Autumn, Potato Soup and The Croods

   We have been having the nicest autumn weather. There have been a few warm days, no real Indian Summer, and overall we have had cool, breezy, misty, overcast days. The shortened and ever getting shorter days, the splendor of the burnt and vibrant oranges, crimson, burgundy and fiery reds, golden, buttery, mustard and sun~kissed yellows and the purples that display every shade of new wines and royal depth, black walnuts in their hulls on the ground, the sound and sight of the swirling of leaves through the air and on the ground, and the deep warm scent of fires in fireplaces and backyard fire pits evoke so many wonderful memories for me. This is without question my favorite time of the year, and always has been.
   The scent of Honeysuckle instantly takes me back to seeing cousins and neighbors at my grandmother's house, games of croquet and evening hide ~n~ seek, shucking corn and shelling peas, fresh hot sweet corn, fresh green beans with bacon, and biting into warm tomatoes. The scent of pineapple lip balm and/or Love's Fresh Lemon body mist catches me reminiscing about junior high school days, friends, dances and that summer week at Ridgecrest Camp, where s'mores and Coca~Cola were in abundance and shared around a bonfire at night. Are you seeing a theme here? Good memories and good friends are often enveloped with good food. Autumn does evoke powerful memories for me full of bonfires, football games, backyard soup parties, evenings with hot chocolate or tea on the deck with candles, baking for the holidays, and as always ~ good friends. Potato soup is a favorite of mine. I never think of it in the warmer months but come autumn I always enjoy its creamy comfort. I have a few potato soup recipes that I enjoy, one of which is one former First Lady Laura Bush's recipe called, Laura Bush's Baked Potato Soup. Today I will share another potato soup recipe that I really enjoy. This is not my "go to" everyday potato soup recipe, but it is one of my favorites that I prepare when I want something a little richer and a tad more special than my regular recipe.  I originally found this recipe here on allrecipes.com. It is called Absolutely Ultimate Potato Soup. It is not hard to measure up to that name with key ingredients such as bacon and its grease, butter and heavy cream. Let’s remember Culinary Tips 101; Fat = Flavor.

Absolutely Ultimate Potato Soup

Servings: 8

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound bacon, chopped

2 stalks celery, diced

1 onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

8 potatoes, peeled and cubed

4 cups chicken stock, or enough to cover potatoes

3 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup heavy cream

1 teaspoon dried tarragon

3 teaspoons chopped fresh cilantro

salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1.  In a Dutch oven, cook the bacon over medium heat until done. Remove bacon from pan, and set aside. Drain off all but 1/4 cup of the bacon grease.

2.  In the bacon grease remaining in the pan, saute the celery and onion until onion begins to turn clear. Add the garlic, and continue cooking for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the cubed potatoes, and toss to coat. Saute for 3 to 4 minutes. Return the bacon to the pan, and add enough chicken stock to just cover the potatoes. Cover, and simmer until potatoes are tender.

3.  In a separate pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour. Cook stirring constantly, for 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk in the heavy cream, tarragon and cilantro. Bring the cream mixture to a boil, and cook, stirring constantly, until thickened. Stir the cream mixture into the potato mixture. Puree about 1/2 the soup, and return to the pan. Adjust seasonings to taste.

Celery and Onion Sauteing

Garlic now Sauteing

Bacon Cooked and Potatoes Chopped

Tossing and Coating and Sauteing Potatoes

I used Marjoram and Cubed Cilantro this time. Very Good!

Enough fat already, I used Half & Half.

Every thing in pot, now to cook until thick.

Thickened quite nicely.

I puree a smaller portion as we do like the potato chunks.

Not a beautiful color but it smells and tastes completely yummy!

Let's Eat!!

   It was my intent to eat this on the back deck and enjoy that weather only autumn offers that I mentioned above. It began to drizzle rain and it just wasn't going to be as enjoyable outside as I had hoped for our dinner this time. Plan B. Last summer while visiting with some of my grandchildren I went to the morning matinee with them a few times to see some truly cute movies. One evening while the older two were at youth group the youngest, my son~in~law and daughter and I went to see yet another movie. I have seen more new movies this year than I have in probably the the last four to five years combined. It was such fun!!! Anyway, that evening movie was animated, cute, funny, very touching toward the end and its title is, The Croods. I wasn't sure it would be just right up my alley, but I so enjoyed it. I enjoyed it enough that I told Jon about it once I got home. Tuesday, October 1, the movie came out on DVD, and by that weekend Jon brought it home. We hadn't watched it so he suggested we eat our soup in front of the telly and do so. I may hear about this later but I just have to let you know, both my very stable and strong Army son~in~law had very leaky eyes and wet face as the movie was ending and so did, Jon. It ends really well, but has a beautiful story line and ending that can move you to tears. Oh yeah, I cried both times. :-) If you haven't seen it, or have and just want to see the trailer, please click here.

   I would love to hear your opinion on the soup, what you love about autumn and what you thought about The Croods, if you have seen it.

¹ An excerpt from Fall, leaves, fall. by Emily Brontë.