Potato and Sausage Soup

Fall vegetables are great bases for hearty soups that can provide a week's worth of meals. This soup is particularly low-budget friendly and delicious. The ingredients are simple and basic staples which makes this a very low-maintenance meal. The flavors blend with time, so it's a great soup to make at the end of the weekend for easy dinners throughout the week.

Serves 2 hearty eaters, plus leftovers for 6 more modest bowls

Ingredients:

• 4 potatoes
• 1/2 cup cream (room temperature)
• 2 cups milk (room temperature)
• 1/2 small yellow onion
• 8 oz. ground pork 
• Dried thyme/rosemary, pepper, cayenne, salt
• Splash of hot sauce

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 450 F. Light coat each potato in olive oil, pierce with a fork a couple times each, then wrap individually in foil. Bake for 60 minutes. 
2. Meanwhile, heat a medium skillet to medium-high heat and add in the ground pork. Dice the onion and add to the skillet, stirring occasionally to ensure even browning. You want this pork to get nice and crispy so it's texture will stand up to the soup. Season the pork with thyme, rosemary, coriander, pepper/salt, and a pinch of cayenne.
3. Once the potatoes are done, unwrap each potato and slice in half lengthwise. Using a large spoon, scoop out the potato into a large pot. Add the cream, milk, and hot sauce. For a smooth soup, use an immersion blender to puree the potato. Otherwise, you can use a whisk to break up the potato into the soup. Turn the heat to medium-low and stir in the cooked pork and cook until the soup thickens and is heated through, about 25-30 minutes. 
4. Serve hot!

Enjoy!

This soup is a meal in itself, but if you need some greens add chopped fresh spinach  to your bowl before ladling in the soup.