It’s easy and it’s good – and you probably have the ingredients on your pantry shelf and in the freezer, just waiting for that cold day when a bowl of hot, steaming soup will be just the thing.
Not just any soup, but this easy-to-make, good-tasting potato soup from Jennifer Kolb of New Salem Baptist Church in Sumter. The church is part of the Santee Association, where Richard Harris is the director of missions.
Currently without a permanent minister, the 315-member New Salem is being served by an interim, the Rev. Sim Smith. The church is more than a century old and supports the basic Southern Baptist programs, including Sunday School, missions programs, etc. – and it is the missions focus that Jennifer likes best.
For 25 years, Jennifer was in the office of First Baptist Church, Manning. During this time, the late Paul Sullivan was the pastor, and Jennifer says he was her mentor in faith, missions and other church experiences.
When her husband John retired, Jennifer also retired, but she soon found that retired life was not for her. She found a position at New Salem in 2005 and loves the congregation. Two years ago after John and Jennifer had been married for almost 50 years, he died suddenly. Jennifer continues to live in the family home and makes the 16-mile commute each day to New Salem.
Of the Kolbs’ four children – Terri, Richard, Russell and Greg – two of them and their families live nearby, and the other two are 10 minutes away. That’s a good thing, because the things Jennifer likes best are with the grandchildren, working in her yard, and missions work. She also collects angels and makes a good potato soup.
She says that peeled and finely chopped potatoes can be substituted for the frozen hash browns. Before serving, each bowl can be topped with a sprinkling of grated cheese. She usually serves her soup with saltines, but corn sticks or corn bread muffins would be good also. She says it’s even better reheated the next day.
Jennifer Kolb
By its very nature, potato soup is somewhat bland when compared with a ground beef-vegetable soup. Some recipes suggest that grated cheese, curry, grated carrots, minced bacon, or salt pork be added. The latter is fried, and the drippings are used to cook the onion before adding to the other ingredients. Then the bacon or salt pork is sprinkled on top to serve.
The next time the weather person predicts a cold day, head for your pantry and freezer for the ingredients for Jennifer’s soup. Make it, enjoy it, and save some of it to savor after church on a cold day for … Sunday Dinner.
Potato Soup
1 16-ounce bag frozen hash brown potatoes
1 14½-ounce can chicken broth
1 10¾-ounce can cream of chicken soup
1 10¾-ounce can cream of celery soup
1 cup chopped onion
2 cups water
2 cups milk
Combine potatoes, onion, chicken broth and water. Bring to a boil. Simmer for 30 minutes. Add the soups and the milk. Heat.