Baked Potato Soup

I wanted to make a comforting dinner for friends who were coming for dinner. It was a beautiful but brisk day and I thought soup would be perfect. My friend Kyle was making a tossed salad with fresh greens, apples, sliced almonds, and blue cheese. I found a baked potato soup recipe in The Best of Cooking Light cookbook that I just checked out from the library. This soup was fabulous. Totally creamy and rich tasting with a hint of sharp cheddar. The crunchy bacon along with the green onions gave a nice flavor as well as texture to the soup. It went perfectly with Kyle’s salad and some freshly baked bread. The kids and adults all really enjoyed this soup and we gobbled up every last bite.

Baked Potato Soup:

Ingredients:

• 4-5 baking potatoes (about 2 1/2 pounds)
• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 6 cups of milk
• 3/4 cup extra sharp cheddar cheese, divided
• Salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup green onions, chopped

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Pierce the potatoes with a fork; bake at 400 degrees for 1 hour or until tender. Cool. Peel potatoes; coarsely mash. Discard skins

Lightly spoon the flour into a large Dutch oven; gradually add the milk, stirring with a whisk until blended. Cook over medium heat until thick and bubbly (about 8 minutes).

Add mashed potatoes, cheese, salt, and pepper, stirring until cheese melts. Turn the heat to low. Stir in the sour cream and the green onions. Cook for 10 minutes or until thoroughly heated – DO NOT BOIL.

Toppings:

• 6 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled
• Green onions, chopped
• Cheddar cheese, shredded
• Sour cream with chives

Ladle soup into serving bowls and top with bacon crumbles, green onion, and shredded cheddar cheese. Enjoy!

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