French Potato and Leek Soup

Ingredients:
3 medium-sized potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/8-inch thick
3 medium-sized leeks, washed thoroughly and sliced 1/8-inch thick (do not use the tough, dark green part), or 3 medium-sized yellow onions, thinly sliced.
3 10 3/4-oz. cans (about 4 1/2 c.) chicken broth
1 chicken-broth can of cold water
1/2 c. whipping cream (add up to an extra 1/2 c. milk if you like your soup thin), or half and half, or evaporated skim milk
2 tbsp. butter or margarine
2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper chopped chives
Ingredients:
Combine potatoes, leeks or onions, chicken broth, and water in a large heavy pot or saucepan and cover. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and simmer 35 to 45 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Without draining off broth, mash vegetables in the pan with a vegetable (potato) masher until they are fairly smooth. (If they will not mash easily, soup has not cooked long enough. Let it simmer 10 to 15 minutes longer.) Add cream (or half and half, or evaporated skim milk), butter (optional), salt, and pepper. Heat soup just to the boiling point. (Do not boil.) Sprinkle each serving with chives.