Leek and Potato Soup

Note from Lois:  I made this delicious recipe after the April 1 trick I played on my husband.  I told him there was a LEEK in the bathroom sink, but what he really heard was, "There's a LEAK in the bathroom sink!"   

By the way, in case you didn't realize it, you can find bacon in the grocery store without any nitrates now.

Recipe by Michelle Tankersley Haines - Used by permission

http://crunchyinthesuburbs.com/2013/11/08/leek-potato-soup/
1 lb. bacon, thinly sliced
3 leeks
3 lbs. potatoes, diced
1 quart chicken stock (homemade is best)
1 1/2 cups Half & Half (preferably organic)
salt & pepper
1 tsp. thyme
1 bay leaf
shredded cheddar cheese
sour cream
green onion

In a large soup pot, fry your bacon over medium heat until crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon to a bowl lined with paper towels to blot off the grease. Set aside.

Pour off all but 2 Tbsp. of the bacon drippings. Add your leeks to the pot and increase heat up to medium high. Season with salt, pepper, thyme and bay leaf. Stir and cook for about 2 to 3 minutes, or until the leeks are tender.

Add your diced potatoes to the pot, along with the chicken stock. You should have just enough stock to barely cover the potatoes. Bring to a boil, cover, and allow it to cook for about 20 minutes, or until the potatoes start to fall apart. Stir occasionally. You want the potatoes to start to break apart and thicken the stock.

Stir in your half and half. You may need a little more or a little less to your taste. Don’t add so much that the soup becomes runny, you want it to be rich and thick. Stir the bacon in, taste the soup and adjust the seasonings.

Garnish with shredded cheese, sour cream and chopped green onion.

*You can also use the bacon as a garnish, but I’ve discovered that when I serve it this way Hubby Dear takes all the bacon, so I stir it in so we all get a fair shot at it :)

* Please don’t use milk in this recipe and then say the soup tastes watery. Milk is just not the same. You need the cream. I sometimes use the cream from my raw milk if it is available, but in a pinch will get some organic half & half. And don’t talk to me about fat. The cream makes it rich and satisfying so you eat less. And milk fat is good fat. Don’t get me started. I won’t stop talking about that.