3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 slices bacon, diced
1 cup frozen corn
1 medium onion, diced
1 medium carrot, minced
1 Melissa's jalapeño pepper, seeded and diced
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1-1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
3 cups chicken stock
1 cup cream
1 cup diced Yukon Gold potatoes
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1-2 cups G.H. Cretor's Cheese Lover's Mix Popcorn
Melt butter over medium heat. Whisk flour into melted better and cook, stirring frequently, until lightly browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Set roux aside.
Cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Add corn, onion, carrot and jalapeño, and sauté until vegetables begin to soften. Stir in garlic, cumin, and chili powder and cook 2 minutes. Add stock and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes.
Add cream and potatoes, and simmer until potatoes are tender, 12-15 minutes depending upon the size of your dice. As they cook, use a small potato masher to break them up. (I love this one.) Gradually whisk in roux, a little bit at a time, cooking the soup for a few minutes after each addition, until the soup reaches the desired consistency. Add salt and pepper, to taste. Serve topped with popcorn.