Yum! Soup Tonight?

Comfort food, for sure. With a grilled cheese sandwich? Double Yum!

It's chilly and damp here - soup weather! So, with a huge thank you nod to Simply Made Recipes for inspiration, I made something warm, yummy, and oh so comforting for dinner last night. I’m calling it Yum! Soup, a mixture of potatoes and a bunch of other things.

Why did I need comfort food? I wasn’t feeling well - I’m traveling in a week (to England) so, in preparation, I got four shots: Covid, Pneumonia, RSV, and Flu. Two in each arm. Maybe not the smartest thing, my aching arms and lungs complained. But well, what’s done is done.

So, when I got home, I searched online for the perfect base recipe to allow me to add to it what I have in the fridge. I had some peppered bacon - that was at the top of the add-me list - red pepper, broccoli, and more. Yum!

So, here you go. Yum Soup (or Peppered Bacon, Red Potato, Broccoli, Beer, and Cheese Soup, if you must). Curry and coconut milk could also be great with a little cilantro. Likewise, some chopped bok choy. But that will wait for another day.

What do you have hanging around that you’d add? Yum! Give it a try. And let me know what you think, please!

Yum! Soup

1# peppered bacon cut in small 1” pieces (the more bacon the better!)

3/4 onion (diced into small pieces)

1/2 cup diced red peppers

4-5 garlic cloves minced

1/4 C all purpose flour

2 C chicken broth

11 oz Corona Beer (and drink what’s leftover in the 12 oz bottle)

1 C whole milk

12 - 14 small red potatoes, quartered (not necessary to peel)

2 broccoli bunches divided into petite flowers and chopping the stems.

salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Cook the peppered bacon pieces to a crisp in a dutch oven. When ready, remove from pot and drain bacon on napkin.

2. Dice celery and potatoes (no need to peel either), and onion. Mince the red peppers and garlic cloves.

3. Saute the veggies in bacon grease on a medium-high heat in the pot. Stir and cook until onion is translucent. Add garlic cloves for the last minute or two.

4. Remove the sauteed veggies, drain and discard the bacon grease.

5. Put veggies back in the pot and sprinkle them with flour followed by the broth, beer, and milk. Stir well.

6. Bring to a boil. Add broccoli and make sure it and the potatoes are covered (add water, if necessary).

7. Reduce soup pot to a simmer. Cover pot (leave a crack to let steam escape) and simmer for 15 minutes or until the veggies are tender.

8. Add the cheese. Stir.

9. Ladle into your favorite bowl, salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy!