Hot & Steamy BAKED POTATO SOUP!

Baked Potato Soup with melted cheddar and bacon bits and green onions on top. Tastes just like a creamy baked potato!

What a nice day! The weather really stinks but it's a nice day anyway. It's gray, cloudy, dreary and a cold rain is falling. It's the kind of cold rain that if the temperature dropped a couple degrees it would be SNOW. (How I wish it were! The guys were watching the UM game this afternoon while I made the soup and it's snowing big flakes there! I'm actually jealous!)

For the guys it was nice because it's opening day of deer season, and for me because it's the annual craft show at Flushing High. I met a friend and her daughter there and it was really nice to be able to be with a friend, get into the Christmas spirit looking at all the gifts and Christmas decorations. I bought a few things and as we walked out into the cold and windy rain I thought, baked potato soup sounded so good for today. So, I came home and got busy, and it really isn't that long from start to finish for this rich and hearty soup. I thought you might like to have the recipe to try, so here it is!

BAKED POTATO SOUP

(Garnish with green onion or chives, and shredded cheese and real bacon bits if you have them, if you don't it's still darn good!)

4-6 large potatoes, peeled and diced

6-8 c. water

1-12 ounce can of evaporated milk

16 oz. heavy cream

1/2 c. sour cream

3 T. butter (optional, it tastes just as good without it!)

1/2 t. onion salt

1/2 t. garlic powder

salt to taste

coarsely ground or freshly ground pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1. Place the potatoes and water in a large saucepan. Bring water to a boil and reduce heat and simmer just until potatoes become tender...bring some out and test with a fork

2. Mix together the evaporated milk, heavy cream, sour cream, butter and onion salt, garlic powder and salt and pepper with the potatoes. Simmer stirring often to keep from scorching until the soup is creamy and not watery. If you can't wait for this, I have found that adding instant potato flakes to the soup can easily speed up the process.

3. When the soup is the right consistency, scoop out into another bowl and mash just SOME of the potatoes (unless you added the instant flakes) and return to mixture.

4. Serve with shredded cheddar on top, and a few real bacon bits, and if you like some chopped chives or green onion...enjoy! It's even better leftover tomorrow. Very filling and warms you right up!

OFFICIAL FARMHOUSE FOOD!