Awesome Potato Soup Name: Linda Radcliff Base: Fort Drum Recipe: Yield: 8 Servings INGREDIENTS • 4 cups peeled and diced potatoes • 1/2 cup diced celery • 2 finely chopped med size onions • 1 pkg bacon • 4 1/4 cups chicken stock (I used 4 ½ cups water & 4 ½ tsps chicken bouillon granules) • 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste • ½ tsp ground white or black pepper, or to taste • 5 tbsp bacon grease or butter • 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour • 2 cups milk DIRECTIONS 1. Cut up bacon into ½ inch pieces and fry. Drain off grease and set bacon and bacon grease aside. 2. Sautee onions and celery in about a tbsp of bacon grease until tender. 3. Combine the potatoes, celery, onion, ½ of the crumbled bacon and chicken stock in a stockpot. Bring to a boil, then cook over medium heat until potatoes are tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in salt and pepper. 4. In a separate saucepan heat 5 tbsps of bacon grease (or butter if you prefer) over medium-low heat. Whisk in flour with a fork, and cook, stirring constantly until thick, about 1 minute. Slowly stir in milk as not to allow lumps to form until all of the milk has been added. Continue stirring over medium-low heat until thick, 4 to 5 minutes. 5. Stir the milk mixture into the stockpot, and cook soup until heated through. Serve immediately. Top with shredded cheese, bacon crumbles, and chopped green onions or chives to your preference.