Nov 19 2009
Comforting Cheese Soup with Red Pepper and Bacon.
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Have you ever had cheese soup?
I had never made it before, but dug out this recipe from my aunt.
I modified it slightly, but it was incredible. First time ever making cheese soup. I’ll take it.
I chopped some onions and sauteed them.
I have hated onions my entire life. Just recently, when I began hvaing to carmelize them for my husband every single day, they started to grow on me.
Weird.
I grated sharp yellow cheddar, sharp white cheddar, and some colby jack.
The best (or worst?) part of grating the cheese is eating huge pile-fuls of it. My jeans love it.
Not.
Once the onions were sauteed, I did the coolest thing ever.
I made a roux, with butter and flour, with the onions.
I had never made a roux with anything other than butter and flour in the pan, so you can imagine my excitement. It is the simple things in life.
Or maybe it’s just my simple mind.
I added some heavy cream, which is quickly becoming my new best friend.
It is pushing cream cheese and sour cream out the door.
Not really. There is room for all 3 in my life.
I added the cheese in increments, whisking continuously.
And I let it simmer, bubble and thicken.
What is that you say? It just looks like a boring cheese sauce?
Well, right now, it kind of is. Though the different kinds of cheese are very tasty, and the ‘sauce’ is now thick like soup.
But here is the best part.
Chopped red pepper.
(Isn’t is funny how I can eat lots of veggies when mixed with large quantities of butter and cheese? I’m sort of surprised I didn’t add chocolate to this soup.)
Smoked applewood bacon – my favorite kind.
I stirred about half of the red pepper and crumbled bacon into the soup, and let it simmer a bit longer.
The soup was incredible. Especially with large slabs of buttered, whole wheat tuscany bread dipped into it.
See? I made up for the butter and cheese with whole wheat ingredients.
Huge slices of whole wheat ingredients, that is.
I topped the soup with a bit more pepper and bacon.
There are barely words.
The onions and peppers stayed crisp inside the creamy soup. And must I even explain the bacon?
Cheese Soup with Red Pepper and Bacon
Serves 4.
1/2 sweet onion, chopped
1/2 red pepper, chopped
6 slices bacon, fried and crumbled
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup grated yellow sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup grated white sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup grated colby cheese
salt & pepper to taste
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a medium saucepan at medium-high high. Add chopped onions and saute until translucent, about 10 minutes. Add flour and butter, whisking constantly to create a roux.
Reduce to medium heat, and add heavy cream and chicken stock. Add cheeses in increments, stiring constantly so cheese does not stick to bottom. Reduce to low-medium heat, and let simmer for 15 minutes, or until thick. Stir occasionally. Add salt and pepper to taste, if needed. If soup is not as thick as you would like, add flour by the tablespoon, stiring until it thickens.
Add half of chopped red pepper and bacon to soup, stirring to mix. Let simmer for 5 more minutes.
Serve in soups bowls. Garnish with remaining bacon and red pepper.
That doesn’t sound too difficult does it?
I know you want some.
So do I. But I ate it all.
Darn it.
Trivia Friday is back tomorrow. 2 more chances to win! 
Sounds so good. I think I’ll make it tonight!
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that sounds amazing!!
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mmmm….I am making homemade mac & cheese tonight and it is very similar. Yes….the problem with grating all that cheese is the enormous amounts that end up eaten by the cook before it even gets to the mac & cheese!
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I have had broc and cheddar but never cheese and red pepper! Sounds so good (minus the bacon for this chicky
- maybe some added beans??). I passed your stuffing recipe along to two people who noted they were looking for a good stuffing recipe today! I hope one of them ends up making that bowl of deliciousness 
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I think I need to make this asap. It is right up my alley!!!
YUM!
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wow ! that’s definitely comforting food
I never see a roux with onions in it neither , but you made it! the red pepper and bacon bites are really the highlight of that thick, cheese soup !! oh I love cheeeeese!
so jealous you have a hand-written recipe from your aunts!
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I don’t think I’ve had cheese soup ever. It just seems so heavy, but I think I need to go for it once in my life
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This looks soo yummy and comforting and pretty easy to make.
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wow it looks so good. Thanks a lot for the recipe.
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Wow! This looks so good. I had a lot of fun grating cheese tonight, not gonna lie. It was gruyere and sharp yellow cheddar. I loved it, but I ate a littttttle bit too much out of the thing.
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That soup looks great. I love cheese and I am sure I would love this soup. I can’t waint to give it a try.
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Never had it. But it’s now on the list! cheese. bacon. red pepper….what’s not to like?! Nice pictures
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Cheese soup?! CHHHHEEESE SOUP! Are you kidding me?! AAAHHH! That sounds like a great fat bowl of amazingness! I totally flipped out when I saw the bacon, too! >.<
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mmm bacon
have you ever used the pre cooked chopped bacon stuff? it’s awesome when you’re too lazy to cook bacon, but want the sweet goodness in your food…
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I don’t even eat meat but this soup looks amazing!
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oh my gosh..can u be my personal chief?? AWESOME!
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YUM!! While i will readily admit that many of the ingredients scare the bejeezus out of me
It looks amazingggg!!! I’m so with u on the grated cheese dilemma, love it!
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Wow, that looks good, but then again…. cheese, cheese, cheese, cream, and bacon… how could it possibly be bad??!!??
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yum! I love cheese soup and that recipe looks great!
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This looks awesome! I just made broccoli cheese soup that sounds similar, but I must admit that the addition of bacon sounds better than the addition of broccoli…
I love that you read all the healthy living blogs, and then cook like this. It makes me feel like we could be friends.
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totally random comment, but i love your aunt’s handwriting!
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That sounds absolutely decadent! A real treat! Thanks for the recipe
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Oh yum! I love the idea of bacon chunks in cheesy soup
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Soup looks delish…
I have been away from the blogging world for a while as I am traveling around Thailand…will be returning to Canada in a couple of days…I am alive and well though, thanks for checking in
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I love cheese soup and yours looks rich, creamy and delicious!
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heavy cream, cheese and bacon? ummm YES PLEASE!!!!
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