Potato Soup and the Ritual of Bread

When the air cools and the evenings stretch longer, we start making soup again. This recipe has been our family favorite for years — the one we turn to on tired days and slow weekends. It’s warm, filling, and never lets us down, we even sometimes put bacon in when we get fancy, lol.

We use The Recipe Critic’s Slow Cooker Loaded Baked Potato Soup as our base. Over time, it’s become our own version. I add a sprinkle of hot pepper flakes and a little chopped garlic while it cooks, just enough to deepen the flavor. The house smells like comfort for hours.

We usually serve it with bread — though my bread doesn’t always turn out the way I hope. Even in the bread machine, I’m still learning. Sometimes it’s perfect, sometimes it’s dense and funny looking, but it always fills the kitchen with warmth.

There’s something grounding about these kinds of recipes. The ones you can make almost by heart, the ones that bring everyone to the table. I light a candle while it cooks, open a window to let the scent drift out, and remind myself that simple food is a kind of magic.

If you have bread-making tips, I’d love to hear them. This is the season for sharing what we know and what we love — even if it’s still a little imperfect.