February is here and we are almost finished with winter. Which means I’m almost out of time for soup recipes until the fall. If you think of homemade soup, you probably think of it being an all day recipe. This one is just the opposite. This Creamy Potato Soup is quick and easy to throw together. It truly is like eating a bowl of loaded mashed potatoes. Really. Because it uses instant mashed potatoes! Like any good bowl of soup, this one needs a good bread. I love fixing these Cheddar Biscuits to go with it, although they do take longer to prepare than the soup. This is a great, cozy dinner for a day that you really want comfort food but don’t want to spend the time cooking.
Cheddar Biscuits
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 Tablespoon sugar
- 1 Tablespoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional
- 1 cup buttermilk*
- ½ cup butter, melted
- 1 ½ cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- ¼ cup butter, melted
- 1 Tablespoon dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- Preheat oven to 450°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, garlic powder, salt, and cayenne pepper, if using.
- In a large glass measuring cup or medium bowl, whisk together the buttermilk and butter. Pour over the dry ingredients and stir with a rubber spatula just until moist. Do not overmix. Gently fold in the cheese.
- Using a cookie scoop or a large tablespoon, drop dough onto prepared cookie sheet.
- Place in preheated oven and bake for 10-12 minutes, until golden brown.
- While biscuits are baking, combine the remaining melted butter, parsley, and garlic powder in a small bowl. Immediately after removing biscuits from the oven, brush melted butter mixture on the tops. Serve warm.
- *If you don’t have buttermilk, measure 1 Tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar into a measuring up and add enough milk to equal 1 cup. Stir and let sit until ready to use.
Baby Reds with Garlic and Parmesan Creamy Soup (adapted from Idahoan Mashed Potatoes – Idahoan Foods LLC)
- 3 cups water
- 1 15-oz. can of cream of potato soup (you can use cream of chicken or cream of mushroom)
- 1 4-oz. package Idahoan Baby Reds with Garlic and Parmesan Mashed Potatoes or flavor of your choice
- Cooked bacon, crumbled, optional
- Chopped fresh chives, optional
- Shredded cheddar cheese, optional
- Combine water and soup in a medium size saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a low boil.
- Add the potatoes and stir gently until smooth. Add more water if the soup is too thick.
- Serve in bowls with optional garnishes.
Serves 4. (If you need to serve more, this is so easy increase to the number of servings you need.)