Spinach Potato Soup

You know it's kind of sad when the quintessential compliment at your dinner table is, "Wow, this tastes a lot better than it looks." And yet. It's kind of a badge of honor too. You took something that they thought looked icky and it was actually good enough to defy their expectations. I kind of love that. I served this with hot dogs and boxed mac and cheese because I was expecting a very poor reception. It was bright green, for goodness sake. Guess what Kip ate? Not hot dogs. Not mac and cheese. Nope, spinach soup. It was almost excessively gratifying.

He liked it with good reason too. This soup is delicious. And--in stark contrast to so many of the foods we're eating at this season--you feel even better after you've eaten it.

Spinach Potato Soup
adapted from Pioneer Woman
makes 6-10 servings
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Cost: $3.75 or about $.40/serving
spinach: 1.80, onion: .05, butter: .25, flour: .02, milk: .43, cream: 1.00, potatoes: .20

2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 medium onion
10 oz baby spinach
2 cloves garlic
1/4 C water
4 Tbsp butter
4 Tbsp flour
1/2 tsp salt
3 1/4 C milk
1 C cream
4 small-medium sized waxy potatoes (we used reds)

Set a pot of water on the stove and get it boiling. As it heats, peel and dice your potatoes. Put them in the hot/boiling water with a good shake of salt.

While the potatoes boil, heat olive oil in a large pot. Add onion and cook until tender--about 5 minutes. Add garlic and spinach. Cook until the spinach is wilted (a lid makes this happen faster), stirring every minute or so.

Add the spinach mixture to blender with 1/4 C water. Blend until smooth. Let it set while you make a roux.

Add butter to your big pot and melt. Whisk in flour. Whisk in salt. Stir pasty mixture for 1-2 minutes. Whisk in milk. Cook, stirring constantly (or close to constantly) until mixture thickens.

Add spinach mixture to milk mixture. Whisk. Taste for salt (you'll probably need 1/2-1 tsp more) and pepper.

Add cream and mix in.

About now, your potatoes should be tender. Drain them and put them in the soup. Then give them a good mash. Taste again for salt and pepper and serve. Kip liked it with a good grate of cheddar thereby.

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