Soup Weather!

I have a favorite soup. Pepper Jack Potato Soup. It is from my non-vegetarian days. The original recipe calls for bacon and chicken broth. Sounds easy enough to vegetarian-ize right? Well, one of my favorite parts of the soup is the smokey flavor the bacon adds, so I haven't wanted to try it with out the bacon for fear it wouldn't be the same at all.

Then I got this idea....Smoked Paprika. I tried it and I don't miss the bacon at all. Actually I might like this soup a little better than I did before.

Vegetarian Pepper-Jack Potato Soup
adapted from the Pepper Jack Potato Soup recipe in The Food Nanny Rescues Dinner cookbook by Liz Edmunds

1 Tbs olive oil
1/4 medium onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 carrot, peeled and diced (or a large handful of baby carrots, chopped)
1/2 green bell pepper, diced
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
2 cups vegetable broth
2 cups cubed russet potatoes (about 8 oz)
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 12 oz can of evaporated fat-free milk (you could also use cream, half and half, or just regular old milk here)
8 oz pepper jack cheese, shredded (this soup ends up a little on the spicy side so if your family is not a fan of "spicy" you could substitute some of the pepper jack for another cheese like cheddar or colby jack)
1/2 tsp ground white pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dried thyme
Smoked paprika to garnish each serving, to taste

1. Heat the oil in the soup pot over medium-high heat. Add onions, garlic, carrots, and bell peppers. Cook and stir until onions are soft. Add the broth and bring to a boil. Decrease the heat and simmer about 20 minutes or until the carrots are cooked.

2. While the vegies are cooking, boil the potatoes until they are just tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and add to the soup. Wipe out pan and use it for the next step.

3. Melt the butter over low heat. Add the flour and turn up the heat slightly and whisk until the mixture is bubbly. Add the milk, , stirring constantly until the mixture thickens. Add to the soup.

4. Stir in the cheese and continue to cook until the cheese melts. DO NOT BOIL. Add the white pepper, salt and thyme. Ladle into soup bowls and serve with a dusting of smoked paprika on top.

ENJOY THIS SOUP DURING THESE BLUSTERY MONTHS!!! It'll warm you up and leave you satisfied for sure!