I am so glad that Fall is finally here. I am loving the cooler weather. Actually, just last night I was complaining to Cliff that it was cold in our house. I guess it is time to hook up the heated mattress pad and put the heavy duvet in the duvet cover. No more sleeping with just sheets and a light blanket anymore. I love that Fall is the perfect time to eat comfort foods. Soup, stew, macaroni and cheese, yum! What could be better than curling up on the couch, eating baked potato soup and watching the Bears game or reading a good book? I am not a big pumpkin person. If my Facebook is any indication, I am in the minority on that one. For you, what foods are synonymous with Fall?
For me, Fall = Soup. I have just started making homemade soups in the past couple of years. I always thought it was easier to just buy a can of soup and heat it up or go to Panera and get myself a bowl of hot soup. But now I know that homemade soup is 1 million times better than canned soup. (I still love Panera’s broccoli cheddar soup though!) Not only does it taste better, but it is better for you too. And I can tweak recipes to make them just the way I like it. For instance, most baked potato soups have bacon in them. I personally do not like bacon. I know, what is wrong with me? But when I make it myself I just use the bacon as an optional garnish. My friend Melissa first introduced me to this recipe. Even though I love potatoes I had never had baked potato soup before. (It was the bacon holding me back!) I love this recipe though! It is the perfect comfort food! Thanks Melissa for sharing this on with me!
Here is what you’ll need
Cook onions in oil until tender
Add the flour
Add the chicken broth
Dice the cooked, peeled, potatoes
Add the potatoes and the half and half. At this point Cliff quit to go watch the Bears game so you’ll have to use your imagine for the rest. If you like it chunky add the sour cream and the cheese. If you like it smoother then use the immersion blender for a minute and then add the sour cream and cheese.
Go Bears!
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
- ½ cup all purpose flour
- 3 (14.5 ounce) cans chicken broth
- 5 potatoes, baked, peeled and diced
- 2 cups half & half
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
- 1 cup sour cream
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Sliced bacon, cooked and crumbled
- Chives
- Sour Cream
- Shredded Cheddar cheese
- In a Dutch oven cook bacon until crisp; remove and crumble; set aside.
- If you have just cooked the bacon then cook the onions on medium-low heat in the bacon drippings until tender. If you are using leftover bacon or are omitting the bacon altogether then add about 2 tablespoons olive oil to the Dutch oven and cook the onion on medium-low heat until tender.
- Once tender stir in flour and cook for one minute, stirring constantly.
- Gradually add chicken broth; cook, stirring constantly until thickened and bubbly.
- Put in the diced potatoes and half & half. If you like your soup very chunky you can leave it as is. If you like a slightly smoother soup you can use an immersion blender to blend it.
- Continue to cook on medium-low heat for 10 minutes and stir in the cheese and sour cream.
- Garnish with the bacon, chives, additional cheese, and sour cream if you’d like.
