In a large pot, fry bacon (be careful so it doesn't burn), remove bacon (set aside for topping) and reserve bacon grease. Use one tablespoon of reserved grease and sauté onions and garlic.
Add chicken broth, tomato sauce and diced tomatoes (with juice).
Add potatoes and carrots, plus seasoning. Bring to a boil, then turn down heat and simmer until veggies are tender.
Arrange toppings in small bowls and let guests serve themselves. Suggest that guests add a squeeze of fresh lemon to their bowl then crush tortilla chips over their soup at the end.
Notes
VegetarianIt's easy to turn this soup into a vegetarian entree. Just substitute vegetable broth for the chicken broth and omit the bacon grease and chopped bacon. It's a delicious vegetarian meal!CrockpotYou can easily adapt this recipe to cook the base soup in your crockpot. Then, just serve from the crockpot and add toppings.NutritionYou can easily adjust the calories and fat in this recipe by controlling the amount of bacon, avocado, sour cream and cheese you use. It's actually a really healthy soup if you're careful about your toppings!