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Jane's Plain Potato Soup

Submitted by: Jane Mahan, Elm Springs, AR 

JANE'S PLAIN POTATO SOUP

2 T butter (or margarine, & adjust for more or less as you would like)
1/2 cup, more or less, chopped yellow onions
6-7 potatoes, more or less as the mood suits you, cubed uniformly so they cook evenly
1 can chicken stock
2 cups water (or another can of chicken stock)
1 tsp salt, or to taste
pepper to taste
1 cup fresh white bread, torn into very small pieces

In heavy pan, melt butter & add onions, cooking until they are transparent.
Add chicken stock, water, potatoes
Cook until potatoes are done
Add salt & pepper to taste
Add fresh white bread (this is the thickening agent)
Cook on low simmer 5-8 minutes (or more) until the bread has been absorbed & is no longer recognizable as bread
Add 1 cup (more or less as you prefer) of half & half, or milk or a combination of water & half & half - whatever your preference is - I used half & half
Heat slowly, so that the soup does not boil, but the top just shimmies, to heat thoroughly & blend flavors,

8 minutes or so

Since this has bread in the soup, I am not too concerned about bread or cracker, but since I love cornbread, I would ordinarily have cornbread.
Bacon for topping, & chopped green onions, or chives, or parsley, or whatever is available - or nothing.

I think I will add a couple of cloves of garlic to the initial butter-onion sauté next time.

I love garlic & I think it would add an extra 'smile' to the mix.