Loaded Baked Potato Soup

Does anyone else have a pretty picky eater at home? Luckily over time we have pinned down a few go to staple soups in our house. One of them is this loaded baked potato soup. A few differences between my recipe and others I have seen is you don't have to have baked potatoes on hand. I also add the chicken stock for flavor. I find some of the recipes I have tried kind of bland. Our family really enjoys this soup, and I hope yours does too!

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Ingredients

• 4 potatoes

• 3 carrots

• 8 bacon slices, chopped

• 1/4 cup butter

• 2 garlic cloves, minced

• 1/2 cup onion

• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour (I use gluten free flour*)

• 4 cups milk

• 3 cups chicken stock

• 1 tbs salt

• 1/2 tsp black pepper

• 1 cup mild cheddar cheese shredded

• 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese scredded

• 1 cup sour cream

• fresh chives, for garnish

• Cook the bacon in a large crock over medium-high heat until crisp. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain and cool. Reserve 1 tablespoon of the bacon fat.

• While the bacon is cooking I prep the veggies. Peel and dice potatoes. Wash and cut carrots. Dice onions.

• In your same crock, add 1//2 the butter and melt over medium-low heat. Add garlic and onion and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the onion is tender. Add carrots and potatoes and cover with chicken stock. Bring to a light simmer and stir in the salt and pepper. Keep at a light simmer until you can pierce the veggies with a fork, about 7-10 minutes.

• If you'd like to use cheeses and bacon as a garnish, reserve 1/4 cup of each. Dice up your green onions as well. Set aside.

• After the veggies are soft make your roux. In a separate pan melt the remaining butter, slowly whisk in flour and milk. Mixture should be thick. Stir into your cooked veggies.

• Stir in the remaining cheeses, remaining bacon, and the sour cream. Remove the pot from the heat. Serve hot, topped with your favorite garnishes. Most of all, Enjoy!

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If you try this recipe let me know in the comments how you liked it!