Heaven (Or A Heart Attack) In A Bowl

Seems like I've been on a soup kick lately. But when it looks like this outside, something deep in my primordial brain screams for soup. I don't know for certain that cavemen took a mastodon shank and boiled it down and added roots and goodnessonlyknowswhatelse, but I'm thinking that in some cave somewhere, a harried cave woman took a break from hunting and gathering and minding her offspring to do such a thing and in the process she invented soup. Or something like that.

Anyway, my point is, that soup is awesome. In caveman speak that would be "Soup. Good!" And because it is oh-so-delicious and comforting, it finds its way frequently onto my winter menu. I love all the varieties of soups out there. I love that soup is forgiving when you mess up. I love that it doesn't take too long to make most of them. I love that they are easy. I love how soup makes me feel all cozy. The most recent soup that has felt the love here at Chez Sara was Baked Potato Soup. My friends, if Willie Wonka were a soup man, he would have invented a machine to take a loaded baked potato and liquefy it. And that liquid? It would have tasted exactly like Baked Potato Soup. It is awesomeness in a bowl.

Would you like to see it? Here. Take a gander at that loveliness.

Don't you wish you had smell-o-vision? Mmmmm....

Because, as I may have mentioned before, I am a giver, I will share my recipe for Baked Potato Soup with you. Be warned. This soup is not for the faint-hearted. It is rich and it is calorie-laden. This is a Make It Once A Winter Soup. But y'all. You must make this soup! Here goes:

Ingredients:
6 potatoes, baked
2/3 cup butter
2/3 cup flour
6 cups whole milk
1/2 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup bacon, diced and crisp
4 green onions, chopped
10 ounces shredded cheddar cheese
1 (16oz.) container sour cream

**I double everything but the potatoes, green onion, and sour cream because I am serving 6 and always like to have leftovers.

Cook potatoes in microwave three or four at a time. In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in flour and cook about a minute. Whisk in milk, a little at a time, stirring constantly, until it thickens. Split the potatoes and let them cool a bit and then peel them and chop, but not fine. Stir the potatoes in the milk. Add salt and pepper, bacon bits, green onions, and cheese. Cook until thoroughly heated. Stir in sour cream and heat through. Garnish with extra green onion and bacon if you wish. (Or if you, like me, have a death wish. Mmmm...bacon....)

Now sit down at your table, grab your spoon, and taste a liquid loaded baked potato--also known as heaven in a bowl. Or Heart Attack Soup.

What a way to go!