Homemade Soup: Baked Potato Soup

Now that's it's Fall and the weather is getting cooler, I'm going to be making homemade soup a lot more frequently. I'll make old favorites, but I also hope to find yummy new recipes to add to my collection.

Last weekend I made up a batch of my ever so tasty, Baked Potato Soup. I've had the recipe for some time now, so I'm not 100% sure where I got it, but I'm sure I just found it online somewhere.

The whole process may seem long - there's a lot of waiting/down time in this recipe - but the end result is so great, and it's really pretty easy to make! 

I'll stop rambling and show you how to make this soup I'm going on and on and on about. :)

The ingredients!

Preheat oven to 325 and clean 4 to 5 large Russet Potatoes.

Once preheated, place all potatoes directly on the oven racks and bake for 30 minutes. 

Flip potatoes and bake for 30 more minutes. Flip your potatoes once more and 

bake an additional 10-30 minutes until they're nice and soft.

While potatoes are baking, cook up 10 or so slices of bacon.

(Note: You can't see it here, but I cooked my bacon just a little too much for this recipe, 

so pay attention and don't cook yours as long as I did!)

Once cooked and cooled, cut up bacon into tiny pieces and save for later.

Slice 4 green onions - as thin as possible and save for later.

Shred 1 and 1/4 cups medium cheddar cheese and save for later.

When potatoes are done baking, cool on a plate and then peel and cut into bite sized cubes.  

In a large stockpot, melt 2/3 cup butter over low heat.

Add 2/3 cup flour and stir to combined - will be smooth and a little bubbly.

Increase heat to medium high and gradually add 7 cups of milk. 

(I used 1%, but feel free to use anything you'd like.) 

Stir constantly until it thickens a bit.

Add cubed potatoes.

And green onions. 

Stir to combine and continue to cook, stirring constantly, until soup begins to bubble.

Reduce heat to low and simmer gently for 10 minutes.

Add bacon.

As well as shredded cheddar cheese and 1 cup sour cream - stir until cheese is melted. 

Salt and pepper to taste, then serve immediately. 

It's yummy in a normal bowl, but even better in...

A Bread Bowl!