Nacho Potato Soup

We’ve all heard the saying, “Never trust a skinny cook.” However the new movement towards healthier eating and foods has made that a little less popular or true. I think instead it should be “Never trust a recipe on a clean cook book page.”

You can tell my favorite recipes in my recipe box or in one of my cookbooks because it has splatters, spills, and crumbs stuck to it. Those are the recipes I’ve gone back to time and time again.

When you find grandma’s cookbook in your box of keepsakes, the first recipes you want to try are the ones she obviously loved and used…the well worn pages!

Today I want to share with you one of the well-splattered and oft-used recipes from my cookbook cupboard. This cookbook and the actual recipe itself both came from my Mother-in-Law! It is a staple in our house all through the cold months. I may or may not be eating a bowl of it as I type this up. 

Nacho Potato Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 lb sausage (our favorite is the Jimmy Dean Sage sausage, it gives the whole soup such a nice flavor!)
• 1 onion, chopped
• 6 medium potatoes, cubed
• 1 can whole kernel corn, do not drain (I’ve used frozen corn in some water too when we haven’t had canned corn on hand)
• 1 can cream-style corn
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 1 (4-oz) can diced green chili 
• 1 can kidney beans, drained
• 2 c. grated cheddar cheese
• and then either
• -1 large can evaporated milk
  or
• 2 c. milk + ½ c. instant potato flakes
• optional: We sometimes add in a few shakes of garlic powder, salt, pepper, and sometimes even hot sauce.

Instructions:

1. In a large pot, fry the sausage with chopped onion until sausage is no longer pink.
2. Add potatoes and enough water just to cover.
3. Bring to a boil and reduce heat.
4. Simmer until potatoes are tender.
5. Add remaining ingredients.
6. Reheat and simmer for 5 minutes.

This is excellent on the first day, but we really really love this soup the 2nd day after all the flavors have really meshed together!

Optional garnishes for this could be green onions, sour cream, or hot sauce!