Smashed Potato Chowder With Variations

Total Time: 59 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 29 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 3 1/2 lbs potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch cubes
• 3/4 cup sweet pepper (yellow or red chopped -1 medium)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons bottled minced roasted garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 5 cups chicken broth
• 8 slices bacon, crisp-cooked, drained, and coarsely chopped
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (8 ounces)
• 1/2 cup whipping cream or 1/2 cup half-and-half or 1/2 cup light cream
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced green onion (4)
• 1/2 cup sour cream

Recipe

• 1 in a 4-quart dutch oven combine potato, sweet pepper, garlic, and black pepper.
• 2 stir in broth.
• 3 bring to boiling; reduce heat.
• 4 simmer, covered, for 20 to 25 minutes or until potato is tender.
• 5 use a potato masher to mash potatoes slightly.
• 6 stir in bacon, 1-1/2 cups of the cheese, the whipping cream, and green onion; heat through.
• 7 to serve, ladle soup into bowls.
• 8 top each serving with sour cream and remaining cheese.
• 9 makes 8 main-dish servings.
• 10 variations:.
• 11 smashed potato chowder with ham:
• 12 prepare as above, except substitute 1-1/2 cups chopped, cooked ham for the bacon.
• 13 smashed potato chowder with beans:
• 14 prepare as above, except substitute shredded carrot for the sweet pepper. add one 15-ounce can cannellini ( kidney beans) or great northern beans, rinsed and drained, after mashing the potatoes. substitute 2 teaspoons dried dill for the green onion.