I Like to Cook. Sorry if You Don't.: Asparagus & Potato Soup

Today was... rainy, cold...ew. I'm sure everyone will agree, but I am just ready for summer. Sun. BBQ's. Flip flops. Music. Outdoors.. etc. etc. ETC! Ah well, in the meantime, I decided to make this soup to cheer myself up on this dreary day. There's nothing like a good soup to warm the soul. Unless you're my roomie, in which case it's not so much the temperature of the soup, but the spice that takes care of that. Right-o. :)

P.S. Get excited, because this post features a Sue and a guest photag! Oh yea, and a delicious soup!

P.P.S. I also got to use my immersion blender, the coolest kitchen tool this side of the Mississippi, which will brighten any day. (Ahmuuuricca)

Mmm! Don't you just want to curl your hands around it?

I love chicken noodle soup. I always find it somewhat lacking though, as far as the broth is concerned. "Hearty chicken noodle soup?" What a crock of BS. (Pun intended) I like a thicker broth, what can I say. I also LOOOVE me a good potato soup. Which seems natural since I love anything and everything that involves even a hint of potato. (I'm thinking about it right now and off the top of my head I really can't recall a potato that's ever done me wrong). So I combined the two and made some additions and substitutions. I liked the result. A lot. And that's the best part of cooking; combining good things to make even better things!

Soundtrack: 2562 - A la Adam (aka Sue). Apparently 2562 is this dude's name, and no, he's not in prison. He's Dutch!

One more note: I really dislike when soup recipes ask you to serve with "a piece of crusty bread." I don't want my food near a crusty anything. Bread + Soup = Match Made in Heaven. Add anything "Crusty" to that equation and you can count me out.

Recipe:

3 med chicken breast (amt can be adjusted; take it or leave it, really)

6 oz egg noodles

EVOO

2 cloves garlic; chopped

1 med onion; cut in quarters

32 oz (1 QT) stock (chicken or veg; have some extra handy)

1 lb asparagus; cut in thirds

3 med boiling potatoes; peeled and quartered

2 red bell peppers (or more); chopped

1/2 tbsp oregano

red pepper flakes (to taste)

1/4 c. milk

salt & pepper

To start, bring water to a boil for the noodles. Cook according to package directions.

Simultaneously, prep the chicken and the produce. Clean the fat off the chicken and cut into strips. Check out Sue performing this task below! Peel the potatoes and cut into quarters. Cut the ends off the asparagus and cut into thirds. Cut the onion into quarters and chop the garlic. This is where a good Sue really comes in handy; thanks Sue!

Ok, there's a bit of a glare here. I never claimed to have photo skills.
But here you can see Sue cutting that chicken! Go Sue, Go Sue, Go Sue!

Next step is to throw some EVOO in a 6 Quart pot. Turn the heat on to med-low and add the garlic and onion. Cook until the onion is soft, being careful not to burn the garlic. Now, add the broth and stir in the potatoes and asparagus. Bring to a boil and cook until the potatoes are soft enough that the can be pierced them with a fork, no sweat.

Meanwhile, drizzle a med frying pan with EVOO and add the chicken. Salt n Pepa to season. (You will have to return to this to flip/stir a few times. Just make sure it doesn't burn while you continue on with the soup!). Cook the chicken until there is no pink.

Once the potatoes are finished, turn off the heat. This is the BEST PART! Using an immersion blender (or really, if you don't have one, the annoying way to do this is to pour the soup into a blender or food processor. Or... my god, what did people do before these inventions? One wonders...) process the future-soup until it is totally pureed. You might need to add more broth (or water will work) at this point depending on the thickness and your preference. Add the oregano, red pepper, and pepper flakes; stir. Salt N Pepa to taste (Whatta man, whatta mannn). Add the chicken once it is cooked.

Bring the soup to a boil; reduce heat and simmer 10-20 minutes. Stir in milk and noodles. Serve hot (it's soup, so I really don't mean to insult your intelligence here, I just had to wrap up somehow).