Baked Potato Soup

I don’t mean to alarm anyone, but it is time to light the pumpkin spice candles and start making Baked Potato Soup. Not just any potato soup. We shall make a knock-your-socks-off-and-drop-your-backpack-in-the-middle-of-the-hallway-on-your-way-to-the-table-so-someone-else-will-trip-over-it soup. Please light your pumpkin candle and let the soup making commence.

A first-rate soup is more creative than a second-rate painting. – Abraham Maslow

Baked Potato Soup

• 2-3 quarts of water
• 6 large russet potatoes, diced
• 5 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 1/2 cup flour
• 5 cups leftover water from cooked potatoes
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 1/2 cups sour cream
• 2 cups white cheddar cheese, grated
• 3 cups large bacon bits
• 1 bunch green onions, chopped
• 2 teaspoons onion powder
• 2 teaspoons beau monde
• Salt (at least 1 tablespoon) to taste
• Coarse-ground pepper to taste

Rinse with water & scrub potatoes until clean.

A rough peel of the potatoes is best. You don’t have to remove all the skin but I recommend removing most. A little is kind of rustic. However, you like it best will be great.

Dice potatoes into small, bite-size pieces. What size you choose to cut them into doesn’t matter as much as the cuts being very similar in size. The closer they are in size, the more evenly they will cook.

Using a large pot, boil potatoes in water until a fork stuck into one slides off easily. This should take about 15-20 minutes of boiling time.

It is best to get everything measured and ready to go with this soup since it is made with a roux.

Grate cheese and dice onions & green onions while potatoes are cooking and set aside.

When potatoes are done cooking, scoop out the 5 cups of potato water, and set them aside. Drain potatoes and set them aside on a plate.

Heat olive oil (or bacon grease instead if you happen to save yours) in the same large pot and add yellow onions.

Cook yellow onions until translucent and somewhat golden.

This. This is the moment that will have you saying, “Boy, I’m glad I measured everything out ahead of time.”

Sprinkle flour over yellow onions and whisk while cooking for a few minutes.

After roux (flour & oil base) is done cooking, add leftover potato water and heavy cream. Stir together until well combined. Bring to a boil. Eventually, this will thicken as it continues to cook.

Add potatoes to the soup pot.

Add sour cream and cheese. Watch carefully for them to swirl beautifully into the soup. You know just for fun.

Add bacon bits and green onions and onion powder and beau monde. And stir some more. Your soup is ready.

My soup pot runneth over and it is not a mistake. It is a photo op. Amen.

This soup goes perfectly with Swedish Rye Bread or, you know, simply a spoon. For this is art.