Rustic Potato Soup with Cheddar and Green Onions

 

3

cups water

2

pounds unpeeled russet potatoes

2

cups fat-free (skim) milk

2

teaspoons margarine or butter

1/2

teaspoon salt

1/4

teaspoon pepper

16

medium green onions, finely chopped (1 cup)

1

cup shredded reduced-fat sharp Cheddar cheese (4 ounces)

• 1 Heat water to boiling in 4-quart Dutch oven. Meanwhile, cut potatoes into 1/2-inch cubes. Add potatoes to boiling water; return to boiling. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 5 to 7 minutes or until tender.
• 2 Drain potatoes well; reserve 2 cups potatoes. Place remaining potatoes (about 3 cups) in blender. Add 1 cup of the milk; cover and blend until smooth, adding additional milk if necessary. Return blended mixture to Dutch oven.
• 3 Add reserved 2 cups potatoes, remaining 1 cup milk, the margarine, salt, pepper, 3/4 cup of the onions and 3/4 cup of the cheese to saucepan. Cook over medium heat 5 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until soup is hot and cheese is melted.
• 4 To serve, spoon soup into 4 individual soup bowls. Top each with 1 tablespoon each of the remaining onions and cheese.