Potato Parmesan Soup.

Even though it's the end of March, we are under a "Winter Storm Warning" here in Illinois. It was about 55 degrees and sunny 20 hours ago, but you know. And honestly, it doesn't look so bad out there. It's mostly just really, really cold.

So of course, for lunch today, I made a great comforter for these cold days. Some delicious potato parmesan soup. My grandma has always made this for us when we come to visit during Christmas. I naturally have altered the recipe a little, mostly with some added spices. It may not be the healthiest soup out there, but it sure is delicious! Also, this recipe makes quite a bit. We like to save it and have some leftovers. If that isn't your intent, I would suggest halving the recipe. Enjoy!

You will need:

4 cups diced potatoes
2 cups chopped carrots
2 cups chopped celery
2 cups chopped onions
4 cups water
2 cups milk
4 tbs margerine
4 tbs flour (I have experimented with whole wheat flour; it didn't go so well)
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1 1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp basil
1 tsp parsley
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp oregano
optional: 1/2 tsp paprika and 1 bay leaf

Procedure:

Chop the vegetables and boil/simmer them in the water for about 45 minutes. Basically until the potatoes and carrots seems edible. At this point, in a small sauce pan, begin making your sauce. I start with the butter and flour and "cook" it in the saucepan. Then I add the milk. This takes some patience, but I stir it and whisk it until it seems somewhat thick. Next, add it to the vegetables, which should still have water surrounding them. Now, add the parmesan cheese, and let it simmer just a little longer to thicken up. Stay warm while enjoying this soup!