Creamy Potato-Cheddar Soup with Bacon

Creamy Potato Cheddar Soup with Bacon

Ingredients:

1-large white onion, chopped into small diced pieces

3-large baking potatoes, peeled and diced into bite size pieces, set aside in a bowl and cover with cold water to prevent browning.  (I like to use the baking potatoes because the larger size is easier to peel and you only have to peel 3 instead of 6-8 medium size potatoes)
2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

1 stick of butter

1 small clove garlic; minced

6 Tablespoons of flour

2 Cups Whole Milk
3 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese (tillamook)

cooked crispy bacon, diced (optional garnish)

fresh chives, snipped (optional garnish)

fresh parsley, chopped (optional garnish) 

Directions:

• In a large pot add 6 cups of water, to that add the chopped onion and the drained, diced potatoes. Bring to a boil and cook on medium heat until potatoes are fork tender.
• Once the potatoes are done, turn off the heat and do not drain the water, this is your soup base! Season the potato-onion soup base with the kosher salt and black pepper.
• In a medium sauce pan, on medium heat melt the stick of butter then add the minced garlic, stir for 30 seconds, add the 6 Tbls. of flour and whisk for 1-2 minutes (don't let the flour-butter mixture turn brown or burn, remove from heat if color is changing too fast). Whisk in the 2 cups of whole milk into your butter/flour combo, let it cook whisking constantly until it starts to thicken then add it to the large pot of potato-onion-water, turn the heat to Medium Low and stir the soup until it thickens, if it starts to boil, turn down the heat--do not burn the bottom of your soup. Once the soup is thickened, remove from heat.
• Next stir in the 3 cups of cheese, until melted. If the soup is too thick add more milk.

Serve the soup with diced bacon, chopped parsley and/or chives.

Let soup completely cool, before storing left overs in the fridge.  When re-heating soup the next day, add more milk to thin out and add more salt and pepper to taste.