Potato Leek Soup

Another really easy soup recipe -- this one can be ready in 30 minutes -- Rachel Ray, eat your heart out!!!

48 ounces of low-sodium chicken broth (Swanson's is my favorite)
6 large potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
6 large cloves of garlic, peeled
2 large leeks, diced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon Tastefully Simple Seasoning Salt
1 tablespoon fresh cracked black pepper
1/4 cup cream (optional)
Crumbled bacon and/or shredded cheddar cheese (optional)

Add the potatoes and garlic cloves to the broth, along with the seasoning salt and pepper, and boil gently for about 15 minutes. While that's cooking, dice the leeks and clean and dry them thoroughly ( they can often be sandy and gritty - -a salad spinner works really well), and saute them in the olive oil until they are tender. Once the potatoes are fully cooked, add 1/2 of the leeks and puree the soup. An immersion mixer works perfectly, though you can also use a blender. If you use a blender, only fill it half way, open up the hole in the top, and cover with a towel so steam can escape, but the soup won't. Alternatively, you can use a potato masher if you'd like your soup to be chunkier. Once it's blended, add the rest of the leeks, and the cream if you so desire.

As a final garnish, you can add some crumbled bacon and/or shredded cheese if you want to add a few more flavors.

If you don't have the Tastefully Simple seasoning salt, just use regular salt to taste, but it won't be as good :)