Chile-Cheese Chowder

Ingredients

• 2 slices bacon 
• 1.5 pounds baking potato diced peeled
• 1 cup carrots chopped
• 32 ounce less-sodium chicken broth fat-free canned
• 0.3 cup flour all-purpose
• 3  garlic cloves minced
• 0.7 cup green onions sliced
• 0.5 teaspoon ground cumin 
• 2 tablespoons jalapeño peppers minced seeded
• 2.5 cups milk 1% low-fat
• 3 ounces monterrey jack cheese shredded with jalapeño peppers
• 1 cup onion chopped
• 1 cup poblano chiles seeded chopped ( 3 large)
• 0.5 teaspoon salt 
• 2 ounces sharp cheddar cheese shredded reduced-fat

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• sauce pan
• ladle
• knife
• whisk
• measuring cup
• dutch oven

Directions

1. Cook the bacon in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat until crisp.
2. Remove bacon from pan, reserving 1 tablespoon drippings in pan. Crumble bacon; set aside.
3. Add carrot and the next 5 ingredients (carrot through garlic) to the drippings in pan; saut 10 minutes or until browned. Stir in the broth, scraping pan to loosen browned bits.
4. Add potato and salt. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 25 minutes or until potato is tender.
5. Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife.
6. Combine flour and milk in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk.
7. Add to pan. Cook over medium heat until thick (about 12 minutes), stirring frequently.
8. Remove from heat.
9. Add cheeses, stirring until cheeses melt. Ladle into soup bowls; top with green onions and crumbled bacon.
10. Note: This soup will freeze well for up to two months.
11. Pour into an airtight container, leaving enough room for expansion (usually an inch or two at the top). To reheat, thaw completely in the refrigerator; then place contents in a saucepan over low heat, adding some liquid if necessary.