Loaded Potato Soup

Loaded Potato Soup

This is one of my family's favorite soups! On a cold winter evening, this is a quick easy recipe that I can get to the table in about 30 minutes.

5 large baking potatoes

1/4 cup butter

1 medium onion, chopped or 2 T. dried chopped onions

1/3 c all-purpose flour

1 qt. half and half or 4 c. milk

1 t. salt

1/8 t. ground pepper

1 1/4 c. (5oz.) shredded Cheddar cheese or 5 oz. cubed Velveeta

cheese

8 fully cooked bacon slices, crumbled

Garnish: sliced green onions

1. Prick each potato several times with a fork. Arrange potatoes 1inch apart in microwave on paper towels. Microwave at High about 20 min, turning and rearranging after 10 minutes. Let cool.

2. Peel potatoes, and coarsely mash with a fork

3. Melt butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat; add onion, and saute until tender. Add flour, stirring until smooth. Stir in potatoes, half-and-half, and next 3 ingredients; cook over low heat about 15min. or until thoroughly heated.

4. Top each serving with cheese and bacon. Garnish, if desired. Makes 13 cups.

Storage note: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 3 days.

Shopping note: Fully cooked bacon slices eliminate the hassle of cooking and cleanup. Purchase several packages when they're on sale, and freeze them up to 3 months to have on hand

Menu idea: Serve with breadsticks or Sourdough bread or rolls. Serves 10