It's soup weather and this one is fantastic. It will warm you up and comfort you with a satisfying, delicious meal. It's loaded with yumminess and is served in homemade bread bowls.
15 small russet potatoes
1/4 c. butter, unsalted
3 t. chicken bouillon
1 green onion
2 garlic cloves
1/8 t. salt
1/8 t.black pepper
1/4 c. all-purpose flour
4 c. milk
1/4 c. Cheddar cheese, shredded, optional
crumbled cooked bacon, optional
more chopped green onions, optional
Artisan Bread:
3 c. water
1 1/2 T. salt
1 T. active dry yeast
6 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1/4 c. yellow cornmeal
Soup:
Wash and chop green onions. Peel and mince garlic.
Scrub potatoes; peel and cube; cook in well-salted boiling water until just underdone, about 15-20 minutes. Drain potatoes, reserving 2-4 cups of the cooking water; set water aside.
Add butter and bouillon paste to the empty potato pot; saute green onions and garlic; add salt and pepper, to taste;
add 1/4 c. flour; stir until smooth. Add milk and potato water alternately, 1/2 c. to 1 c. at a time; stir until thickened between each addition until it's the consistency of a thick white sauce. Add the potatoes at the end.
Top with shredded Cheddar cheese, cooked bacon crumbles, and more green onions, if desired.
5 Minute Artisan Bread:
In a very large bowl, combine water, salt, and yeast. Mix flour into the water until it's all wet; cover with a towel; let sit on the countertop for 2-8 hours. Separate into 8 small balls. Sprinkle corn meal on 2 cookie sheets; put 4 balls on each sheet, separated.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place a pan on the bottom rack, and a baking stone on the middle rack.
Slide loaves onto the middle cookie sheet, then pour water into bottom pan. Close oven very quickly to trap the steam in the oven.
Cook 20-30 minutes, or until brown on top.