Creamy Potato Soup With Bacon

Total Time: 1 hr 40 mins Preparation Time: 40 mins Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• Servings: 10
• 4 cups potatoes, peeled, diced (1 inch)
• 2 cups potatoes, peeled, diced (1/4-1/2 inch)
• 1 lb bacon, sliced
• 2 cups onions, chopped
• 2 cups celery, chopped
• 2 -4 quarts water
• 1 tablespoon seasoning salt
• 1 tablespoon pepper
• 1/4 cup chicken soup base
• 2 fresh bay leaves
• 1 -2 pint heavy cream
• cornstarch, slurry (2 parts starch/1 part water)
• salt
• chives, chopped

Recipe

• 1 peel and chop potatoes; rinse and set aside to drain.
• 2 chop bacon slices into julienne strips; fry in a large stock pot until slightly crisp.
• 3 remove half of the cooked bacon bits and set aside.
• 4 add chopped onions and celery to remaining bacon bits and fat, cooking slowly until veggies are tender (10-20 minutes).
• 5 stir in potatoes and cover with water. add more water based on thickness desired.
• 6 add seasoning salt, pepper, soup base and bay leaves.
• 7 simmer until potatoes are tender.
• 8 slowly add slurry 1 tablespoon at a time to thicken to taste.
• 9 taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
• 10 remove bay leaves.
• 11 lower temperature; add cream based on taste preferences.
• 12 heat soup through and immediately remove from heat.
• 13 serve topped with remaining bacon bits and chives.