comfort food

Ever since I got past the near death part of being sick I have been wanting some good old comforting soup.  My good friend W brought us some Chicken Noodle soup, it was yummy.  But I had another soup on my mind; Baked Potato Soup.  For whatever reason I kept thinking about it.  It may have been that this week has also brought in some cooler weather and rain.  Autumn is coming.  I love Autumn.  It's the perfect weather for this soup.  So I decided to make it for dinner tonight.  I got the original recipe several years ago from my sweet friend Tonya (this is the story as I remember it, it may or may not be factual--this is what happens when you turn 30 and have 3 small children, details from less than 5 years ago begin to blur).  She made it for a get together.  Youth Leader's Dinner?  Dinner with friends?  I can't remember the exact occasion but it was for a group, and the soup fed us perfectly.  I had to get the recipe, although I was never able to make it the same as she did.  Mine always came out a whole lot more like loaded mashed potatoes.  Not nearly soupy enough.  So now that I have a little more culinary knowledge I decided to tweak the recipe just a bit.  And share it with you.

It should be noted that this is not a 'healthy' recipe in any way.  Some changes could be made to make it less fattening but let's be honest...it's a cream based, potato soup.  It sole purpose is to bring comfort by filling your belly.

Baked Potato Soup

9 baking potatoes

2/3 cup butter

2/3 cup flour

6 cups whole milk

3 cups chicken broth

8 ounces cream cheese

1/2 tablespoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper (or be special and use white)

1/2 cup bacon bits

green onions, chopped--amount to taste (I used about 1/3-1/2 cup)

1. Bake potatoes (usually 350 for an hour is plenty for this purpose) and scoop out flesh and set aside.  It's not important that the pieces be any specific size.  Variation is actually best.

2. In your soup pot melt the butter, once melted add in flour and whisk together.

3. Add in your milk, a little at the time, and keep on whisking.  Once it's all added keep whisking until it gets nice and thick.  Add the chicken broth and again whisk all together, making sure it's blended well. 

4. Cut cream cheese into 8ish pieces and add it into the mix.  As it melts whisk it all together.

5. Add salt, pepper (I leave this out cause I have little kids who don't want 'spicey'.  I just use some in my own bowl to make up for it.), bacon and green onions. 

6.  Add in potato flesh and mix it all together.

Serve immediately.  Freeze for a rainy day.  Make yourself and your whole family happy.  Make it this weekend.  If you feel crazy you could even top it with a little cheddar and some extra bacon bits.  Maybe even some sour cream.  I often feel crazy when it comes to comfort food.  Enjoy!