Bacon and Cheddar Potato Soup

Spring may be just a few weeks away but I'm still bundled up in layers and living that all soup, all the time lifestyle. I actually love soup year round but diving into a hot bowl of it when I get home from the cold is just pure comfort.

I have quite a few soups in my repertoire and I love them all. But last week I was looking through my recipes for something potato based and extra cheesy and realized I had a hole in my soup menu. Not to worry, though, because that is easily remedied.

This soup is very easy to make and extra easy to eat. No veggies in this one, except the onions and potatoes but I'm not really counting those. Nope, this is just a whole lotta potatoes and a whole lotta cheese. The bacon is optional but, is it really? It adds such a good salty crunch that I can't see omitting it. And although I like the flavor that chicken stock adds to recipes, you can easily use vegetable stock (and no bacon) to keep it vegetarian. If we must winter for a few more weeks, we should do it while eating this soup. Enjoy!

Yield: 6-8 Servings

Author: Anita Schecter

Bacon and Cheddar Potato Soup

Prep time: 25 MinCook time: 30 MinTotal time: 55 Min

Recipe for a creamy soup made with potatoes, chicken stock, milk and cheddar cheese, served with crispy bacon.

Ingredients

• 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 Onion, peeled and diced
• 1 Clove garlic, peeled and minced
• 3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 5 Cups chicken stock
• 4 Large potatoes
• 2 Cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 Teaspoon salt
• 1/4 Teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 Cup milk

Instructions

1. Melt the butter in a large soup pot and add the diced onion. Cook on medium heat for about 10 minutes until the onion softens and becomes translucent. Add the minced garlic and continue cooking for an additional minute.
2. Stir in the flour until the vegetables are fully coated and then slowly add in the stock.
3. Peel the potatoes and cut into bite size pieces. Add to the stock and season with the salt and ground black pepper.
4. Cover, reduce the heat to low and cook for 20 to 25 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.
5. Ladle about half the soup to a separate pot and blend the remaining soup with a stick blender. You can also use a regular blender. Return the remaining half to the pot and stir in the shredded cheddar cheese and the milk. Serve with extra shredded cheese and crispy cooked bacon crumbled over the top.