Recipe of the Week; CHEDDAR AND BACON POTATO SOUP

I initially got the idea for this soup by watching Quick Fix Meals With Robin Miller on the Food Network.

The idea is so simple, but it just didn't have a depth of flavor and texture that I look for in a homemade soup, so naturally I had to tweak it ever-so-slightly to make it more my own.

I'm a BIG fan of soups- they're especially great to slow-cook in the winter months, and usually my favorite soups can be whipped up (this one certainly can, you'll see!) with stuff I usually have on hand. Soups are a great use up for leftovers and fridge-cleaning day!

Ms. Miller's recipe didn't call for bacon, and her recipe calls for 1 teaspoon of dry mustard, which I've totally emitted from my version, mainly because I rarely have dry mustard in my pantry! It might add an extra level of flavor, however, so if you've got it- sprinkle it in!

INGREDIENTS

1 pound bacon, cut into bite size pieces

1 cup diced onion

1 cup diced celery

6 cups chicken broth

2 1/2 cups leftover mashed potatoes

8 oz. shredded cheddar, plus more for garnish

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon black or white ground pepper

chopped scallions or chives, for garnish (if desired)

Start by frying bacon in a large stock pot or Dutch oven. When fully cooked, but not overcooked, remove bacon from pot and set aside, allowing to drain on paper towels. Discard all but about three tablespoons of the bacon drippings.

Add onion and celery to pot and saute for about 2 to 3 minutes, or until they start to soften. Add chicken stock and mashed potatoes and bring to a simmer.

Return about one-third of the cooked bacon to the soup pot. Using an immersion (hand) blender, puree soup until smooth. If you do not have a hand blender, you can work in small batches and puree the soup in a regular blender a little at a time.

Add cheese, another one-third of the bacon, salt and pepper to the pot, stir to combine to allow cheese to melt.

When serving, garnish with additional cheese and bacon, and chopped scallions if desired.

** If you prefer a thicker soup, you could mix in a tablespoon or two of instant mashed potato flakes. I did this the first time I made it because the soup was just a little too thin for my preference.