Legendary potato soup

I have a couple of dishes that I consider to be my "signatures"... only because they are dishes that I can make without a recipe and can change easily depending on the ingredients I have on hand. One of these dishes is a simple Potato Soup.

When I first learned how to make potato soup, it was a vegetarian style (but I am no longer vegetarian). Here is my current recipe for potato soup:

Legendary Potato Soup

• 1 1/2 medium onion, diced
• 2-3 stalks celery, diced or sliced
• 10 russet potatoes, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, diced
• 4-6 cups water
• 4 beef bouillon cubes
• 2 cups milk
• Salt & Pepper to taste
• Desired toppings (i.e. bacon bits, cheese, parsley, etc.)  

Begin by sauteing your onion, celery, and garlic in some oil over medium high heat, until soft. Make sure to stir frequently. Approx 2-4 minutes.

After vegetables are finished, add potatoes, water, and bouillon cubes. You only need enough water to cover the potatoes, as well as desired consistency. Bring water to a boil, then simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. (I ususally press potatoes against side of pot to smash, creating a thicker consistency.)

Add milk and salt/pepper; continue to simmer another 10 minutes, until hot. 

Add desired toppings. This time, we used real bacon bits, parsley, and shredded colby-jack cheese.

This was Alex's "gourmet style potato soup": 

He stuffed in a cracker and added a TON of pepper... silly boy.

As I was sitting here eating this tonight, I thought this would be a great dish for picky eaters. Alex insisted on using his new vegetable dicer for all of the veggies, and I couldn't even tell there was celery in the soup. You could add a bunch of veggies in, and I really don't think a picky eater would notice! I might keep this in mind for the future, since Alex is one of those so-called picky eaters.

What are your favorite potato soup toppings? Or do you have your own go-to winter soup recipe? I'd love to know!