Boil 'Em... Mash 'Em...

Cut off two large slices and wear them as ears...

Potatoes are so versatile.

As a child, they were a staple in my home. They were building blocks. They were weapons. They were dog toys. There wasn't much we couldn't do with a potato... Which was good, because we grew them ourselves (they're cheap food, donchaknow...) and often had oodles of them.

As an adult, I find myself much less enamored with the fruit of the root. But still, nonetheless, every once in a while I just need a little something.

On occasion, the little something is doused in olive oil and herbs and then baked to a delicious crisp.

On other occasions, the little something is smothered in butter and cheese and sour cream and bacon, and then snarfed indelicately as though I hadn't eaten in weeks.

But most often... the little something is potato puree with chive, cream and bacon.

Loaded potato soup is amazing.

It's even more amazing as my Friendly Local Soup Shop has an INCREDIBLE loaded potato soup.

Or...

At least...

They did.

Right up to last week, when the bacon started being overly greasy and slightly gross.

And when the potato started to be more lumpy than consistently creamy.

And when it all started being just wrong.

Which led me to do a little thinking.

I love this soup.

And I found this soup shop about a year ago.

Considering that I buy (conservatively speaking) two cups of soup per week...

And I've known about this establishment for twelve months...

And I've only taken a cumulative three weeks off in that time...

I've spent a lot of money on soup.

(Seriously. $5.50 per cup. $11.00 per week. $536.00 in a year. That's a lot of money to spend on soup.)

Especially soup that I could make myself.

(In addition to feeling disheartened about soup quality, my bank account is also feeling slightly pinched due to recent holidays and shenanigans. All the more reason to find thrifty ways to do this.)

So, today, I set off in search of a New Potato Soup Recipe That I Can Make Myself And Then Enjoy For Much Less Money.

Here's today's contestant:

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2013/01/perfect-potato-soup/

Which proves that classy writing will always win me over. The soup may be crap... but I'm convinced that I can do it.

Let's see where this gets us.