Potato, Bacon, & Cheese Soup

This soup is the perfect cold weather soup. It is filled with chunks of potatoes, tiny stripes of bacon, and topped with melted gooey cheese! Basically it is comfort and warmth in a bowl. Make sure you check out the recipe below. I promise it is worth the little bit of prep that goes into this recipe! Happy 2015 by the way! I am back and sorry I was gone for the holidays but I was trying to be able to spend as much time as I could with friends and family this year. I am happy to be back though because it has been too long.

Potato, Bacon, & Cheese Soup:

Ingredients:

2 1/2 lbs. potatoes, peeled and diced into bite size pieces

1/2 package of uncooked bacon finely diced

1 medium onion diced

2 cloves minced garlic

8 cups milk

4 cups water

4 chicken bullion cubes

1 teaspoon black pepper and salt

3/4 cup salted butter

3/4 cup flour

1/4 bunch freshly chopped parsley

1 cup heavy cream

**For garnish: shredded cheese, bacon bits, and chopped green onions**

Directions:

In a sauté pan cook bacon until crisp.

Drain bacon grease and set bacon aside.

Saute onion and garlic in 2 tablespoons butter for about 5 minutes.

In a large stockpot add the sautéed garlic, onion, milk, water, bullion cubes, salt, and pepper.

Cook over medium-high heat until mixture is very hot, about 8 minutes stirring often.

Do not let t he mixture boil.

In a small saucepan melt remaining butter.

Add flour and mix well.

Cook over medium-low heat until mixture bubbles, stirring 2-3 minutes to make a roux.

While constantly stirring soup, add roux slowly until soup is thick and creamy, about 4 minutes.

Stir in parsley, potatoes, bacon, and heavy cream.

Garnish with cheese, bacon(if you have saved some for garnish), and green onions.

Serve hot!

*Serves 8

Lots of Love,  Natalie