Pepper Jack Potato Soup

Thanks to Marci for sharing another great recipe! I really liked this one, so much that I didn't mind having it as leftovers the following night - and I rarely go for leftovers! Like Marci, I was pleasantly surprised at how creamy it turned out despite using fat-free evaporated milk. And the pepper jack added a little twist to the traditional potato soup, making this a perfect cold winter's night soup.

Recipe posted here as my adaptation (see the link to Marci's blog above for the original)

Ingredients

 3 strips of bacon (plus extra for garnish, so I used about 7)
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1/4 medium yellow onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, crushed 1 carrot, peeled and diced
1 green bell pepper, diced 1 red bell pepper, diced
1 1/2 cups chicken broth 2 cups cubed russet potatoes (about 4 or 5 medium sized)
1/4 cup butter
 1/4 cup flour
 1 (12 oz) can fat-free evaporated milk
 8 oz pepper jack cheese, shredded
 1/2 tsp. ground pepper
1/2 tsp. salt

 Directions

 1. Fry the bacon, crumble and set aside.

 2. Heat the oil in a soup pot on medium heat. Add onions, garlic, carrots, and the bell peppers; cook and stir just until the onions are soft. Add the broth and bring to a boil. Decrease the heat and simmer about 20 minutes, or until carrots are cooked.

 3. Meanwhile, boil the potatoes in a medium saucepan until they are just tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and add to the soup with bacon (reserving some to crumble on top). Wipe out the pan if necessary and use if for the next step.

 4. Melt the butter over low heat. Add the flour and turn the heat up slightly and whisk until the mixture is bubbly. Add the milk, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens. Add to the soup.

 5. Stir in the cheese and continue to cook until the cheese melts. Do not boil. Season with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls and serve with additional bacon garnish.