I made some slight modifications to give the recipe a more sophisticated flavor. First, I added a cup of cauliflower to the pot, and substituted chicken stock for the water and bouillon. After the soup was finished cooking, I used an immersion blender to give the soup a uniform texture. Finally, I substituted extra sharp cheddar cheese for American.

Reviewed On: Mar. 20, 2009

This recipe was actually quite excellent when I made it. However, I did alter the ingredients slightly, omitting the italian seasoning and light cream and substituting fresh basil and oregano and half a cup of sour cream. I also used a strong-flavored mushroom broth in place of the chicken broth.

Reviewed On: Mar. 18, 2006

Despite the rather simple ingredient list, I found this to be a very good recipe. Hearty, simple, and inexpensive... an excellent winter dish. I would make the following points and additions, however: -Make sure that the bacon used is high quality and flavorful. I used plain old supermarket bacon, and in retrospect I should have splurged for the specialty stuff. -Substituting broth for water, while unnecessary, will net a fuller-bodied taste in the long run. -The dumpling process took a long time for me; if one likes firm potatoes, I would recommend starting the process of cooking the dumplings 5-7 minutes earlier than instructed in the recipe.

Reviewed On: Jan. 22, 2006