Garlic Soup

So this post is taken from my first cooking blog I started years ago. I tweaked the recipe a bit but stole the pictures from that post just because I liked them better than the ones I tried taking today. 

I first tried making this garlic soup (also called Cesnecka) when my husband got back from a trip to the Czech Republic. He had it while he was there and raved about it so of course I tried to replicate it. I remember the entire kitchen smelling like garlic when I first made it and thinking I did something wrong. That there was no way Greg would like anything that had THIS strong of a garlic flavor to it. But I was wrong - he said it was really good and after years of making it, it's actually one of my top favorite soups now! Honestly, my favorite part is the toasted bread that you toss in at the end. It's just mushy (which is actually a good thing) and buttery..and just amazing. Now, before I give the recipe - I will stay it's probably not the healthiest of soups. Depending on how much broth you use - it can be very high in sodium. For me with POTS (and usually having blood pressure that is too low), this isn't a problem for me but for other people you might want to add more water instead of broth. I do 3 cups 'beef' broth, 4 cups water. I would probably do half broth if it was just for myself - but since my hubby is eating it too, I try to cut back a little on the sodium. Just enough so it doesn't lose too much flavor.

Ingredients:
8 cups 'beef' broth (4 cups broth, 4 cups water - OR 3 cups broth if going lower-sodium)
6 cloves of garlic
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. marjoram
1 tsp. black pepper
2 Tbsp. vegan butter substitute
5 medium-large potatoes peeled and diced
1 Tbsp. parsley
slices of bread (1-2 per bowl of soup)

Directions:
1. Mash the garlic together with the salt.
2. Place the garlic/salt mixture in a large pot. Add broth and bring to a boil.
3. Reduce heat and let simmer.
4. Add potatoes, marjoram, pepper and butter. Stir.
5. Simmer uncovered until potatoes are tender.
6. Fry pieces of buttered bread and cut into squares.
7. Place 1-2 pieces worth of bread into hot bowl of soup.
8. Sprinkle with parsley.