because the guys never leave the table without seconds and I want to be sure there is some leftover for tomorrow's lunch. So after peeling and dicing three pounds of spuds, I add just enough liquid to cover them. Tonight the liquid was chicken stock, but vegetable stock tastes good, too. If you want to dress it up a little, try some white wine mixed with the stock. (If you're going this route, I recommend Italian herbs for seasoning and some Parmesan and/or feta cheese at the end.)

After the potatoes are fork tender, drain them and reserve the liquid to put back in. Then use an electric mixer to whip the potatoes until smooth. (Of course, you can hand mash them for more texture, or take out half the chunks, whip half and return the larger pieces. Tonight I opted for extra smooth so Jeff wouldn't really have to chew.) At this point, butter is definitely in order - usually a whole stick gets whipped into the spuds. Of course a couple of big spoonfuls of sour cream are also called for here, along with your favorite seasonings. (Basic salt and lots of black pepper are always good.) Once this is all whipped up, stir the liquid back in until you have a nice, soupy consistency. If the taters are too thick after all the liquid is added, put some milk (or better yet, cream) in the mixture to thin it. Finally, put the soup back on the heat and add shredded cheese. I like sharp cheddar, but other cheeses can be tasty and different - some smoked Gouda adds a nutty flavor, while mozzarella is soft and subtle. Stir the soup over the heat until the cheese melts completely, and voila - easy potato soup. Of course, sweet potatoes yield a completely different, but yummy flavor.

The best part about making and eating soup is the comfort factor. Inhaling the peppery steam rolling off a bowl of soup can drain the stress of a long day or ease the hurt of an aching body. Soup is often reserved for cool weather and rainy days, but those don't come often in central Arizona, so we eat soup when the soul - rather than the environment - calls for it.

One of my favorite soups is minestrone. My mom and dad made a quick and yummy version for a restaurant they used to own using premade pasta sauce as the base. Add some water, frozen veggies, pasta, seasonings, and walk away while it simmers. This soup takes very little time and effort to put together, but the payoff is big! In addition, it’s one of those dishes that fills the house with lingering aromas that beckon everyone to the kitchen for a taste.

Of course, in the heat of summer chilled soups are comforting as well. The refreshing vegetables, the spicy tang, and the pureed texture of gazpacho create one of my favorite summer time eatables. It's also fabulous served with icy shrimp in place of cocktail sauce. (Put it in a pretty wine glass and position some shrimp around the edge for a beautiful party appetizer.) Along the same lines as gazpacho are fruit soups, which we sampled last October on a cruise to Mexico. I liked the cantaloupe-peach combo which appeared to have cream swirled through it, but Jeff was partial to the berry-based dish. These were cool, refreshing, light, and somehow a little exotic - perfect for a summer party or cookout. Since they’re fruity and colorful, they seem to be a favorite with kids as well.

Ultimately, soup is a staple food – one of those dishes that is generally easy to make, but always pleases the palette. It's like a hug in a bowl – whether it’s the freshly mown grass of summer or the damp chill of cascading autumn leaves, soup is a taste of home.