Creamy Potato Soup with Bacon and Cheese

**Ingredients:**

– 6 slices of bacon, chopped
– 1 medium onion, finely chopped
– 3 cloves garlic, minced
– 4 cups chicken broth
– 5 large potatoes, peeled and diced
– 1 cup heavy cream
– 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
– 2 tablespoons flour
– 2 tablespoons butter
– Salt and pepper to taste
– Fresh parsley, chopped for garnish

**Instructions:**

1. **Cook the Bacon:**
– In a large pot, cook the chopped bacon over medium heat until crispy. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside on a paper towel-lined plate. Leave about 2 tablespoons of bacon grease in the pot.

2. **Sauté the Vegetables:**
– Add the butter to the pot with the bacon grease. Once melted, add the chopped onion and garlic. Sauté until the onion is translucent and the garlic is fragrant.

3. **Prepare the Potatoes:**
– Sprinkle the flour over the onion and garlic mixture and stir well to combine, cooking for about 1-2 minutes. This will help to thicken the soup.
– Slowly add the chicken broth while stirring to avoid lumps. Add the diced potatoes to the pot.

4. **Cook the Soup:**
– Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 15-20 minutes.

5. **Blend the Soup:**
– Use an immersion blender to blend some of the soup, leaving some chunks of potatoes for texture. If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can carefully transfer some of the soup to a regular blender and blend until smooth, then return it to the pot.

6. **Add the Cream and Cheese:**
– Stir in the heavy cream and shredded cheddar cheese until the cheese is melted and the soup is creamy.

7. **Season and Serve:**
– Season with salt and pepper to taste. Ladle the soup into bowls, top with the crispy bacon bits, and garnish with chopped fresh parsley. Serve hot.

Enjoy your delicious creamy potato soup with bacon and cheese!