Wisconsin Bacon and Potato Cheese Soup Recipe

Progressive dinner in the hood and another HIT recipe!!!  The Dolalies made this delicious soup and I knew I needed the recipe to make the kids - it was SO yummy!!!

Ingredients

• 4 Tablespoons butter
• ½ cup baby carrots sliced
• 2 celery stalks sliced
• ⅓ cup chopped onion
• ⅓ cup red bell pepper diced
• ½ cup fresh sliced mushrooms
• 3 potatoes peeled and diced small
• 4½ cups chicken broth divided
• ¼ cup flour
• 2 cups half and half cream
• 10 strips of cooked bacon diced and divided
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1 teaspoon Frank's hot sauce
• ½ teaspoon garlic salt (could also use minced garlic)
• 1½ teaspoons salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• 2½ cups shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions

• In a large pan melt butter, and then add carrots, celery, onion, red bell pepper, and mushrooms. Cook over medium heat until tender.
• In another pan cook the diced potatoes in 1 1/2 cups chicken broth until tender. Then drain.
• Add the cooked potatoes to the cooked vegetable mixture. Stir in the 1/4 cup flour and coat all veggies.
• Then stir in 3 cups chicken broth, half and half. Cook over medium heat stirring until slightly thickened. Reduce heat and add in 3/4 cup of bacon bits, dry mustard, hot sauce, garlic salt, and salt & pepper.
• Then gradually stir in cheese stirring until melted. To avoid curdling, don't let the soup boil after the cheese has been added.
• Top each serving with the remaining bacon bits.