Skin-On Potato Soup

by Steven Hicks

This is a hearty soup for a cold winter evening.  The potato skins add color, flavor and they're nutritious!  The secret ingredient is the sour cream added at the very last.

• 4-5 medium red potatoes, washed and diced into 1/2" cubes
• 8 slices bacon, fried crisp, drained and crumbled
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 2  10-3/4 oz cans condensed cream of chicken soup
• 1-3/4 cups milk
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1 cup sour cream
• 3-4 springs fresh parsley, chopped

Simmer diced potatoes in enough water to cover until barely tender (about 15 minutes).  Fry bacon, drain, crumble and set aside.  Sauté onion and celery for a few minutes in a little of the leftover bacon grease.  Heat cream of chicken soup and milk in crock pot and gently stir (or use a large covered stock pot on the stove).   Drain water from potatoes and add them to the soup mixture.  Add onions, celery, salt, pepper and chopped parsley.   Finally, stir in the crumbled bacon.  Set crock pot to low and simmer for 1-2 hours to thoroughly blend flavors.  Stir in sour cream about 20 minutes before serving.  If using the stove top, use very low heat and do not allow the soup to boil, otherwise the sour cream will "break".   Garnish bowls of soup with a sprig of fresh parsley.  This is definitely a chunky soup;  it's almost potato stew.   Served with a salad and freshly baked bread, this soup makes a complete meal.

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