Baked Potato Soup & Salad with Easy Buttermilk Garlic Dressing

I used to make Baked Potato Soup constantly when I was catering - lunch meetings for clients, or ladies luncheon showers.  It is so satisfying and filling - in a decadent sort of way.  It is definitely something fabulous to serve for a special occasion.  Therefore... it is not something that I make often.  It is just hard for me to serve for dinner during the week because it really has no nutritional value.  I'm not anti-potato/carb like many people are, I just like to have some sort of healthy balance to a meal.  But, it is such a yummy soup...

Which brings me to this salad.  I somehow feel better about serving this rich soup with a large platter of fresh greens and veggies in the form of a salad.  I modeled the dressing off of one of our favorite comfort food restaurants, Houston's.  The recipe is so easy - you probably have everything you need, (except buttermilk) and it takes seconds to stir together.  Again, I understand that a mayo/sour cream dressing topped salad isn't necessarily "health food" but it is fresh, homemade, crunchy and full of nutrients.

Emma decided that it was her "new favorite snack" - as she told Mike when he got home.  Of course, I think she was just dipping the chopped bacon in dressing, so who wouldn't like that?

Traditional Salad

4 cups of greens (I used romaine, arugula, shaved brussels sprouts, and red leaf)

carrots

cherry tomatoes

boiled egg, chopped

crispy bacon, chopped

Buttermilk Garlic Dressing

1/2 cup of sour cream

2/3 cup of mayo

1 clove of garlic, crushed/pressed

1/2 teaspoon of sea salt

1 teaspoon of paprika

1/2 teaspoon of cracked pepper

1 tablespoon of sugar

1/2 cup of buttermilk

3 green onions, minced

Whisk together sour cream and mayo.  Mince garlic finely, or push through a garlic press.  Add salt, paprika, pepper and sugar to the mixture.  Whisk in buttermilk.  Add green onions. Keep refrigerated.  

Baked Potato Soup


1 stick of butter
1/2 cup of flour
6 cups of whole milk
1 cup of half and half
salt & pepper
5 cups of red potatoes, 1/4 inch cubes

Cut potatoes into 1/4 inch cubes, then cook in salted water until tender - about 8 minutes.  Drain potatoes and set aside.

In a medium/large sauce pan, melt butter, then add flour over low heat and whisk until smooth.  Let the flour cook for just a minute - be careful not to burn!  Whisk in a cup or two of milk.  Whisk until smooth, then add in cream.  Bring the soup to a simmer, stirring constantly.  Add potatoes just before serving.  Keep the heat on low and be careful not to scorch the bottom.

Optional garnish :
smoked sausage, cubed & browned
cheddar cheese
bacon
green onions