Dairy Soup Solution

Whether you're thinking about Superbowl Sunday, a cure for January's bone chilling weather like  we've been experiencing  or what to do with a few left over baked potatoes, Dairymom Jonna  Schutte of Iowa has shared a perfect  solution with Chunky Baked Potato Chowder at
 Dairy Makes Sense.


Chunky Baked Potato Chowder

Ingredients

2 slices bacon
1 cup chopped onion (about 1)
1/2 cup chopped carrots (about 1)
1/2 cup chopped celery (about 2 stalks)
4 cups lowfat 1% milk
2 tablespoons flour
2 teaspoons paprika
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
3 Russet potatoes, baked and cut into bite sized pieces

Preparation

In a large skillet, cook bacon until crisp. Remove from pan, crumble and set aside. Add onion, carrot and celery to bacon drippings and sauté over medium heat until onions are soft (about 10 minutes).

Meanwhile, in a large pot over medium heat, whisk together milk, flour, paprika, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and stir for one minute. Reduce heat and slowly add in cheese, stir constantly until melted. Add cooked onions, carrots, celery, and potatoes; stir well. Heat until all ingredients are warm. Serve with a sprinkling of bacon crumbles.

Variation: For a thicker, creamier soup, puree 2 cups chowder in blender. Pour back into pot and stir thoroughly.