A cold day in Ohio

Since the weather here in Ohio is seriously cold( I even wore a coat the other night when it fell below twenty degrees)I wanted to make a pot of soup and homemade bread for dinner today. The problem is that in my family, not everyone eats the same kinds of soup. Cindy likes Tomato , chili, black bean, and a few others but refuses to eat most chicken soups. Robby loves chicken soups but doesn't eat tomato, chili or black bean.Usually I just make two pots of soup at a time but today I figured that I would try a Potato soup recipe that is highly recommended on the Faith and Family site. This is how the recipe reads
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1 large onion, diced
6 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
3 cups water
1 cup diced celery
4 cups milk
2 cups mashed potatoes (prepared with milk and butter)
1 (12 ounce) can evaporated milk
salt and pepper to taste

In a large pan or Dutch oven, cook beef and onion over medium heat until browned. Add the cubed potatoes, water, and celery. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add milk, mashed potatoes, evaporated milk, salt and pepper. Heat through but do not boil.

Now this did sound like a good soup that perhaps everyone would eat but I had to make a few changes. here is the soup that I made

1 1/2 pounds ground sausage
a sprinkling of dehydrated onion
10 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
4 cups beef stock ( I cooked a roast the other day and saved the stock)
4 cups milk
2 cups mashed potatoes( Yukon Gold that were left over from dinner the other night)
1 (12 ounce) can evaporated milk
1 lb mild Cheddar cheese grated
Butter flavored popcorn salt,fresh ground pepper and parsley
In a large pan or Dutch oven, cook sausage and dehydrated onion over medium heat until browned. Add the cubed potatoes, stock & 1/2 spices. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Mix milk, mashed potatoes,cheese, evaporated milk, other half butter flavored popcorn salt, parsley, and pepper with a wisk until blended. add this to the pot. Heat through but do not boil.
Though we have not had dinner yet, it sure is looking and smelling good to me.
As the saying always goes.... A great cook never follows a recipe completely but always tweaks it ........... So does a terrible cook !
Here's hoping that I am the former !