Warm pot of homemade potato soup is ultimate comfort food.

After a hectic day of being a working mother, I love to go home, change into my old baggy clothes with a nice warm pair of socks, curl up with a soft cozy blanket and eat a warm bowl of soup.

My favorite is potato soup.

Now don't get me wrong, the runny water-downed versions in a can are good if you're in a hurry -- but nothing beats homemade.

In the time that it takes to open a can, find a pot to dump the contents into, place it on the stove (or even to put it in a cup and into the microwave) to heat it up is just a waste of taste and time if you use this "cheater's version" recipe from my Aunt Sis.

Granted, this might take a little longer to do, but if you need to unwind, the time spent creating this colorful creation is worth it. (I think it has something to do with the chopping the vegetables with a large knife that helps ease the stress of the day!)

Melt half a stick of butter in a pot until it sizzles, then add one large chopped purple onion, two stalks of finely chopped celery (including the leaves), ¼ cup of chopped carrot, two teaspoons of garlic and one teaspoon of chicken bouillon and cook for about 10 minutes.

While that is cooking, put four tablespoons of flour, one tablespoon of black pepper, 1/2 cup of Half-and-Half and ¼ cup of water in a jar with a lid. Shake until mixed and pour into the pot when veggies are done cooking, making sure to stir constantly.

You will need to add up to three cups of milk to the mixture to get the consistency you want the soup to be.

Now add two to three cups of medium sized diced cooked potatoes to the liquid mixture.

(Now, if you really want to cheat time on this recipe, microwave (about 10 minutes) a frozen bag of diced Potato O'Brien hash brown potatoes from the grocery store and add them to the mixture. Tastes the same and if you get the right ones, there are little chopped up peppers to add even more color to the soup.)

I don't mention adding salt in this recipe because I let my family members salt their own soup.

When potatoes are warm, serve in bowls.

The best part of potato soup is the toppings you choose to crown it.

In my family we like chopped green onions, crumbled fresh cooked bacon, shredded cheese, oyster crackers and fried onions.

Remember, this is not diet food, it's comfort food at its best!

So, if you are watching your waistline, you might want to only eat one bowl -- if you can!