I have had little excitement in the last three months.

But I will tell you this: today, I am very excited about the start of a whole new series.

The book is called Feeding a Broken Heart, a recipe collection that amounts to a million hugs.

As you know, after our lovely son Afton was born prematurely and passed away two and a half months ago, life has made me an expert at feeding broken hearts. In the first few weeks after losing Afton, I could not eat. We’re talking about going a long time without eating. I know. Me. Food for the girl. You can’t eat. It’s all wrong, but my heart is so heavy. I really can’t. Sometimes, I sit in front of me with a bowl of oatmeal, stirring, stirring, staring at it, but I can’t eat a bite. “You need to eat,” everyone told me, and I knew it was true. Food helps me recover physically and emotionally. But not even the silkiest pad Thai or the warmest gooey chocolate brownie could heal my broken heart. Food is a straightforward offense.

You have to understand that I’m usually a food-centric person. Skipping breakfast, forgetting lunch—who said these things? I always needed clarification.

But now I understand in my way. I became the opposite of hunger. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner would pass me by, wholly unnoticed or with some unseemly frustration: how was food supposed to attract me, but it wasn’t, and how could I expect to like anything now? My stomach was filled with heavy sadness, and my heart was somehow – still is – and always will be – broken to its core. At first, there was no place to eat in this sad house.

How to make Creamy Potato Soup (1 minute):

But do you know what happened?

The helper appeared. They started bringing us food.

When we can’t remember what we like to eat or how to pour cereal, our friends remind us how to eat. Sometimes, they bring us their favorite Pinch of Yum, sometimes they send us restaurant gift cards, and sometimes they introduce us to new recipes. Sometimes, they bring meals and stay to visit, and other times, they slip away quietly, leaving only a card, perhaps some flowers, and a large Pyrex container of soup.

For example, the most basic + delicious creamy potato soup. 👇

So before we talk about food, this series closely examines what it’s like to feed a broken heart, whether it belongs to you or someone you love. These recipes brought (well, are bringing) me back to life.

This series comes with a challenge: We want you to practice feeding a broken heart, whether it belongs to you or someone you love.

Join our mini-campaign:

• Think of all the broken-hearted people. I know. A lot of them. Loss, breakup, diagnosis, anything. Have you got it?
• Make them one of the particularly comforting recipes in this series—or any recipe will do. Get them a restaurant gift card. Bring them a chocolate bar. Use food to show you care.
• Share your love with the hashtag # feedingbreakkenheart. Preferably on Instagram, my online life 24 hours a day, 365 days, but anywhere will do. We’ll check them all.

If you’ve made this special basic + great creamy potato soup recipe, we’d love to cover it in this article. 🤗

It’s all right now—a little about this creamy potato soup.

It’s the epitome of back-to-basics comfort food. Serve with a slice of crusty white bread (I highly recommend not kneading bread), drizzle it with butter, sprinkle it with sea salt, and the long-lost appetite will return. Better yet, even if there is no appetite, this is a food you can eat without an appetite because it is mature and essential in the best way possible. No fancy flavors or toppings – just delicious potatoes, carrots, celery, Onions, and a few bites of bacon in a creamy homemade soup base.

I want to give a special thanks to my good friend Liz for introducing me to this simple and delicious soup. It’s become a staple in my kitchen, and I’m excited to share it with you.

1. Bacon preparation: Place the bacon on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Crush or cut into small pieces.
2. For the soup base: Melt the butter in a stockpot, add the soy oil, garlic, salt, and seasonings, and salt until tender. Add the flour and stir with the vegetables for a few minutes to cook off the taste. Add the milk a little at a time, stirring after each addition until smooth and creamy. The soup should be thick at first and thin at the end as you add milk. Add potatoes and chicken stock as needed to achieve the right consistency. For thick soups, you may only need a little broth.
3. Simmer time: Allow the soup to simmer for 30-40 minutes. The potato soup gets thicker and thicker as it is calmer and more relaxed. I like to wait until the potatoes are almost melted and slightly soft around the edges, then remove them from the heat. When ready to serve, crumble the bacon and stir it into the soup.