Corn-and-Bacon Soup

Ingredients

• 4 slices bacon 
• 3 cups baking potatoes cubed peeled
• 10 oz canned tomatoes diced green canned
• 4 cups chicken broth 
• 16 oz kernel corn whole frozen
• 2 tablespoons flour all-purpose
• 1  garlic clove minced
• 1 cup onion chopped
• 0.3 teaspoon pepper 
• 0.5 teaspoon salt 
• 15 servings salt to taste
• 4 oz sharp cheddar cheese shredded

Equipment

• paper towels
• dutch oven

Directions

1. Cook bacon in a Dutch oven over medium heat 5 minutes or until crisp.
2. Remove bacon, and drain on paper towels, reserving drippings in Dutch oven. Crumble bacon.
3. Saut onion, bell pepper, and garlic in hot drippings over medium-high heat 5 minutes or until tender.
4. Add flour, and cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute.
5. Stir in potatoes and next 4 ingredients, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, and simmer, stirring often, 30 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
6. Stir in tomatoes and green chiles and cheese; simmer 1 minute or until cheese is melted. Season with salt to taste.
7. Serve with crumbled bacon.
8. *3 cups frozen country-style hash browns may be substituted.