Potato Soup

Ingredients:

• 6 cups peeled and diced potatoes (about 5 medium potatoes)
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 ½ cups baby carrots, diced
• 1 cup bacon or ham, diced
• 2 (14.5 oz) cans chicken stock
• ⅓ cup butter or margarine
• ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
• 2 ½ cups milk
• Salt, Pepper, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Chili Powder

Directions:

1. Cook the chopped onions in a large stockpot with some oil until translucent.
2. Add diced potatoes, carrots, and meat into stockpot. Cover with chicken broth and season with salt and pepper.
3. Cover pot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat (5-10 minutes). Once it reaches a boil, reduce heat to medium and continue to cook about 15 - 20 minutes longer until potatoes are very soft.
4. In a separate saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add flour to make a roux and cook for 1 minute, stirring. Slowly add milk, whisking constantly. Add seasonings to this mixture until it has a strong and good taste. Continue to cook, stirring constantly until mixture begins lightly bubble and thicken.
5. Once potatoes are soft, add thickened milk mixture to potato soup mixture and stir (potatoes should start breaking down into soup, if not cook a few minutes longer).
6. Ladle soup into serving bowls, optionally top each serving with cheddar cheese and green onions.

Notes

• Unsweetened Soy milk works in place of normal milk. Unsweetened Almond milk works as well, but will take much longer to thicken.