Potato Soup, aka Beckman comfort food

As I was trying to decide what to post for my second post this month I realized that I haven't posted my potato soup recipe so here it is.  This is my family's all time favorite comfort food and has been requested many, many times from family and friends.  I make it at least once a month during the winter, typically soup weather but have also made it in the summer, just because. Whenever anyone is sick instead of making chicken soup, this is my go to recipe.  It really is the ultimate comfort food especially when lots of cheese is added. As with all my recipes I add more vegetables than just potatoes.  Turnips, cauliflower, kohlrabi, sweet potatoes especially white sweet potatoes go great with any kind of white potato.  I really like the combination of several kinds of potatoes with the other veggies added.  I also add green onions, sweet peppers and sometimes kale.  Most of the time I don't add meat but at times have added bacon or ham and of course lots and lots of shredded cheese. My secret ingredient to thickening it is adding a few instant mashed potato flakes at a time at the end of cooking to get the desired thickness.  We like our potato soup really thick.
Here's the recipe:
Potato Soup

8 to 10 potatoes, peeled and chopped (don't have to peel new potatoes)
2 sweet potatoes
1 onion chopped
1/2 c chopped sweet peppers
1/2 to 1 c chopped turnips, kohlrabi or cauliflower (or any combination)
water to cover
1 t each seasoned salt and pepper
1/2 t turmeric
1/2 to 1 c milk
1/2 to 1 stick butter
about 1 c instant mashed potato flakes
1/2 to 1 c chopped kale
shredded cheese
cooked bacon, bacon bits or chopped ham if desired
1 T parsley
2 T sofrito
1 T minced garlic


Put chopped potatoes and veggies (except kale) in large pot and cover
with water, add seasoned salt, pepper, sofrito and garlic. Cover and
cook 20 minutes until potatoes are tender. Add kale and other
seasonings, butter and meat and cook another 10 minutes covered.
Thicken soup with instant mashed potato flakes, adding a little at a
time, add milk and cheese. Salt and pepper to taste, can also add
about 1 t onion powder and/or garlic powder and sour cream if desired.

Enjoy,
Bamah