Recipes:
## **Chunky Potato Soup**
**Serves 6**
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### **Ingredients**
* 4 tablespoons butter or margarine
* 5 medium russet potatoes, peeled, chopped
* 1 large onion, chopped
* 1 cup chopped celery
* 1/4 cup water
* 4 cups half-and-half
* 1 cup milk
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 2 teaspoons instant chicken bouillon
* 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
* 1 bay leaf
* 4 slices bacon, cooked, crumbled
* 2 tablespoons chopped chives
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### **Make Ahead**
You can fully prepare this soup **24 hours ahead**. Refrigerate until ready to reheat and serve.
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### **Variation**
For a low-fat version, use **1 cup fat-free sour cream** and **4 cups 1% milk** instead of the half-and-half and milk. Omit the bacon, too.
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### **Directions**
1. Melt butter in a pot over low heat. Add potatoes, onion and celery. Cook, stirring, until onion is tender. Add water; cook, covered, until potatoes are tender, about **10 minutes**.
2. Add half-and-half, milk, salt, bouillon, garlic powder and bay leaf to pot. Stir well. Turn heat to medium. Bring to a boil. Cover; reduce heat to low. Simmer for **30 minutes**.
3. Remove bay leaf. Pour half of soup into blender. Purée until smooth.
4. Return purée to pot. Stir well. Add bacon. Cook until heated through. Top with chives.
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### Make It Quicker
To shorten the vegetable cooking process in step 1, combine the ingredients in a microwave-safe bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave on HIGH for **4 to 5 minutes**, stirring once. When tender, transfer the mixture to a pot and continue with step 2.
