Loaded Potato Soup

INGREDIENTS
2-3    medium russet potatoes 1 ½ pounds
1    tablespoon olive oil
2    slices bacon, halved
½   cup chopped white onion
3    cups low sodium chicken broth
½   cup sour cream
1    cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
½   teaspoon salt

METHOD

Peel and dice the potatoes to ½ inch, yielding about 3 cups. Set aside. Add the olive oil to a large sauce pan over medium-high heat and add the bacon. Cook until crisp, turning once, and remove to a paper towel to drain. When cool to the touch, crumble the bacon and set aside.

Add the onions to the sauce pan and cook until translucent, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the broth and the diced  potatoes, bring to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 10 to 12 minutes until the potatoes are tender. Remove from the heat and add the sour cream, cheddar cheese, salt and half of the crumbled bacon, stirring them until completely melted and absorbed.

Using batches if required, add the soup to a food processor or a blender and process to a puree. Serve in individual dishes garnished with crumbled bacon.

Modified from a recipe in Eating Well  magazine.