comfort lunch: leek and potato soup with sweet potato sticks

A quick trip yesterday to see my mother, who is doing quite poorly. It was a joyous reunion of sorts, since I drove down with my daughter and granddaughter, and met my son from Dover, NH. , and sister from St. Louis in Cambridge, where my mother lives. Today, I'm sifting through the moments and pictures of yesterday and decided to make a light, but comforting lunch. A thoughtful day.

Leek and Potato Soup

2 cups cleaned, sliced leeks, white only

2 cups red-skinned potatoes, cubed, not peeled

chicken stock

1 T. fresh dill, chopped

Simmer the leeks and potatoes in the chicken stock ( to cover) . About halfway through, add the fresh (you can also use dried) dill.

When the potatoes and leeks are soft, turn off heat. Let sit about 15 minutes.

Using an immersion blender stick or blender, puree soup.

Add medium cream, a little at a time, or hot stock, if you don't want to use cream, until the soup has a nice not-too-thick or thin texture. Add salt and fresh pepper as you wish.

I've also used chives and/or thyme as the main herb, and both taste equally lovely.

Sweet Potato Sticks

Peel a large sweet potato and cut into thick slices.

Cut the slices into large matchsticks.

Drizzle olive oil on a toaster oven tray and add sweet potato sticks, turning them in the olive oil until they're coated. (You can also use your oven set at 375)

Cook at 350 for about 20 minutes, or until the sticks are softening.

Switch to the broil setting on the toaster oven, and broil until some of the sticks show browning. Remove, sprinkle with salt and pepper and minced fresh dill.