Stuffed Potato Soup

Can I just say that this is a big old bowl of YUM? I used the potato soup from The New England Soup Factory Cookbook as a base but then I added a little of this and a little of that and then more cheese. What's life without cheese? The result was fantastic, a little gooey, definitely sort of chowdery with a dash of rustic satisfaction thrown in. I served it up with kale chips (the kiddo liked swirling them into his portion) and the pretzels I made yesterday. All in all a satisfactory meal.

Stuffed Potato Soup

3T unsalted butter
3 cloves garlic, peeled and halved
1 medium yellow onion, diced
2 celery ribs, diced
6 large Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
4 cups chicken stock (a cup of beer would also be a good substitute for a cup of stock)

1 large Yukon gold potato, peeled and cubed into 1/3 inch dice
2 large carrots, peeled and cubed into 1/4 inch dice
1 1/2 cup grated  cheese (I used Colby)
3/4 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups half and half
Dashes of Tabasco
Dashes of Worcestershire (I use Annies)
Salt and Pepper to taste

Garnish:
4 slices (or more) cooked bacon, sliced (I like the Whole Foods Black Forest from Wellshire Farms)
Chives, finely chopped
Cheese, cubed for garnish
Horseradish

• In a stock pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the garlic, onion and celery. Saute until the onions start to get brown around the edges. Add the potatoes and stir to coat with the butter and vegetables. Add stock  (and beer if using), onion powder and garlic powder. Bring to a boil, reduce and simmer for 30-35 minutes.
• Remove from stove and puree using a hand blender or working in batches in a blender until smooth and creamy. Return to pot and add the cubed potatoes and carrots and cook until they're soft (about 7-10 minutes. Add the sour cream, half and half, grated cheese, Worcestershire and Tabasco. Stir them together using a large whisk to blend.
• Serve with garnishes of choice.