Baked Potato Soup

This recipe is comforting and warm and yummy.

It's perfect for a cool evening in (because it hasn't really gotten cold yet)

whether you're watching a movie in a fort 

or as a soup course during a dinner party 

This makes a lot of food, so if you don't like leftovers or are cooking for a small family, I'd half it!

You can also save a lot of time by baking your potatoes ahead of time (or microwaving them I suppose.. but then it's actually microwaved potato soup and that doesn't sound nearly as good.)

You Will Need:
4 russet potatoes
4 tbsp. unsalted butter
½ cup all-purpose flour, divided
6 cups 2% milk
2 tsp. salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
¾ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
½ cup green onions, chopped
1/3-½ cup sour cream (light if you prefer)

For topping:
Sour cream
Shredded cheddar cheese
Chopped green onions
Bacon pieces

I used three potatoes because mine were MONSTER sized. 

What To Do:
Preheat the oven to 400° F.  Prick the potatoes with the tines of a fork.  Place the potatoes on a baking sheet and bake for 1 hour.  Remove from the oven and let sit until cool enough to handle.  Scoop the insides of the potatoes into food processor (or blender if you don't have a food processor... but just fyi, it doesn't work as well), discarding the peels.  Pulse until the pieces are broken into small chunks. 

(obviously, try to make the biggest mess you can)

(If you don't have a food processor, add some milk to the potatoes 

so they'll blend in a blender easier!)

In a large stockpot or Dutch oven, melt the butter.  Add ¼ cup of flour to the pot and whisk into the butter.  Cook, whisking constantly, until golden brown, about 2 minutes.  Whisk in the milk and the rest of the flour.  Cook until thick and bubbling, about 6-8 minutes.  Mix in the potato chunks.  Whisk in the salt, pepper, and cheddar cheese and stir until the cheese is melted.  Remove from the heat, stir in the green onions and sour cream.

Serve immediately.  Garnish with sour cream, cheddar cheese, green onions and bacon as desired.

This soup can get pretty thick so have some water, milk, or broth on hand to dilute it as needed, especially if you keep some for leftovers.

Adapted from Annie's Eats