Loaded Baked Potato Soup

As long as we're on the subject of things that may not fall under the category of "healthy", like this homemade ginger ale, I may as well share a recipe for loaded baked potato soup. That way we can get the "unhealthy" things out of the way. Hehe!

After completing the whole recipe and just letting it do the last few minutes of simmering, I voiced my curiosity as to whether or not the taste of the soup would be worth the effort. Tony, then, told me that he believes potato soup is one of the hardest soups to have the consistency right and have it actually taste good. My thoughts? Somewhere along the lines of "Really?! Why didn't you tell me this earlier? I've never really made soup...what if I just went through all this work and it sucks?" Well, no worries. Once we sat down and tried it, he gave it a two-thumbs-up. Literally! :)

Recipe adapted from Sincerely, Paula

Ingredients

8-16 oz. bacon

1 medium yellow onion, diced

2 carrots, peeled and diced

3/4 c. celery, diced

2 large Russet potatoes, peeled and diced

3 medium red potatoes, peeled and diced

1/3 c. flour

1/3 c. water

1 1/2 c. chicken broth OR stock

2 c. heavy cream

salt & pepper, to taste

Directions

Dice uncooked bacon into small pieces.

In a medium-large pot, saute bacon until well done.

While bacon is cooking, chop your vegetables.

Once bacon is done, scoop out bacon pieces with a slotted spoon and let drain on paper towel.

Add the onion, carrots, celery, and salt & pepper to the bacon grease and cook until onion is translucent.

Add the potatoes, more salt & pepper, and stir.

While you're waiting for the potatoes to cook, get your sauce ready.

Whisk flour and water until smooth.

Add broth/stock to the thickened water and mix well.

Once potatoes are beginning to soften, add broth/flour mixture slowly to the pot.

Add salt & pepper.

Add bacon. (Set some of the bacon aside if you want it for garnishing.)

Bring it to a boil.

Turn heat down and let it simmer for about 25 minutes or until potatoes are done.

Slowly add cream while stirring.

Bring back to a simmer and let simmer for 5 minutes. 

Remove from heat and serve.

(Directions with Photos)

Dice uncooked bacon into small pieces.

In a medium-large pot, saute bacon until well done.

While bacon is cooking, chop your vegetables.

 Once bacon is done, scoop out bacon pieces with a slotted spoon and let drain on paper towel.

 Add the onion, carrots, celery, and salt & pepper to the bacon grease.

Cook until onion is translucent.

 Add the potatoes and more salt & pepper. Stir.

While you're waiting for the potatoes to cook, get your sauce ready.

Whisk flour and water until smooth.

Add broth/stock to the thickened water and mix well.

After about 10-20 minutes, your potatoes should be pretty soft.

Slowly add broth/flour mixture to the pot.

Add salt & pepper.

Add bacon. (Set some of the bacon aside if you want it for garnishing.)

Stir.

Bring it to a boil.

Turn heat down and let it simmer for about 25 minutes or until potatoes are done.

Slowly add cream while stirring.

Bring back to a simmer and let simmer for 5 minutes. 

Remove from heat and serve.

{You may think that there is too much salt & pepper being added. Honestly, I didn't add a whole lot of salt each time, but I did do a generous sprinkling of pepper. Adding the seasonings at each step is going to help each of the ingredients soak up as much flavor as possible. Even though it seems like a lot, you'll be glad you did it.}

Garnish with bacon pieces, cheese, sour cream, chives, or even raw onion....think of baked potato toppings! :)