We were blessed with some free organic potatoes about a month ago.  By “some” I mean about 300 pounds, and most of them are the big baker potatoes!!  We gave away about half of them and have been enjoying the rest.

Our VERY favorite way to eat baked potatoes is in “Baked Potato Soup”!  What’s not to love about a rich creamy soup with BACON and cheese?

This will make a BIG pot of soup so if you’re only feeding a couple of people you may want to cut the recipe in half.  Like most soups though this makes GREAT leftovers!

Wash and stab 5 large potatoes so they don’t explode in your oven.  Bake in a 350° oven for about an hour until done.  Let them cool completely.  (I usually bake the potatoes the night before I want to make this soup then just keep them in the fridge.)

Now you need to cook a pound of bacon bits.  I used a package of ends and pieces and cut them into littler pieces and fried them up.  You could also cook the bacon in the oven and then cut them up after they cool.

Awww! isn’t bacon beautiful?

While your beautiful bacon is cooking, peel and cube the cooled potatoes into bite size pieces.

When the bacon is done place it on a paper towel to drain and set the bacon and potatoes aside while you start the soup.  In a big pot melt 3/4 of a cup of butter then whisk in 3/4 cup of flour, when it’s nice and smooth slowly whisk in a cup of milk.  Add 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of ground pepper and mix will.  Now whisk in 4 more cups of milk and 2 cups of chicken broth or stock.  Heat until it comes to a low boil and thickens, stirring almost constantly.  Remove from the heat and stir in 1 cup of sour cream, and add the potatoes and bacon.  You can hold out some of the bacon for a garnish if you wish.

Now you can dish it up and add shredded cheddar cheese, extra bacon and sliced green onions.

Baked Potato Soup

 

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Author: Queen Of The Red Doublewide

Ingredients

• 5 large baker potatoes
• 1 pound of bacon
• ¾ cup of butter
• ¾ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• 5 cups of milk
• 2 cups chicken stock or broth
• 1 cup sour cream
• Toppings: grated cheddar cheese and sliced green onions

Instructions

1. Wash and stab 5 big baker potatoes so they don't explode in your oven.
2. Bake at 350° for an hour or so until done. Let them cool completely.
3. Cook up a pound of bacon to make bacon bits.
4. While the bacon is cooking, peel the cooled potatoes and cut them into bite sized pieces.
5. Put the bacon on some paper towels to drain and set them and the potatoes aside while you get started on the soup.
6. In a big pot melt the butter then whisk in the flour, when it's nice and smooth whisk in 1 cup of milk, add the salt and pepper and whisk in the rest of the milk and chicken broth.
7. While stirring almost constantly bring to a low boil to thicken. Remove from the heat and add sour cream, the potatoes and bacon. You can leave some of the bacon out for a garnish if you wish.
8. Ladle into bowls and garnish with green onions, cheddar cheese and bacon.

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