Cheesy Potato Soup

We love soup. We usually have soup once a week for dinner and leftover soup for lunch a couple times. Soup can also be an incredible way to stretch your budget, turning bits and pieces of leftovers into another meal. This quick and tasty potato soup is a great way to use leftover mashed potatoes and have a meal on the table in no time at all. Of course, leftover mashed potatoes aren't required to make the soup.....you can boil a few and leave them chunkier than you would for mashed potatoes, you can use all potato flakes if that's what you want. It's up to you!

Cheesy Potato Soup

1 onion small to medium onion, diced (you want about a cup or so)
3 Tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3 Tablespoons flour
1/2 gallon milk
2 cups leftover mashed potatoes, boiled potatoes or 1 1/2 cups potato flakes
2 cups shredded cheese (cheddar, Swiss or Monterrey jack all work really nicely)

In a large saucepan or stockpot, melt butter and add onions, salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat until the onions are translucent and soft. Add flour, stirring well to absorb all the butter and to coat the onions. Cook for 2-3 minutes to lose the flour taste. Add the milk, stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Add in the potatoes and let it cook until it's warmed through and thickened, about 15-20 minutes. If the soup is hot and has not thickened as much as you would like, you can add some potato flakes or make a slurry out of a couple tablespoons water and a couple tablespoons cornstarch and add it to the mix. It should thicken up to you liking after that. Right before serving, stir in the shredded cheese, stirring well to melt throughout the soup. Serve in bowls with more cheese, sour cream, crumbled bacon, chives, green onions or other toppings of choice.

This soup is great with additions like ham, corn, carrots and even chopped green chilies! Serve with cornbread, bread sticks or crackers on the side and you'll have a wonderful, tasty, QUICK meal any day of the week!