More Soup... Potato Bacon Bread Bowl

With all the cold weather (and snow!) we've been on a major soup kick. Bread Bowls sounded really good so we tried them out! This recipe from Southern Living worked great. (Just add a bit more salt than it calls for and I skipped the egg wash).

We didn't have the right ingredients for the soup (Hearty Potato Soup) that they recommended, not to mention I'm not a huge fan of cream based soups and Mike's not a fan of meatless soups, so we made up our own lighter version.

4 large potatoes - cut into 1/2" chunks
3/4 c. sliced carrots
1/2 onion - diced
1.5-2 cans low sodium chicken broth
1 tsp. celery salt (more or less to taste)
1 tsp. basil (more or less to taste)
salt
freshly ground pepper
4-6 slices bacon
3/4c. 1%milk
2-3 Tbsp. butter
1/2 c.-3/4c. flour
1/2 c. kale - chopped

Dump the first 8 ingredients into a pot (or crockpot).  Cook until potatoes are tender.  Fry up the bacon and break into bits.  Melt butter in small saucepan.  Add flour and whisk till mixed.  Add milk, a little bit at a time, whisking constantly till slightly thickened.  Add flour mixture to soup and stir.  (If it's too thick add more milk.) Add kale and bacon bits- cook for another 5 min. 
Carve out bread bowls and serve.  Garnish with extra bacon and kale.