Loaded Baked Potato Soup/Pic

[Roxy15]

Loaded Baked Potato Soup:

6 medium sized potatoes, about 1-1/2 pounds
6 slices of bacon, chopped
1/2 cup of unsalted butter
1-1/2 cups of diced onion
1/2 cup of diced celery
2 teaspoons of minced garlic
3/4 cup of all purpose flour
5 cups of chicken stock or broth
1-1/2 cups of milk
1-1/2 cups of half and half
2 teaspoons of kosher salt
6 turns of the pepper grinder
1/2 teaspoon of Cajun seasoning (like Slap Ya Mama), or to taste, optional
Couple dashes of hot sauce
1/3 cup of sour cream
1-1/2 cups of shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/8 cup of sliced green onions

Additional cooked crisp bacon or bacon bits, for garnish, optional.

Additional sliced green onion, for garnish, optional.

Dollop of sour cream, for garnish, optional.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

 

Scrub the potatoes and prick several times with a fork or the tip of a knife. Bake directly on the oven rack for about 45 minutes, or until tender. Let cool, then peel off just the outer layer of peeling and then cut into chunks. Don't worry if some of the chunks break up - it will only add to the creaminess of the soup base. The potatoes can be baked a day or so in advance and stored in the refrigerator, if desired.

 

Cook the chopped bacon over medium heat in the bottom of a soup pot until tender, but not crisp. Add the butter and melt; saute the onion and celery with the bacon about 4 minutes, or until softened. Add the garlic; cook another 2 minutes.

 

Sprinkle the flour in, a little at a time,

stirring until all of the flour is fully incorporated. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly about 5 minutes. Bring the heat up to medium high and begin adding the chicken broth a little at a time, stirring constantly, until all of the broth has been incorporated and mixture is smooth.

 

Reduce to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes, stirring several times.

 

Stir in the milk, half and half, salt, pepper, Cajun Seasoning, hot sauce, and potatoes.

 

Increase heat and bring mixture up to just before a boil, then reduce heat to simmer and cook another 15 minutes, stirring several times. Stir in the sour cream, cheese, and green onions and simmer just until cheese has melted and everything is heated through.

 

Garnish individual bowls with a small pinch of shredded cheese, green onion and crumbled bacon.