Loaded Potato And Green Chile Soup

Ingredients

•2 cups peeled and diced potatoes

•¼ cup of finely diced celery. Use less if you don’t like celery OR substitute 1/8 teaspoon of celery seed)

•¼ cup finely chopped onion

•1/3 cup cooked, crumbled bacon

•1/3 cup chopped, roasted green chile OR 1-2 tablespoons of powdered green chile. Adjust the chile to taste. Use a heat level of chile that you know you enjoy.

•1 ¾ cup water. You may need to add a bit more water (or chicken broth) to get the consistency that you like.

•1 tablespoon chicken bouillon granules. A can of chicken broth will work as a substitute for the water/bouillon. You could also substitute vegetable broth if you are vegetarian and skipped the ham/bacon component.

•¼ teaspoon salt (less if you are cutting sodium)

•¼ teaspoon ground white OR black pepper (less if you aren’t a pepper fan)

•2 ½ tablespoons butter

•2 ½ tablespoons all-purpose flour

•1 cup milk

•Optional: ¼ cup shredded cheese to put on top of the soup as a garnish prior to serving. I prefer a sharp cheddar.

Directions

Combine the potatoes, celery, onion, bacon, green chile, and water in a stockpot. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium and continue cooking until the potatoes are tender. It usually takes about 10-15 minutes. Stir in the chicken bouillon, salt, and pepper.

If you opt to use broth instead of bouillon, then you will boil/heat the ingredients in the broth instead of water/bouillon combo.

Melt the butter over medium-low heat in a separate saucepan. Whisk in flour and cook, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens. Slowly whisk in milk, stirring constantly to prevent lumps from forming. Stir over medium-low heat until it thickens. Approximately 4-5 minutes.

Add the milk mixture to the stockpot and cook until it is thoroughly heated. I cook it at a lower heat for longer to get the potatoes to break down a little, because I like a creamier texture. For people who prefer broth soups, cook until everything is well combined and the potatoes are tender.

Top with cheese if you want. Serve immediately.