Yummy Potato soup and tomato Parmesan sauce

My brother owns his own house-dually financed by my mom- Jack, Brock and AJ live together in the bachelor pad. Yesterday I found out that every Thursday six of them get together and cook. Cook? One of my New Year's resolutions was to learn to cook and now my brother, boyfriend and his friends are beating me to it?!?! The first week they cooked sirloins on the grill wrapped in bacon (yum), this week was homade pizza (gotta get that recipe) and next week is homade pasta. So who is the mastermind behind all this- not the boys. Every week Kim my brother's best friends mom teaches Kris and then he teaches the boys. Gotta get me some of that!
Well- on my own here in NYC I am doing just fine. I learned to cook two scrumptious dinners in January.
(1) Potato Soup! Simi my German friend who also works for AIESEC taught me this awesome recipe. To feed 4-5 people you need- 3 big carrots, 3 leeks, a celery root the size of your fist, 3 big potatoes, parsley, a medium onion, half a stick of butter, sour cream and baby shrimp if you desire. You cut up the celery root, carrots and onion really small and simmer it with the butter in the pot. When it browns and smells really good you add the potatoes and leeks and fill up the pot with water to just cover all the veggies. Then you boil till the potatoes are getting soft, add the parsley and add sour cream. How much? It depends on the consistency you want. Finally you serve hot with baguette and a spoonful of cold sour cream in the middle. Yum!
(2) The best spaghetti sauce ever- Roasted Garlic Fettuccine Pomodoro! You take two cups of chopped fresh tomatoes or since it is winter you buy a can of Del Monte diced tomatoes with onions and garlic (seriously good). Add 1/4 cup of Italian salad dressing and 1/3 cup of grated Parmesan cheese to the tomatoes and serve. Yep- that's it. Serve over any pasta, roasted garlic fettuccine by Ronzoni tastes scrumptious.
Enjoy