Potatoes. They’re perfect.
Fried. Chipped. Mashed. Hashed. Loaded. Scalloped. Shredded. Boiled. Broiled.
Hungry?
In the hands of even the most inexperienced chef, a potato can bring us satisfaction and joy. I don’t think I know anyone who doesn’t like potatoes in one form or another. Potatoes are perfect.
Have you ever stopped to think about what a potato looks like? Or, a bag of potatoes? They’re pitted, have random growths, black spots, come in a variety of colors and are dirty on the outside. Yet, no matter how imperfect, within each potato is the capacity to bring fulfillment to any appetite and completion to any meal.
You and I are potatoes. We’re lumpy, bumpy, spotted and our knees are dirty from many falls in life. Yet, we are perfect.
Perfection isn’t a matter of living without failure. Rather, it’s a matter of realizing that even in our flaws and failures we are complete in our unique gifts and callings. We bring fulfillment to others simply because that’s what we’re designed to do.
Dear friend, remind yourself today that in your role, you’re perfect. That trial you’re facing, that mistake you made recently, that thing that you’re feeling insecure about – it’s all okay. Our fears, faults and failures make us stronger.
Next time you’re eating or preparing a potato in any form – remind yourself that it wasn’t perfect, yet it’s fulfilling its perfect purpose. Just like you.
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How could I possibly end this post without sharing our family favorite recipe – Perfect Potato Soup?!? I seriously get several texts a year from friends and family for this recipe.
Ingredients:
1 – 5lb – 10lb Bag Potatoes (depends on your family size)
1 – Box Organic Chicken Broth
2 – 8oz Bag Sharp Cheddar Cheese
1 – Can Evaporated Milk
Lots of bacon bits – your personal preference.
Spices: Salt, Pepper & Thyme (the Thyme is a key ingredient)
Instructions:
Wash, peel and dice the potatoes. Skin on or off is your preference. Place in stock pot and cover with chicken broth and water. Cover top of water with thyme, I use a lot. Sprinkle salt & pepper to your taste. Stir into water/broth mixture. Boil until potatoes are soft and can be broken with a fork.
Important step: When draining the potatoes, save the water/broth mixture into a separate container. Place the drained potatoes back into stockpot.
Mash potatoes with a masher or whisk – leave chunky or mash smooth. Add evaporated milk and stir into potatoes. Add 1 8oz bag of sharp cheddar to the mixture and stir in.
Your “soup” should be a thick mashed potato mixture at this point. Now, use the water/broth mixture to thin it out to the consistency you desire. I add one ladle of liquid at a time, stirring throughly to test consistency.
Serve immediately, topped with a sprinkle of cheddar cheese and bacon bits.
If you plan on having leftovers, you may want to save some of the water/broth liquid to thin the leftovers out the next day. The soup thickens quite a bit in the refrigerator overnight.
Enjoy!
