Broken Microwave = Mashed Potato Soup

So I have had a ziploc container of mashed potatoes leftover from Thanksgiving sitting in my fridge for a week now.  Normally, this would NEVER happen.  I LOVE mashed potatoes (besides the fact that on the Jones' family side, we only have mashed potatoes once a year at Thanksgiving).  The reason they were still there, however, is because on Black Friday, our microwave broke.

Long story.  Our oven thinks its the "smart oven" and turns off when the timer goes off, but what if I set the timer so I remembered to check on the food and wanted it to stay in longer??? So we don't use our oven timer.  Our microwave has a timer too, but you have to select "kitchen timer", and then put in the time so it doesn't just turn on the microwave.  I guess while I was getting ready for the play (we went to PCPA's The Wizard of Oz with the Jones' side of the family), my mom put the Papa Murphy's pizza in the oven and used the microwave timer, except just turned on the microwave on accident.  Apparently it made some funny noises, and the next day when I was trying to make bean dip to take to Cayucos, it would never heat them up.  We are now looking at new microwaves.
So that is how I got to thinking that maybe I could turn my mashed potatoes into potato soup, which I also love.  (You could probably also start with regular potatoes and boil them, or simmer them down in the crock pot).

Mashed Potato Soup

idea from baked potato soup from Eat At Home: Everyday food for busy people   

~40 oz left over mashed potatoes
1/2 chopped yellow onion
1/2 c. butter
3/4 c. (6 oz.) evaporated milk
3 c. milk
1/2 c. flour
salt & pepper to taste

optional additions/toppings:
3/4 bag frozen sweet white corn from Trader Joes
5 pieces chopped bacon
3 clumps steamed broccoli tops
grated Tillamook sharp cheddar cheese
1 bunch chopped green onions
sour cream

• Melt 2 Tbsp butter in a large saucepan.  

• Add onions and brown on medium heat.

• Turn the stove down to low and add the remaining 6 Tbsp butter, melting it.    

• Add 1/2 c. flour and stir in quickly so there are no lumps.  Cook for a minute, letting it warm but not boil.

• Add evaporated milk and stir in quickly (it gets pretty thick).  
• Add milk and stir in.  Turn heat to medium and let mixture warm, stirring frequently, but don't let it boil.  

• When it starts to bubble, add mashed potatoes.  Use a whisk to blend potatoes in and remove lumps.  

• While the soup is warming, this is the time to add any additions such as corn, broccoli, bacon, cheese, or clams.  Today I added sweet white corn.  

• After the soup is warm, start taste testing and add salt & pepper to taste

• Ladle into bowls and top with desired toppings!!!  Enjoy!

It is SO SMOOTH!!! Of course, I took a couple bites and decided to stir in my cheese (and add some more on top)!  Definitely better than Marie Callender's and Bear Creek Potato Soup.  I like it so much (and this made such a big pot) that I may "make" Tim eat this for lunch tomorrow, but maybe I'll serve it with hot dogs or something protein-y for him.

Modifications/Changes for next time:

• Next time I will probably not add evaporated milk, this time I just had it in my fridge from the Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes I made Monday, so I used it instead of throwing it away.  
• I may also add more milk, depending on how much potato I have and how soupy/rich you want your soup to be.  This was extremely rich!
• You could probably leave out the onion (or add more!), we just like onion and it happened to be already chopped and it adds some texture.  
• I'm not a clam chowder fan, but my mom suggested you could add clams and make it into homemade clam chowder (a tradition of my husband's family for Christmas Eve dinner).