Simply Comforting Creamy Stuffed Potato Soup

Total Time: 50 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 24 ounces simply potatoes traditional mashed potatoes, heated and divided 1n half
• 4 slices bacon
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 sprig thyme
• 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
• 1/3 cup onion, diced
• 1/4 cup celery, diced
• 1/4 carrot, diced
• 1/4 cup red bell pepper, diced
• 2 cups chicken stock
• red pepper flakes, to taste
• fresh cracked black pepper
• salt, to taste
• 4 tablespoons shredded cheddar cheese
• 4 teaspoons green onions, sliced

Recipe

• 1 in a large pot brown the bacon till crisp.
• 2 remove bacon and set aside to cool.
• 3 discard all bacon fat but 1 tablespoon.
• 4 add butter to the remaining bacon fat to melt.
• 5 in the bacon fat over medium heat saute the bay leaf, thyme spring, garlic, onion, celery, carrots, and peppers till translucent.
• 6 add stock to the mirepoix and bring to a boil. reduce heat to simmer for 15 minutes.
• 7 add pepper flakes to taste.
• 8 remove and discard bay leaf and thyme spring.
• 9 meanwhile crumble the bacon strips.
• 10 whisk in 1/2 of the heated potatoes mix in well combined in the broth.
• 11 taste and season with lots of black pepper and salt to taste.
• 12 distribute the remaining 1/2 of heated potatoes into 4 bowls mounding in center.
• 13 pour soup over mounds of potatoes and top with cheese, bacon crumbles and sprinkle with green onions.
• 14 ahhh nothing like a comforting bowl.