Everybody Soup

February 21, 2020

You beautiful readers sick of soup yet?

Me too.

Bad News: New and different reason for supporting my soup habit, which is getting tiresome as f*&k.

Good News: It doesn’t involve barfing. Well, not yet anyways.

News That Makes Me Want to Hide Under a Rock: Just as I’ve kinda sorta gotten things figured out a little with my peevish stomach, my jaw and ears decided to join the party. As some of you might have seen, I now have TMJ, because for some reason I’m gnashing my teeth like a woodchuck in my sleep and having these weirdo anxiety dreams so I guess I never relax and it’s causing snapcracklepop of my jaw. And now it’s migrated to my right ear, which is zinging with pain and ringing LOUD and fast and constantly. If I don’t get it figured out, vertigo won’t be far behind. Which means barfing again.

Because I am a lazy cow and also cheap, I consulted Doctor Google about what to do for my TMJ in the comfort of my own home. Ice and heat, alternating (pain in arse. Who has time to lie down on the couch all day making their ear shiver and sweat?) Jaw massage (looks damn ridiculous.) Limited use of a straw (no biggie). Sleeping on my back (I’m a stomach sleeper. Inconceivable.) Avoidance of things that require chewing or crunching (Get outta here, Jokers!)

The lazy cow part of me thinks I can handle this on my own before I haul butt to the dentist, even though this is making me wolverine-style cranky. So I’m trying all of those dinglebutt home remedies, including consuming mainly foods that don’t require chewing.

^^^predicament = more blasted, bothersome bowls of soup.

 

Every time I go out with the Mozz-man to take a walk, I envision myself actually sloshing around, my insides constantly full of soup. Squish, slosh, splash and splatter.

Soup Girl getting tired of this.

 

Good News: This particular soup, deemed “Everybody Soup” because everyone likes it, is a good recipe to add to your arsenal, whether your ailment be viral, stomach or jaw-related. Seriously, everybody who voluntarily consumes soup likes this recipe. What in it is objectionable at all? I mean, okay if you are vegan, this might not be the soup for you but who else would object to a bowl of creamy potato-leek soup with delectable toppings like cheese, bacon, chives and HELLO! crushed Kettle-cooked potato chips?

Nobody in their right mind, that’s who.

I did make/eat this soup before the dang TMJ hit, so I tried it with the potato chips and they. are. genius. Perhaps all soup recipes should contain kettle chips as a possible garnish, because it makes this soup a lot more than a blank canvas. Try it. You won’t be sad. Just don’t tell me about it because then I will be jealous.

I’m currently making another batch, sans the kettle chip garnish. And pouting.

Is winter over yet?

Everybody Soup

serves 8

slightly adapted from Food and Wine

 

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

4 large leeks (white and light green parts only), well cleaned and cut into strips (about 8 cups)

4 large celery stalks, chopped (about 2 cups)

6 large Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled if desired, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

7 cups water

2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon jarred chicken stock base (Better than Bouillion)

1 cup whole milk

1/4 cup heavy cream

1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

dash of freshly grated nutmeg

Finely chopped fresh chives/parsley and crushed kettle-style potato chips, for garnish (if you don’t have *&^%ing TMJ)

optional: chopped cooked bacon and shredded sharp cheddar cheese

 

Melt butter with olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add leeks and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 8 minutes. Add celery; cook, stirring often about 8 minutes. Add potatoes and stir to coat. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring often, until potatoes are shiny and coated, about 5 minutes. Stir in water and chicken stock base; bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are tender, about 15-20 minutes.

Remove from heat. Let soup cool for 30 minutes.

Stir in milk, cream and grated nutmeg and puree soup with an immersion blender.

Top with chopped fresh chives/parsley, crushed potato chips and chopped cooked bacon, if desired.

{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }

Elizabeth February 28, 2020 at 12:07 pm

Don’t feel too bad–I’m definitely posting a lot of soups right now because, well, that’s what I’m making! It’s cold out, so soups are appropriate!

I hope the TMJ has eased up somewhat since this post because chips on soup are lovely things and it sucks that you have to give that garnish up for the time being.

Reply

Carolyn March 5, 2020 at 2:11 pm

Get thee to the dentist for a mouth guard. It will make all the difference in the world. You will find that slipping the guard in your mouth is as good as a sleeping pill. It will change your life, Honestly.

Reply

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