Joe's Cream of Potato Soup

WARNING: This soup is not for the faint of heart, nor is it good if you are dieting or watching you cholesterol intake! But I relish this soup... its rich creamy goodness and every ounce of fat that is within... who knew sauteing bacon in a stick of butter ( yes you heard me right) could create culinary cardiac arrest that will leave you grinning from ear to ear after one spoonful!


1 tea kettle plus 2 cups of water

2-3 pounds of potatoes with skins left on, cut into cubes, medium dice, somewhere around there.

1 chopped onion

3 cloves of Garlic

7 strips of bacon, cut up

1 stick of butter or margarine

2 cups chopped celery

3 Tablespoons Chicken Base

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper (optional, but, try it, it just adds a nice little bit of heat in the background)

1 tsp. Dill

Flour (to make a roux)

3 cups Milk, half and half or heavy cream

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Boil the potatoes and celery with the chicken base till potatoes are just tender. Meanwhile in another pan, melt your butter, put in the bacon and onion till bacon is crispy. During the last minute or 2 add your garlic and cook it, making sure the garlic does not burn. Add flour to this mixture to turn it into a roux for the soup. Temper some of the hot soup broth in with the roux mixture, then mix it into the soup. Add all the other spices at this point. then add in Milk, half and half or heavy cream one cup at the time, simmer till heated through and serve. Sprinkling cheddar cheese on top of this is pretty tasty, but honestly this soup on its own is just ... yum!