Slow Simmered Creamy Potato and Bacon Soup

It was one of those rise and shine before the Rooster’s crow mornings. Outside the rain fell and I could hear it softly tapping on the window panes. The air was cold and crisp and clean. I love busy mornings – it gets my heart to pumping. I went through my check list. Lunch packed – check. Breakfast Blend coffee in the French Press – double-check. Creamy Potato and Bacon Soup simmering in the slow cooker – you bet. I could still smell the lingering scent of fried bacon. The whole of the kitchen smelled warm and inviting. I love the smell of bacon cooking, don’t you?

Just a few quick tips before we get into the recipe – white pepper is mild BUT a much finer grain of pepper, so a little quarter teaspoon goes a long way. Be sure to taste and adjust accordingly. Let your bacon crisp a bit before adding the onions – the onions are going to impart some liquid that will hinder the bacon’s ability to crisp if added too soon. Since I knew my soup was going to simmer in the pot for more than the recommended 7 hours, I cut my potatoes a bit larger than “diced” as the original recipe called for. I was afraid that if I cut the potatoes too small, they would fall apart. While you don’t want huge chunks of potato in a soup deemed “Creamy” you DO want some potatoes to be recognized as potatoes and not mushy stiff-stuff. Once the soup is finished, you can always break up any large chunks if you like. I didn’t find it necessary.

The final cooking time of 30 minutes for the soup to thicken is just the right amount of time to bake up some Buttery-Chive Crescent Rolls. It also give you a few minutes of down time to relax, kick off your shoes and settle in for the night. Savor the wonderful smoky aroma floating from your slow cooker, toss a salad and maybe pour a glass of wine. Before you know it, dinner is served.

Hubby isn’t a big soup eater. The fact that he complimented me on dinner and went back for seconds tells me this is one soup he really enjoyed. Besides the convenience of having a stress-free supper waiting at the end of the day is that my guys truly enjoyed this yummy soup. Gotta love cold nights if for no other reason that it brings out the best of soup makers in all of us.

Creamy Potato and Bacon Soup Slow Cooked
6 slices bacon, cut into pieces
1 onion, finely chopped
2 (14.5 ounce) cans Chicken broth
5 large potatoes, cut into 1 inch chunks
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/2 cup Wondra or all-purpose flour
2 cups half-and-half cream
1 (12 fluid ounce) can evaporated milk
1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
4 Tablespoons Chopped Red Bell Pepper, garnish
4 Tablespoons Chopped Green Onion, garnish

Lay strips of bacon in a stack, slice into pieces. Place in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Stir fry bacon until just beginning to brown. Add diced onions to the skillet and increase heat to medium-high. Continue to cook, stirring as needed, until the bacon is evenly browned and the onions are soft. Drain off excess grease.

While the onions and bacon are cooking, peel and dice potatoes. Set aside until ready to use.

Transfer the bacon and onion to a slow cooker. Add potatoes and stir to incorporate bacon-onion mixture with potatoes. Stir in chicken broth, salt, dill weed and white pepper. Cover and cook on LOW for about 7 hours. (Longer is fine, too).

In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, Half-and-Half and Evaporated Milk. Stir into the soup along with a teaspoon or so Garlic Powder. Increase slow cooker to HIGH and cook soup another 30 minutes uncovered. This will allow soup to thicken, taking on its creamy characteristics.

To serve, ladle soup into bowls, garnish with chopped bell pepper and green onion. Serve with crescent rolls, if desired.

Author: Rosemarie's Kitchen

I'm a wife, mother, grandmother and avid home cook.I believe in eating healthy whenever possible, while still managing to indulge in life's pleasures. View all posts by Rosemarie's Kitchen