Baked Potato Soup

It was a cold and rainy week in April when I made this hardy down home soup.   I tried to get it up and on the blog when I made it but the internet I was using was very slow and frustrating so I decided to wait until I could have access to faster equipment.  It was April when I made this soup and it is now June but it must be cold some where in the world!
 No worries, soup is great any time of the year! 
Baked potatoes are great with butter but add some bacon green onions, sour cream and cheese and its a potato explosion on your taste buds!  

4 large baking potatoes, baked, cooled, peeled and cubed

4 green onions, chopped

12 bacon strips, diced and cooked

1¼ C. cheddar cheese, shredded 

2/3 C. (6 Tbs.) butter or margarine

2/3 C. flour

7 C. milk

1 C. sour cream

¾ tsp. salt

½ tsp. pepper

I like to get all the ingredients baked, cooked and chopped first and then everything goes together in a snap! So, first...

to bake the potatoes; wash them and wrap them in foil. 
Shiny side in, against the potato.

 fold in sides and continue to wrap

 Place in oven and bake large potatoes at 375 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes...or.....

.....until fork tender.

remove from oven and let cool. 
Unwrap, peel potatoes and cut into bite size cubes.  
Set aside.

Chop green onions and set aside.

Chop and cook bacon in a large skillet until crispy. Remove and drain on a paper towel. Set aside.

Shred cheese and set aside.

In a large kettle or Dutch oven, melt butter.  

Stir in flour; cook and stir over medium heat until smooth .  This needs to cook for 1-2 minutes to help cook out the flour taste.  

Gradually add milk, stirring constantly until smooth and bubbly.  

Add potatoes 

and green onions.

  Bring to a boil stirring constantly.  

Reduce heat; simmer 5 minutes.  

Add remaining ingredients;   
Bacon:

Cheese:

 Sour Cream:

 Salt:

 Pepper:

Stir until cheese is melted.

If it is thicker than you would like it, don't be afraid to add a cup or more of milk to thin it out to your preference.

Dish up this wonderful soup quick or your family 
will start eating it out of the pot! lol!

That is when you know it's, good!

© Nancy Rappleye 2012