Potato Soup
5 slices bacon, diced
3 tablespoons (reserved) bacon grease or butter
1 cup diced onion
4 cloves garlic minced
1/4 cup flour
2 cups chicken stock or vegetable stock
2 cups whole milk, warmed
1 1/5lbs pounds Yukon gold potatoes, diced
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tsp to taste
1/2 tsp pepper to taste
optional toppings:
thinly-sliced green onions or chives
extra shredded cheese, extra bacon, sour cream
Directions:
Ingredients:
Heat a large pot over medium-high heat. Add diced bacon and cook until crispy, stirring occasionally.
Transfer the bacon to a separate plate, using a slotted spoon, reserving about 3 tablespoons of bacon grease in the stockpot. (Discard any extra grease, or you can substitute butter in place of the 3 tablespoons of bacon grease.
Add onion and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft.
Stir in the garlic and sauté for an extra 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until fragrant.
Stir the flour into the mixture and sauté for an additional 1 minute to cook the flour, stirring occasionally.
Then stir in the stock until combined, followed by the milk and potatoes.
Continue cooking until the mixture just reaches a simmer, before it begins to boil. Then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for about 10-15 minutes or until the potatoes are soft, being sure to stir the soup every few minutes so that the bottom does not burn. (The smaller you dice your potatoes, the faster your soup will cook.)
Once the potatoes are nice and soft, stir in the cheddar cheese and sour cream, salt, pepper and cooked bacon bits. Taste and season with extra salt and pepper, if needed.
Serve warm, garnished with desired toppings