I don't use a "recipe" when I make potato soup......but here's what I do.
I sautee 2 big ribs of celery and a small yellow onion, chopped, in 2 T of butter, when soft, I add 2 T flour and stir and cook about 1 minute and slowly add 4 cups of warm chicken broth stirring constantly, when smooth I add potatoes...russets, about 4 big ones peeled and cut up fairly small. Add a couple of teaspoons of worchestershire and simmer, uncovereed for about 30 minutes until the potatoes are well done, add about 2 T fresh parsley chopped, and 2 cups whole milk...or half and half.....and a 3 oz package of cream cheese cut into bits....and heat until the cream cheese is melted and smooth.
If you want to hit it with the stick blender, now is the time.....but I like a few bits and pieces.
Heat to serving temp...DO NOT BOIL!!...add salt and lots of black pepper to taste and chopped chives or green onion tops to garnish. Dill weed is good too.
Serve and enjoy!

Thanks Lindac. Your way sounds really good. I'll let you know what happens!

WHAT? NO BACON ?

my, my, my, my, my

Don't worry lbpod--there will be bacon! haha Can you believe my husband doesn't like bacon??! It will be on the side and the rest of us will stir it in our individual bowls

Leave it mushy and call it vichyssoise, they'll never know the difference. :)

Seriously though, I don't know why your potatoes are falling apart if you've tried red ones; usually they hold their shape better than russet. Maybe it's the length of time cooking? I don't know that mushy is a bad thing, though, for potato soup.

Anyway, here is how I make it. No set amounts for anything, and it's very simple due to various family members objecting to various ingredients. lol. My extremely picky 8-year-old loves this. By the way, I usually use yellow potatoes because that's what I keep on hand (since they are pretty multi-purpose).

Slice a couple of leeks (white part). Saute in 1-2 tbsp of butter in a pressure cooker, or regular pot if you prefer. Add a couple lbs potatoes, peeled and cut up. Pour in a box of chicken broth (or your own). Add water to cover the potatoes by an inch or so. Salt and pepper to taste. Pressure cook for 10 min, or regular cook for however long it takes potatoes to get soft. Mash a bit with a potato masher. Serve hot with desired toppings.

Note: I used a stick blender on it once but most of the family preferred the texture with the potato masher. Also you can add some milk at the end to make it creamy, but I started leaving it out at DH's request and it's good that way too. We like to add cheese, plain yogurt (or sour cream), and sometimes broccoli at the table.

Dear Luvscritters,. . . WHEW !!! That is a load off
my mind. I can't imagine anyone making potato zoup
without bacon. I crisp my bacon in the same pot
I'm going to make the zoup in. Then remove just
the crispy bacon, and continue the zoup making process.
As usual, I don't eat zoup, or any simmered sauces,
on the same day. All such things need to rest overnight,
so the flavors meld and the spices have a chance to
'bloom'. Of course, after it comes off the stove,
I allow it to come up to room temp. before I refrigerate
it. But the next day, I take off 'some' of the bad, bad
fat that has congealed on the surface. Zoop is GOOD STUFF!!!
By da wee, I loves critters too, (two cats
and one dog, plus all the spiders in my shed),
I loves spiders, as they are soooo kewl.

lbpod--I think we were separated at birth! My family thinks I've totally lost it because when I see a bug or spider in the house I just ignore it and let it continue to live it's bug life.
Thanks for the soup help, sista!

Iput celery,onions in panfry in butter tillsoft,make a rue,slowly add milk,I use wholemilk,it also helps if milk is warm,add slowly a little at a time,in a seperate pan I simmer chopped potatoes,after the milk thickens I add parsley,potatoes.mmm you can add instant potatoes ,my recipe says but I dont need them.

Luvscritters, I too leave spiders alone. The fact
that they are there, means they have something to
eat, and what do they eat?. . . BUGS. When there
are no more bugs to eat, they will go somewhere elso.
They are like tiny Andrew Zimmers,(sp?).

bacon? I sautee the veggies at the beginning (like Linda) in bacon grease. Bacon and potatoes go together. mmm.

For several reasons, I cook the soup and potatoes separately.

In one pot, I boil my potatoes in water or chicken stock until they're just done.

In a secondd pot, I saute my onions, celery, carrots, peppers and ham (if I'm using it) in butter. Stir in some flour, cook a minute or two, gradually stir in milk and chicken broth. Cook, stirring until soup thickens. Season with herbs or cheese, or add bacon. Then I add potatoes to just the servings we'll be eating.

Not only do the potatoes keep their shape, but if there's leftover soup, you can freeze it (you don't want to freeze soup with potatoes in it--talk about wallpaper paste!). Works for us, we don't like the soup blended, we prefer the potatoes to look like cubes of potatoes.

My mother's recipe was an old one from her cookbook, The Way to a Man's Heart, The Settlement Cookbook. I will look it up and post it. It doesn't have the mushy problem.