Farmer Sausage and Potato Soup (and BONUS Cheese and Herb Biscuits)

Does anyone else feel that the season of fall screams comfort? With the weather starting to get cooler and the days getting shorter, it draws everyone indoors seeking warmth and comfort. Candles, sweaters, blankets, (oh my!) and SOUP! I love a good hearty soup in the fall. This potato soup originally just called for bacon, but we had some farmer sausage in the fridge, so I just had to add it in! Good.Decision. The smokiness of the bacon and sausage infuse the soup with flavour in every bite and the creamy texture of the potatoes brings happiness to my soul. This is the ultimate comfort food. We had fun adding different toppings like sour cream, shredded cheese, green onions, and believe it or not, CILANTRO! I never would have to thought to add cilantro to a potato soup, but I am sure glad I did! A little bite of this... a little bite of that. I think the best part of this recipe is that it's made in the Instant Pot; I literally threw it together in 30 minutes and only 1 pot and a couple cutting boards were dirty! Easy clean up!

I had made cheese biscuits with my Home Ec students earlier that day, which made the perfect dipper for my soup. You can enjoy BOTH recipes below:

Farmer Sausage and Potato Soup:

Ingredients:

1/2 lb bacon, chopped

1/2 medium size sweet onion, chopped

3 Tbsp flour

4 cups chicken broth (low sodium)

6 red potatoes, quartered

1 small link farmer sausage, chopped into bite size pieces

2 cups frozen corn

2 cups milk

1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Salt and Pepper to taste

Toppings:

Sour cream

Shredded cheese

Green onion, chopped

Cilantro, chopped

Instructions:

1. Preheat your Instant Pot to saute (it will say "Hot" when it's ready). Cook the bacon until crispy, 7-8 minutes. Remove bacon and set aside. Add the onion and cook until soft and translucent. Add the flour and whisk until combined.

2. Slowly add in the chicken broth, whisking to combine. Add the potatoes and farmer sausage. Close and lock the lid and set the valve to "seal." Press "pressure cook" or "manual" and set the timer for 15 minutes.

3. Once the timer goes off, do a quick pressure release. Mash the potatoes to your desired consistency. Add the corn and then stir in the milk and cheese until combined. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Crumble the bacon on top and add any other desired toppings.

Note: You could also do this recipe in a slow cooker or with the slow cook function on the Instant Pot. Follow steps 1-2 and cook on low for 5-6 hours or on high for 3-4. Then follow steps 3-4.

Cheese Biscuits:

Ingredients:

2 cup flour

1 Tbsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

Pinch of cayenne pepper

1/3 cup cold butter

1 cup cheddar cheese, grated

1/3 cup parmesan cheese, grated

2 tsp chives, dill, or other desired herb

2 eggs

3/4 cup cold milk (+/- a couple Tbsp depending on consistency of your dough)

1 Tbsp Dijon mustard

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400. Line a cookie tray with foil and spray with Pam.

2. In a large bowl, sift the dry ingredients. With a pastry blender, cut butter into dry ingredients. Add the grated cheeses and herbs to the dry ingredients.

3. In a small bowl, whisk the egg, milk, and mustard. Add the milk slowly to the dry ingredients. Use a fork to gently stir in the milk mixture until it forms a soft dough. If the dough is too dry, add a small amount of milk until the dough is easy to scoop.

4. Using two large spoons, drop dough onto the cookie sheet, leaving plenty of room between each biscuit. Makes ~12 large biscuits.

5. Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until golden brown.