Soup’s good with me all year around but it’s the general consensus that the cool evenings we are seeing here in Southeast Missouri, is calling for soups, stews, chili and the likes; comfort foods that stick to your ribs and warm your bones.

Potato Soup is one of my favorites. But don't let the fact that it's packed full of veggies fool you. It's also packed full of butter, bacon grease, and heavy cream. That's why it's so hearty, and not in a heart smart kind of way. It's by far not the healthiest soup you can eat.

It is however, one of the tastiest.

Hearty Potato Soup

• 5-6 medium size red potatoes, diced to 1” cubes
• 1 cup carrots, diced
• 1 cup celery, diced
• 4-6 cups of chicken broth or bouillon  
• 6 thick slices of bacon, diced
• 1 large onion, diced
• 2/3 cup butter
• 3/4 cup white flour
• 4 cups cream (I use Half and Half)
• 1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 3-4 green onions, finely diced
• Salt and pepper to taste

Place diced potatoes, carrots, and celery in the soup pot filling with water just over the top of the veggies and throw in 4-5 chicken bouillon cubes. (You can use 4-6 cups of chicken broth or stock if you like but the bouillon is convenient for me.  Bring to a boil and then reduce to a hard simmer.

While your veggies are cooking, fry the diced bacon in a skillet. Once the bacon browned, remove from skillet, leaving the grease in the pan.

Saute’ onion in the bacon grease until almost cooked.

Once veggies are tender, add onions, half the bacon, and two cups of cream to the veggie pot. Reduce heat to medium.

Add butter to skillet on medium heat. Once melted, add flour using a wire whisk, to make a thick roux. Cook one minute.

Using your wire whisk, blend in two cups of cream. At first this will look like milk gravy but the mixture will thicken fairly quickly. You’ll know it’s thick enough when it begins to pull away from the pan while whisking. Remove from heat.

Now, this step is us to you. If you like your soup chunky, skip it. If you like creamier soups use a potato masher or stick blender to mash up some of the veggies in the soup. I just give it a couple of quick burst with a stick blender until the consistency looks right for my taste.

Once soup begins to thicken add a handful of green onions. Stir and reduce to low heat, allowing the flavors to marry, 30 minutes or so.

Salt and pepper, to taste.

Serve topped with bacon crumples, a dash of shredded cheese, and a few green onion pieces. Some people like a dollop of sour cream on top as well, but using Half and Half in this recipe makes it rich enough that the sour cream is not necessary for me.  

This soup freezes well and will keep well in the frig for several days.

Allow soup to cool completely, uncovered, before refrigerating or freezing. Covering cream soups while warm will turn them to a watery consistency.