Potato Soup with Bacon and Asparagus

4 slices of thickly-cut bacon

1 small onion, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon salt

1 pound fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces

3 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and quartered

2 cups low-fat milk

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

¼ cup chopped fresh chives

Place bacon slices into a large skillet and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Transfer bacon to a plate lined with paper towels to drain.

Stir onion, garlic, and salt into the hot skillet and cook and stir until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat.

Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil and stir in the asparagus; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until asparagus are softened but still bright green, 5 to 8 minutes. Drain asparagus and set aside.

Place the potatoes into a large pot and cover with salted water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes; drain.

Transfer cooked potatoes to a soup pot and mash them with a potato masher, leaving some potato chunks for texture.

Pour milk into a microwave-safe bowl and heat on high setting until the milk is hot, 1 to 3 minutes; stir milk occasionally as it heats. Pour hot milk into the potatoes and stir to combine.

Place soup over medium-low heat. Crumble bacon slices and stir bacon and the onion mixture into the soup; heat to a simmer and cook, stirring often, until soup thickens, 5 to 10 minutes.

Sprinkle soup with chives to serve.