Cheddar Bacon Potato Soup

I have made many potato soups and burnt at least half of them! Usually you make the roux from flour and butter, add the milk, and then stir… and keep stirring for an hour until it thickens. Well, chasing after two wild and crazy boys doesn’t provide me the opportunity to stand at my stove and stir for an hour. So like I said before, I burn just about anything that involves a roux and milk! So when Justin picked this recipe out I was so excited to try it because it didn’t require the roux and milk, whoopee! It tasted just as good as any other potato soups I’ve made but it was SO much easier! We all already decided that we are having this for dinner again next week.

Ingredients
2 tablespoons butter
6 peeled and diced potatoes (around 2 1/2 cups worth)
3 cups chicken broth
1 cup half and half
1/2 cup chopped bacon
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions
In a large pot melt the butter. Stir in the potatoes and broth, bring to a boil, then cover, reduce heat and simmer 15 to 20 minutes, until potatoes are tender. That’s right… you can actually leave the stove for 20 minutes and go enjoy yourself!!

Use a potato masher to break up some of the chunks of potatoes. I wouldn’t suggest using a mixer because you don’t want a complete puree, you want some puree and some chunks. Stir in half and half, cheese, bacon, salt, and pepper; bring to a low boil and cook for 5 minutes (you will have to stir this time, sorry).

This soup did seem a bit thin the night I made it, but I’ve always thought potato soups taste better the second day. So I put it straight in my fridge and when I warmed it the next evening it was very thick and delicious!