Potato Soup Like Mom Made

 Let's start with the potato.  Look at these beauties, grown just 3o miles or so from our farm.  Bushmans' Potato, Rosholt, WI

https://www.facebook.com/Bushmans-Inc-152910724750193/

I baked 2 for supper, but 1 was enough for both of us.  I saved it for soup.

I also had some of my potatoes and onions that were sprouting - eeeekk - so I had to use them too.  

So, I cut up the reds and put them on to boil.  Once soft, I added the cooked left over potatoes.  Having the chunks of potatoes and mashed works well for thickening up the soup.  

While that was going, I cut up some bacon, not just any bacon, but world famous Nueske's Applewood Smoked bacon.  You know, all the food network stars use it.  Nueske's is in Wittenberg also about 20? miles from me.

  https://www.facebook.com/nueskesmeats

What could start out better than, potato and bacon - forget it!

Once cooked, reserve a portion for spinkling on top of soup.  To the bacon add a diced onion and 2 cloves of minced garlic, cook till soft.  With a slotted spoon, take bacon, onion, garlic mix out of pan and add to the kettle of potatoes in water.

In the fry pan with the bacon grease, add corn starch to make a rue.  The key to rue is to have about equal amounts fat to starch.  Stir over low heat until a paste forms.

Once a paste, add a liquid.  I used evaporated milk as that is what my mom used.  Stir into the rue gradually, stirring constantly to eliminate lumps.  

Dump the thickened mix into the kettle of potaotes.  Stir and heat through.  I also added some shredded cheese.

A little green onion.

And, there you have it.  So good!

Blessings from Ringle, Wisconsin.