Leftover Mashed Potato & Cheddar Soup

stephanierndos's Note:

This Recipe is a GREAT way to get rid of leftovers and is SO Yummo! I saw Robin Miller (The Food Network) making this on her show today, and was inspired, I used her basic recipe and embellished it some, changed a few things to fit my families taste buds, and it really worked GREAT -- Enjoy!

• Total Time: 20 mins
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 10 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 4

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• ½ teaspoon bacon drippings
• ¾ cup diced onion
• ¾ cup diced celery
• 4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth or 4 cups vegetable broth
• 2 cups mashed potatoes , leftover
• ¼-½ cup corn , leftover
• ¼-½ cup cauliflower (in cheese sauce also works great) or ¼-½ cup broccoli , leftover (in cheese sauce also works great)
• 4 ounces shredded cheddar cheese (sharp is best)
• ½ teaspoon sea salt (or Kosher Salt)
• ¼ teaspoon white pepper
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• 2 slices bacon , pre-cooked & crumbled (optional but very good addition if you have it leftover from breakfast)

Directions:

1. Add oil to a large & deep (2-3 inches deep) saucepan or soup pot, set over medium-high heat. Add onion & celery, saute for 3-5 minutes or until softened. Add stock & simmer approximately 6 minutes, then add the left over mashed potatoes and bring to a simmer.
2. Using a hand blender or regular blender, puree soup until smooth (when using a regular blender, work in batches to prevent messy cleanups!). Add leftover corn, cauliflower or broccoli, Cheddar Cheese, salt, white pepper, & paprika (crumbled bacon pieces – if you have them). Stir to combine all well and allow the cheese to melt. Serve immediately or, allow to completely cool and then store in an airtight container in the Refrigerator for up to 7 days, or – in the Freezer for up to 2-3 months.

Reviews

[*Parsley*]

This was soooo good! It was a great 'clean-up' of my Thanksgiving leftover side dishes. For the potatoes, I used leftover Nana's Pa Dutch Potato and Bread Filling . I had about 3 cups of it so I just used it all. I think because I used that bit of extra, my soup wasn't as thin as previous reviewers describe. I made the soup as writted other than the extra filling/stuffing. Thanx for a great savory soup!

[mjm44107]

Fantastic...with a few modifications. I really like my soups to have veggies - doubled the cauliflower and broccoli and added carrots but omitted the corn. Did find the end result slightly watery - added a little potato flakes to thicken but all in all - this is very, very good!

[bmcnichol]

Made for PAC Fall 2007. This was good but very thin. It has a good taste but I added a cup of potato flakes to thicken up the "broth" a bit. Had a good taste and will make again with adjustments.