Winter in Minnesota = Comfort food

Welcome back loyal readers, it's been a while. I kind of lost focus of my life over the summer. Everything went too quickly, I lost inspiration, I quit cooking healthy food and working out regularly- The excuses can go on and on, but as my high school history teacher used to say... well... that's not really appropriate but the gist is: no one likes excuses. The important thing is... I'm back!

Winter and the holidays are here in full force in Northern Minnesota (I am not sure if I am ready for either). We've had our first snow fall (I am loving the snow covered rooftops), we made it through the first holiday, I decided to throw up holiday cheer all over my apartment, it's the perfect weather to snuggle my kitty, and most importantly: IT'S COMFORT FOOD SEASON.

Most people don't associate comfort food with healthy food, at least I know I don't, and I can't help but love Baked Potato Soup so I tried my own lightened up version of it. It turned out great and did not taste "light" at all.

Load Baked Potato Soup:

• 4 Large Russet Potatoes, diced into 1/2in. cubes skins left on
• 16 oz- 1/3 Less Fat Cream Cheese, softened
• 5 cups Fat Free Chicken Stock
• 1 Yellow Onion, diced
• 3 Cloves Garlic, minced
• 1 tsp Lawry's seasoned salt
• 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
• 6 slices Thick Cut Applewood Smoked Bacon
• Green Onion, diced, for garnishing
• Shredded Reduced Fat Cheddar, for garnishing 

1. Cook up that bacon in a large pot over medium-high heat. You want it a little on the crispy side to give the soup a little texture when you add it to it. Once the bacon is cooked, set it aside on a paper towel so some of the excess grease drains off. Then drain the bacon grease out of your pot, reserving about half a tablespoon to a tablespoon.
2. Next you will add you onion and garlic to the pot and cook it in the reserved bacon grease over medium heat, if you really wanted to be good you could do this in olive oil as well. Cook the onions and garlic until onions are tender and the mixture is fragrant.  
3. Add the potatoes and chicken stock to the pot with the onion mixture and bring it to a boil. Cook for approximately 20- 30 minutes or until potatoes are tender. While the potatoes are cooking mix the cream cheese until smooth, I found this made it easer to incorporate it when it came time.
4. Once the potatoes are cooked remove the pot from the heat. If you have an immersion blender, add the cream cheese slowly while blending the potato soup mixture. You want soup to be creamy with out any cheesy chunks but still with a few potato chunks (does that make sense). If you are in a makeshift kitchen like myself, I blended about 3/4 of the soup mixture in a blender then added that to my stand mixer with the cream cheese and mixed until smooth and cheese was completely melted. I then returned it to the pot with the unblended potato mixture and combined until it was one smooth mixture with some potato chunks.
5. Finally, return the pot to the burner, add the Lawry's, black pepper, and bacon. Simmer the soup for about 5 more minutes.
6. To serve add about a cup size portion to a bowl and garnish with the reduced- fat cheddar and green onion. I served mine with honey wheat pretzel braids as well. 

The recipe made a lot! Wade and I will be eating it for days to come. It makes about twelve 1 cup servings, each of those servings are under 300 calories. Not too shabby, if I say so my self. That leaves me room for a Cran-brrr-rita for dessert. If ya haven't tried them, get on that.

Hey, it's festive. Right??

 Well, I am off to enjoy some Sunday night football and my beverage. I'd love to hear everyone else's comfort foods though!