RECIPE: Loaded Baked Potato Soup

In this time of cold temperatures, our bodies seek warmth from fires, woolens, and loved ones. Adding warmth from the inside makes everything perfect. Here is a Loaded Baked Potato Soup recipe to fill your tummy with plenty left to freeze for another day.

Please share your comments if you make it!

UTENSILS RECOMMENDED
Stove, oven, and potholders
Stock pot/Dutch oven for preparing soup
Blender to puree Potatoes
Cutting mat
Vegetable peeler
Chef/large knife to cut Bacon, Onions, and Potatoes
Wooden spoon or Whisk
Measuring spoons
Liquid Measuring cups
Scissors to pre-cut Bacon, optional

LOADED BAKED POTATO SOUP RECIPE

INGREDIENTS
8 Pcs. Bacon, cut into bite-sized pieces before cooking (I use scissors to cut raw bacon)
2.5 lbs. Yellow Potatoes, peeled and chopped into bite-sized pieces (Yukon Gold potatoes are excellent)
3 Tbs. Butter, salted
1 Yellow Onion, medium-sized, chopped
3 Tbs. minced Garlic
0.25 tsp. Chipotle Chili Pepper (dried spice)
5 Tbs. All-Purpose Flour
4 C. Chicken Broth (Better Than Boullion mixed with water works well)
2 C. Whole Milk
0.5 C. Heavy Whipping Cream
0.5 C. Sour Cream, plus some for garnish
Salt and Black Pepper to taste
Optional garnishes: grated Cheese, Sour Cream, Bacon, or Chives

INSTRUCTIONS
1. Cut raw Bacon into bite-sized pieces. Sauté in large stock pot. When fully cooked (lightly crisp), remove Bacon from pot reserving 2 Tbs. of Bacon grease for cooking Onions. Divide bacon into two amounts-- 3/4 for the pot and 1/4 for garnish.

2. Add Butter and chopped Onions to stock pot and sauté until translucent. Stir in minced Garlic and Chili Pepper.

3. Sprinkle Flour onto Onion mixture, then stir until flour is well-blended. If needed, add 1/8 C Broth to make a roux.

4. To the pot, add diced Potatoes, remaining Broth, Milk, and Cream mixing well. (Note: The flour should not have any clumps. Stir more, if lumps are present.)

5. Bring pot to a boil. When it reaches the boiling point, cook approximately 10 more minutes or until Potatoes are fork tender.

6. Reduce heat to simmer. Using a ladle, transfer about half the mixture to a blender and puree until smooth. Pour pureed mixture back into the pot.

7. Add Sour Cream, cooked Bacon (reserve some for garnish, if desired), Salt, and Pepper to pot, stirring well. Simmer for approximately 15 minutes more.

8. Serve topped with grated Cheese, a dollop of Sour Cream, remaining Bacon, and Chives.

This recipe makes approximately 10 cups. Ingredients can easily be halved for a smaller batch. We seldom eat more than one helping for dinner and one for leftovers, so freezing the remaining portion works best for us. When freezing, be sure there is little to no air space in the container. Thaw completely in the refrigerator before reheating.

Wonderfully yours,
Alice