Baked potato soup

Last week's No-TV Tuesday included a new Baked Potato Soup recipe from Smitten Kitchen.

1 head garlic
3 T butter
2 medium leeks, white and light green parts halved lengthwise, washed and chopped small
5-6 c chicken or vegetable broth (I used bouillon because I didn't plan ahead to thaw homemade veggie broth)
2 bay leaves
Table salt
2.5 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/3 cup sour cream
Ground black pepper

Optional toppings:
bacon bits
chives or green onions
sour cream
grated cheese

Rinse the head of garlic to remove any outside grit or dirt. Cut off the top third and peel away any loose papery skins. If you don't want to waste, mince the top of the cloves instead of discarding.

In a large heavy pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add leeks and cook until soft but not brown - about 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook another minute. Add the larger part of the garlic head (whole, not chopped), broth, bay leaves and 3/4 t salt. Reduce heat and simmer until garlic is very tender when pierced with tip of knife, 30-40 minutes. Add potatoes and continue to simmer, partially covered, until potatoes are tender, about 15-20 minutes.

Discard bay leaves. Remove garlic heads. Optional: If you’d like an extra garlic boost to the soup, using tongs or paper towels, squeeze the garlic head at the root end until cloves slip out of their skins. Using a fork, mash the garlic cloves to smooth paste and add it back to the soup.

Add sour cream and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Adjust seasonings, adding more salt and pepper to taste. With an immersion blender, process soup until chunky-creamy, leaving lots of potato texture intact. Serve plain or with optional toppings.

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I came home from grocery shopping last week and threw this together before leaving for my run. It simmered while I ran. I added the potatoes and it continued to simmer while I showered. Perfect!

I didn't really like this soup at first - thought it was a bit blah. But as it cooled a bit, the flavors intensified. And it was even better left over and reheated.

:)