Spicy Sausage and Potato Soup

This recipe makes a soup very similar to Carolyn's potato and sausage soup. This recipe is a little more complicated than how she makes it, but since I can never get her to tell me exact amounts and because she makes it without a recipe, this is very helpful. This is my favorite kind of soup.

• 3 Tablespoons butter
  
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 cup chopped celery*
  
• 12-16 onces sausage**
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/2 cup chopped green onions
• 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
  
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil leafs
• 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 3 cans chicken broth (15 oz each?)
• 2-3 pounds baking potatoes, peeled and diced***
  
• 2 cups heavy cream (one container)

Boil potatoes peeled and diced potatoes until tender. Set aside.

In a large pot over medium-low heat, melt the butter. Add the onion, celery and diced sausage. Saute until the vegetables are tender and sausage is lightly browned.

Stir in the flour until smooth and well-blended. Stir in green onions, parley, basil, salt and pepper.

Continue cooking, stirring for 1 minute. Blend in the chicken broth. Add the diced cooked potatoes. Stir in the heavy cream and continue cooking until heated through.

*Celery is optional. If you do use it, chop it thinly so it can get tender. Big chunks stay crunchy.
** I like to use spicy (hot) sausage for half of it and regular or sage sausage for the other half. I use the tubes of sausage.
***I like to use red potatoes and leave the peels on (better nutritional value, less work).