Loaded Baked Potato Soup

This soup has everything I love about a baked potato; cheese, green onions, bacon, sour cream...  

Obviously, the potato itself isn't the star of this dish.  The toppings just make it wonderful.

Also, this soup gets a thumbs up from the hubs; which means that it is dense and thick and hardly resembles a soup at all.  Very filling pure comfort food.

This recipe is all over the internet and pinterest, but I wanted to try it most after viewing it at my sister in laws blog, Cupcakes with Sprinkles.  And seriously, if you haven't been over there to check it out it is worth it!  You might end up making a dessert instead of dinner, but is that entirely a bad thing?

Loaded Baked Potato Soup

Recipe from Cupcakes with Sprinkles

1/2 lb. bacon, cooked and crumbled

1 onion, diced

5 large potatoes, peeled and cubed

2 cans chicken broth

3 Tbsp. butter

3 Tbsp. flour

1 1/2 c. milk

3/4 c. Cheddar cheese, shredded

1/2 tsp. black pepper

For garnish:

green onions, cheddar, sour cream and bacon

In a large pot cook bacon until crisp; remove and dry on paper towels.

Saute onion in bacon drippings until tender; remove excess grease if necessary.

Add potatoes and chicken broth and bring to a boil.

Reduce and simmer until potatoes are fork tender.

Remove 1 c. of potatoes to a small bowl and mash with a fork.

In a small sauce pan melt butter and stir in flour to create a roux.

Cook for 2 minutes, then whisk in the milk.

Bring to a boil, and simmer until thickened.

Slowly stir into the soup pot along with the bowl of mashed potatoes.

Add 1/2 c. of the cheese, three-fourths of the bacon and pepper to the pot.

Stir to combine and cook an additional 5 minutes.

Ladle into bowls and garnish with desired toppings.