Roasted Garlic-Potato Soup

Ingredients

• 5 whole garlic heads
• 2 bacon slices, diced
• 1 cup diced onion
• 1 cup diced carrot
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 6 cups diced baking potato (about 2 pounds)
• 4 cups low-salt chicken broth
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 cup 2% low-fat milk
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Preparation

1. Remove white papery skin from each garlic head (do not peel or separate cloves). Wrap each head separately in aluminum foil. Bake at 350° for 1 hour; let cool for 10 minutes. Separate cloves, and squeeze to extract 1/4 cup of garlic pulp; discard the skins.
2. Cook bacon in a large saucepan over medium-high heat until crisp. Add onion, carrot, and minced garlic, and sauté 5 minutes. Add potato, broth, salt, pepper, and bay leaf; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes or until potato is tender; remove bay leaf.
3. Combine garlic pulp and 2 cups potato mixture in a blender or food processor, and process until smooth. Return purée to pan; stir in milk, and cook over low heat until thoroughly heated. Remove from heat, and stir in chopped parsley.