Dandelions Hearty Bacon Potato Soup

Prep Time: 0 Minutes

Cook Time: 30 Minutes

Ready In: 30 Minutes

Servings: 10

I came up with this recipe after I made potato skins for the AFC Championship game. I used everything and the kitchen sink in it. It is rich a little goes a long way. Serve it with a mixed green salad and crusty bread. Read more . Enjoy!

Ingredients:

center sections from 10 baked potato skins + scooped potatoes (see instructions below)

1 lb diced cooked bacon bits

1 onion diced finely (1 c)

3 stalks finely diced celery (about 1 c)

1 bunch broccoli cut into florets (shocked) or 16 oz package of frozen florets (thawed)

1 qt whole milk

4-5 c chicken stock or water

2 t chicken base if using water (optional)

1 t kosher or sea salt + as needed for potatoes

1 t freshly grated black pepper + as needed for potatoes

12 t butter (1 1/2 sticks)

3/4 c ap flour

1 c sour cream or half and half (optional)

1 lb velveeta cheese diced into 1 inch cubes

3 t freshly chopped parsley

2 t freshly chopped green onions or chopped chives (optional)

shredded colby or cheddar cheese to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350*F. Lightly oil, salt and pepper ten medium Russet potatoes. Bake potatoes for 40 minutes, turn off oven and allow cooling. Slice each potato into 3 sections lengthwise. Scoop the pulp out of the two outside sections leaving 1/4 inch of potato lining the skin. After completion freeze the outside sections for Potato Skins. Mash and save the scooped pulp and set aside. Dice the remaining center sections in a 1/2 inch dice and set aside.
2. Separate the broccoli heads into small florets. Peel stems and dice into 1/2 inch pieces. Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil. Salt the water to taste. Boil broccoli for several minutes to tender crisp. Remove broccoli and shock in a ice water bath. This helps keep the color and fresh flavor.
3. Stack and slice the bacon lengthwise into two pieces. Cut bacon widthwise into small rectangles. Fry the bacon in a large heavy bottom soup pot. When the bacon bits are fully cooked remove them from the fat and drain on paper towels. Pour off most of the fat in the pot leaving about 1-2 tablespoons (save the fat for another purpose, may be frozen). Add the onions, 1 t salt and 1 t pepper to the pot and sweat until translucent over medium high heat stirring occasionally. Add the celery and 1/2 of the parsley cook until tender crisp.
4. Warm the chicken broth or chicken base and water if using in a small saucepan until base is dissolved. Melt the butter into the onion celery mixture. Add the flour to the pot and cook on medium heat for about 4 minutes to cook off the flour taste and brown ever so slightly. Add the chicken broth stirring constantly. Soup should thicken considerably as it heats. Add the milk slowly on low heat. After this point the soup must not come to a boil.
5. Add the mashed potatoes to the pot heat through. Add the broccoli, 1/2 of the bacon bits and cheese. Stir occasionally until cheese is completely melted. Stir in the sour cream/Half and Half, diced potatoes and remaining parsley warm through. Hold on low heat until serving time or refrigerate and reheat. Serve hot but not boiling, garnished with cheese, bacon bits, green onions or optional chives.
6. Notes: You can omit some of the fat, but it will not taste as rich.
7. Use 2 % milk no less.
8. The cheese and sour cream can be omitted completely.
9. Thin the soup if needed with additional chicken stock or water.
10. You can add Ham or Chicken to make this a stew.

By RecipeOfHealth.com