Winter Leek and Potato Soup

"Excellent soup after my alterations! Everyone loved it! My initial reading of this recipe alerted me that it would be a very bland tasting soup. My only alterations were that I used 2 pounds of Yukon ..." See moreGold potatoes, added 1 sliced celery stalk and added a large bay leaf. I also substituted the garlic powder with 4 garlic cloves that I minced and sautéed with the leeks and onions. I used 6 ounces of shredded sharp cheddar cheese and omitted the parsley. I offered crumbled cooked bacon, fresh snipped chives and prepared garlic-Parmesan croutons as options for diners to top their soup serving with. Next time, I will use individual sized shepherd loaves as serving bowls and make homemade garlic-Parmesan croutons out of the scooped bread from the shepherd loaves. Tips: Yukon Gold potatoes won't get mushy like russet potatoes will when boiling them. Use russet potatoes if you want a thick soup and mash them when they are tender. Rinse the leeks in a bowl of cold water so to remove any sand, remove the leeks and wring dry in towels. Keep the cubed potatoes in a bowl of cold water till needed. Always turn off the heat before stirring in the cheese so that the cheese won't separate."

"I used 1 Tbsp. olive oil and 1 Tbsp. bacon fat and sauted 2 cloves of garlic with 3 leeks [that's how my grocery store sells in a bunch]. Only used 4 potatoes and 4 cups of chicken stock. PERFECT...." See more"

"Simple and excellent! I only made a few minor changes. I used 1.5 times the half and half and cheese, and I used the Mexican cheese blend from Costco, since that's what I had on hand. Otherwise, I fol..." See morelowed the recipe exactly, and it had the perfect texture and flavor. Very nice."