Kitchen: Potato Leek Cheese Soup

Potatoes, leeks, carrots, celery, bacon, and CHEESE!

Soups are so much easier on the budget right now...back in the day, at least there was "cheap" food.  Even the "cheap" foods today aren't that cheap.  Ok, there is always Ramen noodles...but so high in sodium (salt) and not much food value or flavor.  Tuna is on sale for $1 a can and the cans just keep shrinking in size.  
This soup, is really good for lunch by itself, or with a sandwich...or as part of your evening meal.  Leeks are perfect with potatoes (and btw with chicken as well).  I haven't tried this with purple (aka blue) potatoes, but the Yukon Gold works nicely with this.  (You might even slip in a little white sweet potato in this--they aren't as sweet as regular sweet potatoes or yams)

• 2 TB Olive Oil
• 3 medium sized leeks, carefully washed, and sliced*
• 4-6 carrots, sliced (or small chunks) (I usually use 2 med carrots per person)
• 4 ribs of celery, sliced on an angle, if you like
• 1 TB dried parsley leaves (optional)
• 1/2 tsp celery seed
• 1/2 cup fresh or frozen corn (optional)
• Water (enough to cover the potatoes when you add them)
• Salt (I use Vegesal (blue label)--a celery salt with other dried vegetables) (This amount will depend on taste preference and the amount of potatoes used)
• Potatoes, (I prefer Yukon Gold with the skins on, but they do tend to break down a little) I use 2-3 medium potatoes per person--if I expect to have leftovers--otherwise, 1 1/2 potatoes per person.  You might prefer a "waxier" potato.
• milk or half and half or cream
• thickening agent (like flour or corn starch)
• crumbled cooked bacon (or vegetarian substitute)
• grated medium cheddar cheese 
• Arizona Cheese Curds

Heat the olive oil and add the leeks to a dutch oven or soup pot.  Add the carrots, celery, parsley (you could substitute a little kale), celery seed and corn.  Allow them to cook a bit and mingle their flavors. 
At this point you add the water to cover the vegetables and cook them until they are just starting to become tender.  The potatoes can be left unpeeled (scrubbed well), or peeled.  It doesn't matter if you want large chunks or smaller bits of potato, just try to keep the size fairly uniform.  Once the potatoes have been added to the dutch oven or soup pot, make sure they are covered with water to at least an inch or two above their level.  Cover with lid and test often to see if the potatoes are done.  You are looking for a softened, but still firm, potato.  Add 1-2 cups of milk.  Prepare your thickening agent.  Once the water and milk have returned to a boil add the thickening agent.  Keep stirring until thickened, making sure there are no lumps and it doesn't burn.  Set the bacon bits and cheese out for family members and guests to top the soup themselves.  Salt and pepper to taste.  The cheese curds are great in soups...little globs of partially melted cheese...mmmmm!