Creamy Potato Soup

Nothing is better on a rainy day than a bowl of hot soup and grilled cheese. My friend recently had her teeth pulled so she is not able to eat very much. It is all soft foods that she can gum and get down. So I have been experimenting with soups the past week. Most of us enjoyed the soup but there was a critic who felt like it needed more salt. If you want to add more salt to the recipe that is up to you; for the friend who wanted extra salt, she added it to her bowl.

Ingredients:

• coconut oil
• 6 slices of bacon
• 1 cup of diced onion
• 1/4 cup of flour
• 1/8 tsp of dried thyme
• 2 cups of low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 cups of milk, warmed
• 1.5 lbs of potatoes, peeled and cut into 1.5" pieces
• 1 cup shredded cheddar or colby jack cheese

OPTIONAL: green onion, bacon for topping, sour cream

Directions:

1. In a skillet; add the 1.5" cut potatoes, 1 tbsp of coconut oil, garlic, and thyme
2. Allow the potatoes to come to a boil and become tender; season with salt and pepper, mash the potatoes with a potato masher and place in a bowl on the side. Repeat with the second batch of potatoes.
3. In a soup pot add 1 tbsp of coconut oil and add the onion, thyme and saute until onion is soft, approximately 7 minutes.
4. Sprinkle the flour over the onion, and stir til combined.
5. Saute for an additional minute to cook the flour stirring occasionally. 
6. Stir in the chicken broth until combined.
7. Add the potatoes, milk, and cooked bacon bits and bring it to a boil.
8. Reduce the heat to low, and allow it to cook for 15-30 minutes. 
9. Stir in the cheddar cheese and season with salt and pepper
10. Serve while hot, garnish with cooked bacon, cheese, and green onion