Crisp Bacon & Potato Soup #SP5

Official Contest Entry: Simply Potatoes 5Fix. This easy soup when paired with fresh crusty bread and a salad easily holds it's own as a main dish. Perfect for those cold winter nights or when you need an easy meal in a hurry.

• Ready In: 30 mins
• Serves: 4
• Yields: 8 cups

Ingredients

• 20  ounces  Simply Potatoes Diced Potatoes with Onion
• 8  slices  apple-smoked bacon
• 1⁄2 cup  chopped fresh cilantro
• 6  cups  chicken stock
• 1⁄4 cup flour

Directions

1. In a large skillet fry the bacon crisp, remove and place on paper towels, pouring 1/2 the bacon fat off and St aside for rue later. Next, pour the bag of Simply Potatoes and onion into the skillet and brown cooking 1/2 way. Remove the potatoes and onion set aside. Replace the bacon fat you set aside earlier into the pan add the flour and make a paste, add the chicken stock and stir until it thickens.
2. In a large skillet fry the bacon crisp , remove the bacon and drain on paper towels and remove 1/2 the bacon fat and set aside later for rue.
3. In a 2 quart pan replace the bacon fat you set aside earlier, and add the flour, making a paste, add in the chicken stock to thicken the soup slightly stirring until all paste is dissolved into stock.
4. Pour the bag of Simply Potatoes with onion into the same skillet and brown cooking till tender, remove and set aside.
5. Pour into the stock potatoes and onion along with 4 slices of the Applewood bacon that has been crumbled and chopped celantro. Heat to a boil for 10 minutes then turn off turn off. Salt and pepper to taste.
6. Ladel into bowels crumble 1 slice of crisp Applewood bacon on top of each bowl garnish with a sprig of celantro.