Ingredients
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1/2 cup chopped onion
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1/2 cup chopped celery
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8 tablespoons butter
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5 cups diced peeled potatoes
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2 (14 1/2 ounce) cans chicken broth
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12 ounces shredded sharp cheddar cheese
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1 pint whipping cream
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2 cups water
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3 ounces bacon bits (Hormel or Oscar Meyers)
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4 tablespoons flour
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1/2 teaspoon white pepper
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1 teaspoon paprika
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1 tablespoon dried parsley
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seasoned croutons, for garnish
Instructions
- Chop onions and celery, if using a food processor don’t chop these too fine.
- In a large saucepan, sauté onion and celery in 4 ounces of butter until tender.
- Add potatoes and broth, bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes till potatoes are tender.
- In a small skillet, melt remaining 4 ounces of butter, add flour to make roux, cook roux over low heat until yellow blond in color and set aside.
- To cooked potato and broth mixture, add water, cream and roux stirring continuously until mixture thickens.
- Stir in the cheese, bacon bits, parsley, pepper and paprika.
- Cook over low heat until the cheese is melted, stir continuously and remove from heat when cheese is melted.
- Garnish with croutons, if desired.