Ingredients: 8 slices bacon, chopped 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 onion, finely chopped 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour ½ teaspoon salt Dash cayenne pepper 3 cups milk 2 cups chicken or vegetable stock 12 ounces red potatoes, cut into ½-inch pieces 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon hot pepper (optional) 2 (10-ounce) boxes frozen chopped broccoli, thawed

Directions: Heat a large pot over medium heat. Add bacon and cook until crispy, about 5 minutes. Remove bacon with slotted spoon and transfer to paper towel-lined plate and reserve. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons fat. Add butter and onion and cook for 6 minutes or until softened. Add flour and cook, stirring, for another 2 minutes or until foamy. Whisk in salt, pepper, milk, and chicken stock and cook until mixture becomes smooth and creamy, about 3 minutes. Add potatoes and cook for 10 to 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender. In a bowl toss cheddar with flour to coat. Stir in cheese, a handful at a time, whisking after each addition until smooth. Add hot pepper sauce if using. Add thawed broccoli and stir to heat. Do not boil. Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary. Ladle soup into heated bowls and garnish with reserved bacon. Makes 6 servings. Recipe excerpt used with permission from 300 Sensational Soups by Carla Snyder and Meredith Deeds (Robert Rose, Inc., 2008). *See more recipes in our soups collection