3-2-1 Red Potato Soup ~ low fat & creamy tasting!

For our lunch today, I made a really satisfying, delicious, creamy and low fat potato and veggie soup.  I'm calling it my ~ 3-2-1 Red Potato Soup.  (because it has 3/2/1 amounts of veggies & seasonings :)   My inspirations for creating this soup came from ~ 1/2 bag of red potatoes that needed using up; a hungry/sick kid that didn't go to school today; a husband who was cold from clearing snow; and a gal (me) who was surfing the 'net, looking for a way to tame her craving for something warm and comforting to make for her family's lunch. All those things collided in my big, blue pot...and what a yummy lunch it was.  Hope you like this low fat soup as much as we did.  Real time cooking in my kitchen today ~ Enjoy!!

3-2-1 Red Potato Soup

inspired by this recipe...

serves 4-6

Ingredients

• 3 cups red potatoes, medium chop ~ with skins on (or off, your call)
• 2 cups white onion, small chop (about 1 large onion)
• 1 cup carrots, small chop (about 2 medium carrots)
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 3 Tbsp real bacon bits
• 2 cloves fresh garlic, thinly sliced
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 5 cups of your favorite chicken broth (canned/or from bouillon)
• 1 12oz can fat free evaporated milk, divided
• 3 Tbsp cornstarch
• 1/2 tsp liquid smoke (or more, to taste)
• 1 tsp Frank's RedHot Pepper Sauce (more/less, to taste)
• salt/pepper, to taste
• shredded low fat cheddar cheese for garnish (optional)

Directions

Combine the potatoes, onion, carrots, parsley, broth, bacon bits, garlic and dried basil, in a large soup pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender.  Combine cornstarch and 1/4 cup evaporated milk in a separate cup, until smooth.  Stir completely into soup mixture.  Add the remaining evaporated milk, liquid smoke and hot sauce.  Bring soup back up to a boil.  Stir constantly for 2 minutes, or until thickened.  Taste, add salt/pepper, as desired.  Serve as is, or garnish with some shredded low fat cheddar cheese.