Soup Season Has Arrived!



So, I am a total lover of all things Fall. When I think of my perfect fall day it involves sunny but cool weather with a breeze just strong enough to blow some leaves around, hoodies, spiced candles, football on tv, maybe some corn hole in the backyard, crisp refreshing beer, some cozy baby cuddles, and fall food. I just love how food changes with seasons and in my family fall food means soups, stews, and chillis. YUM! I get so excited about trying new recipes that I have only a very select few that show up on a regular basis. As we get deeper into the fall season I thought I'd share one of my favorites. I hope you try it and it warms your belly and your heart the way it does mine. Maybe I'll share more as the season progresses!

I love to cook, and I wish I was decent and creating my own recipes, but I am no chef. I got this recipe from The Atlanta Journal and Constitution website. They feature restaurant recipes from time to time and I always find it fun to try to duplicate recipes or try recipes with a story behind them. This is Max and Erma's Potato, Cheese, and Bacon soup. I make a few very small changes to suit the tastes of my family.

First things first...and do not skip this step as it is the most important part of getting the most enjoyment out of cooking and eating this recipe.....

Open your windows to let the breeze in, turn on some football, light your favorite fall scented candle (I choose pumpkin spice) and crrrrrrrrraaaack a beer (wine or your favorite cocktail will work too). I think we are all aware of the benefits of drinking while cooking. (By the way, I believe beer goes well with every season, not just fall. But that's just my opinion.)

Per the recipe you will need the following:

4oz bacon, cut into 1/4 inch pieces. (I use the whole damn package for two reasons: 1. I love bacon and 2. Because I will most likely never use the rest of the package and it will end up rotten in my frig. I try to avoid this.)

1 small onion diced

1 1/2 ribs celery, cut into 1/4 inch pieces (I do use this, however I feel it is optional. I could take or leave celery and again, you are going to end up with almost an entire package of celery rotting in your frig)

1/2 cup all purpose flour

4 cups of chicken broth

3 cups peeled 1/2 inch potato cubes (about 2 potatoes)

1 cup half and half

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

1/4 tsp ground white pepper (please don't just use a half a teaspoon of black pepper and omit the white pepper. I believe that the white pepper is what makes this recipe special)

1 TBSP salt  (WATCH OUT here. This is a hell of a lot of salt, especially if you have added extra bacon. I LOVE salty food and this would be waaaaay too much salt for me. Taste the soup before you add the salt.)

1/4 pound sharp cheddar cheese grated (I always think it tastes better to buy the block of cheese and grate it yourself, but this is a pain the ass so you can make your own decision on that one.)

Chop all your stuff up first!

Place a heavy stockpot or Dutch oven over medium high heat and add diced bacon.

Cook stirring frequently, until bacon is brown, 5 to 7 minutes

Immediately add onions and celery and saute until soft and tender, about 5 minutes

Reduce heat to low and add flour to vegetables.

Cook over low heat for 5 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste.


Add chicken broth and potato cubes.

Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil.

Cover, reduce heat to medium and cook for 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender (if you have a baby handy, how is the time to enjoy your cozy baby cuddles. If not, go enjoy a game of cornhole.)

Cuddlicious

Add half-and-half, ground white and black pepper and salt and simmer for 5 minutes more

Stir in grated cheese until thoroughly melted.

Taste, adjust seasonings, and share!