Potato & Pork Sausage Chowder

My family has a touch of carnivore in our genes and we love this traditional homemade potato soup with added crumbled pork sausage to satisfy our meat cravings!  It's easy to prepare and quite hearty, great with a salad, roll or served alone.  This soup is delicious without the sausage too. 

Potato & Pork Sausage Chowder

4 cups peeled, cubed potatoes
1 cup celery, sliced
1 c. onion, coarsely chopped
2 cups water
2 tsp. salt or to taste
1 cup half and half
1 cup whipping cream
4 tablespoons butter
1 tbsp dried parsley (optional)
1/2-1 tsp caraway seeds (to taste)
1/2 tsp pepper
16 oz. pork sausage cooked and crumbled

Combine potatoes, celery, onion, water and salt in large pan. Simmer about 20 minutes until potatoes are tender. While potatoes are cooking, cook, crumble and drain sausage. Set aside. Mash soup mixture several times, leaving some pieces whole. I have added left over mashed potatoes to make this even thicker and heartier and then not mashed the cubed potatoes. Stir in remaining ingredients. Continue cooking until thoroughly heated.

* I've made a low-calorie version of this as well by substituting butter flavor sprinkles for the butter, skim milk for the half and half and low-fat cream cheese for the whipping cream.  I heat the cream cheese a little so it's soft and blends into the liquid.  This helps thicken it up. 

I served this in one of my all time favorite transferware patterns, Byron by Spode. I'll be doing a tablescape with this soon and Ican't wait to share this pattern and the history of it with you.

Linking up with Tempt my Tummy Tuesday, Foodie Friday, Tasty Tuesday,  Finer Things Friday, and Ultimate Recipe Swap