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

Sauteed Garlic Bacon Brussel Sprouts

For all of my life I had been telling myself that I did not like brussel sprouts. Why? I really have no idea. I think because as a little kid that seems to be a vegetable that would taste nasty. Well, I decided that I am being stupid and you don't know if you like something until you try it. I had been told to try them at a restaurant first before trying to make them at home, so I decided what better place to try them for the first time than at Ruth Chris Steak House while on my recent trip to Chicago. They prepared theirs with bacon and as I have come to find out seems to be a very common and easy way to make them. So if you haven't already guessed it turns out they are actually very tasty and I was an idiot for not trying them sooner! Since then, I decided that I can make at home, so here is my recipe for Sautéed Garlic Bacon Brussel Sprouts.

Sautéed Garlic Bacon Brussel Sprouts:

 

Ingredients:

4 -5 cups brussel sprouts (cut in half and ends removed)

5 strips of bacon, cubed (unless you like a little more)

1 1/2 teaspoon of chopped garlic

1/4 cup water

Salt and Pepper to taste

 

Directions:

1. In a large pan over medium/high heat, cook your bacon until it starts to brown.

2. Add garlic to the bacon and cook for 1 minute.

3. Add brussel sprouts to pan and toss gently to coat them with bacon grease, allowing them to cook for 2- 4 minutes, stirring every minute to prevent burning.  

4. Pour water into the pan, cover and allow to cook until the water has evaporated.

- You want them to still be green but soft. I use a fork to test mine, if I can pierce them then they are done. If not I add a little more water and allow them to cook until soft and green. -

5. Lastly, add salt and pepper to taste and enjoy!

Lots of Love, Natalie