Potato Soup

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound bacon
• 2 cups red onion, diced
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh garlic
• 1 1/2 pound potatoes (I used red potatoes) peeled and quartered
• 1 large can (49 ounces) chicken stock (or 6+ cups)
• Kosher salt
• Pepper
• 1/3 cup chopped parsley
• 2 cups grated cheddar cheese

Directions

Cook bacon until it is browned and crispy. Remove the bacon strips and crumble when cool. Reserve 2 tablespoons of bacon drippings. Add onions and sweat over medium heat until translucent (about 15 minutes) Add garlic and cook an additional 1 minute Add chicken stock and potatoes Cover and simmer gently, about 40 minutes

Remove from heat. Remove 1/3 of the cooked potatoes and set aside in a bowl Using an immersion blender (I don't have one), or in batches in a food processor (no, not one of those either) or a hand mixer (BINGO!) puree the soup until smooth. Add cheddar cheese and parsley. Add salt and fresh ground pepper to taste. Return reserved potatoes. Simmer until ready to serve. Serve with a crusty bread.