Creamy Potato Soup

It is COLD outside!  All I want on nights like these is a bowl of something warm and comforting.  I found this potato soup recipe about a year ago and really enjoyed it.  Since then I have tweaked it to fit my cooking and our tastes.  Several of my friends have asked me to get the recipe on the blog, so here it is.

Creamy Potato Soup 
1 T + 1 tsp Bacon grease *
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 tsp minced garlic
3 T all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 14.5 oz cans chicken broth
3 or 4 Yukon Gold Potatoes, cubed**
1 C half-and-half cream


Extras
Hot Sauce
Shredded Cheese
Crumbled Bacon

Directions:

1.  Combine flour, salt, basil and pepper in small bowl and set to the side.

2.  Saute onion and garlic in bacon grease in large pan until onions are tender and almost translucent.

3.  Add flour mixture and stir well.  Let this cook for just a short amount of time until you have almost a 'nutty' aroma.

4.  Gradually add chicken broth stirring well to keep flour from clumping.

5.  Add cubed potatoes.

6.  Bring to a low boil.  Cover and boil for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are fork tender.

7.  Stir in half-and-half.

Top with shredded cheese and crumbled bacon for extra yummy flavor.  (Yeah, added fat, too.)  Serve it up and enjoy the warm, happy feeling in each bite.  My husband also likes to add some hot sauce to his bowl for an added 'kick'.

*Every time I cook bacon I save the drippings in a storage container and put it in the fridge.  It will keep forever and comes in handy when needed.  If you don't have some on reserve, just cook up about 3 or 4 slices and keep some of the grease.

** Peeled or un-peeled - it doesn't matter.  It depends on personal preference.  I usually leave mine un-peeled, but my potatoes weren't very pretty today.

If you fix this up for your family, let me know how you like it.  It's become a staple for us during the winter months - hopefully, it will for you too.