Baked Potato Cheese Soup

Yes … you MUST bake the potatoes first! That is the key to this soups flavor

12-16oz sliced bacon, diced
1 medium sweet or yellow onion, diced
2/3 C flour, sifted
3 cans low-sodium, fat free chicken broth
1/2 broth can of water
4 C peeled, diced baked potatoes
2 C heavy cream (m’m'm’m')
1/2 C fresh chopped Italian parsley
1 1/2 t garlic powder
1 1/2 t dried basil
1 1/2 t salt
1 1/2 t Tabasco sauce
1 t coarse black peper
4c grated extra sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 C sliced green onions (scallions)

Fry bacon until crisp. Drain on paper towels and reserve. Saute onions
in bacon drippings until transparent, about 3 min. Add the flour,
stirring constantly to prevent lumps, and cook for 3-5 minues, until
flour just begins to turn golden. SLOWLY add chicken broth and then water,
whisking constantly to prevent lumps, and cook until the soup thickens.
Reduce heat to simmer and add the potatoes, cream, bacon, parsley,
garlic, basil, salt, Tabasco and black pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes.
DO NOT allow to boil. Stir in grated cheese and the green onions and
heat until the cheese melts. simmer on low heat for about 30 min then eat!

The secret to this soup is the baked potatoes! Trust me. Just don’t cover this when you’re making it
and don’t ever let it boil … slow simmer is best. And I never waste
time to melt the cheese …. just dump it in