Stews and Soups: Loaded Baked Potato Soup

Ingredients
12 thick slices bacon, chopped

2 yellow onions, diced
4 cloves garlic, diced
2 ribs celery, diced
4 spigs thyme, chopped
2 bay leaves
Salt to taste
4 medium potatoes, scrubbed and diced
3 cups of vegetable stock
1/3 cup unsalted butter
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
7 cups half and half
4 green onions, chopped
1 1/4 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions
Heat a large pot over medium heat.  Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium heat until browned. Leave bacon fat in the pot. Crumble, and set aside.

In a blender, combine 1 onion, 2 cloves of garlic, and 1 celery stalk to make a smooth paste. Set aside.

Add the paste, and saute over medium low heat, about 10 minutes.

Add 1/2 the potato, 2 sprigs of thyme, 1 bay leaf, and salt. Saute until tender and fragrant, about 10 minutes.

Stir in the vegetable stock, bring to a boil, and simmer uncovered until the potatoes are fork tender, about 20 minutes.

In a small pot add the butter and flour and cook on very low heat until pasty and blonde, about 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Whisk in a cup of the hot broth and then pour this mixture back into the larger stock pot. Simmer for a few minutes until the broth is thickened.

Roughly chop 1 onion, 2 cloves of garlic, and 1 celery stalk.  In another small pot combine the roughly chopped veggies, 1 bay leaf, and 2 sprigs of thyme (on the stem).  Do not allow half and half to bubble over. Strain the veggies and herbs out of the half and half, and pour the seasoned half and half into the larger pot.

Taste for salt and pepper. Adjust seasoning as necessary.

Finish with crumbled bacon, green onion, and grated cheddar cheese.