Roasted Red Pepper and Potato Soup

I stumbled across a recipe that my friend Erin of The Sisters' Cafe brought to cooking club years ago. I remember I loved it and filed it away to use later. Well, I made it tonight for dinner and it was even better than I remember. I had to make some changes when I found that I was out of coriander and forgot to purchase cilantro. I liked it so much I may just keep making it this way!

I thought that my kids might get kick out of the bread bowls. They did, but not enough to want to eat the soup. So I spent most of my dinner hour negotiating bites with both daughters. But that's really no different than any other night. Sigh. Bobby loved it, though. I REALLY loved it. I ate about three servings! Should have bought the 1/3-less fat variety of cream cheese!

Roasted Red Pepper and Potato Soup
adapted from Erin's recipe in the 2nd SAA cookbook

1/2 large onion, chopped
2 T oil
1 jar roasted red peppers (undrained, chopped)
1 T jarred jalapeno slices, minced
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp salt
(erin's recipe called for 1 tsp coriander, which I had to leave out)
5 diced peeled red potatoes
32 oz. chicken broth
2 T minced Italian parsley (recipe called for cilantro
1 T lemon juice
8 oz. cream cheese

Saute onions, roasted red peppers, chilies, cumin, (coriander), and salt in oil. Cook, and stir for 2 minutes. Stir in diced potatoes and broth. Birng to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Stir in parsley (or cilantro, if using) and lemon juice. Cool slightly. Put half of soup mixture in blender with all of the cream cheese. Blend until smooth. Return blended mixture back into the soup and reheat.