Loaded Baked Potato Soup

By McLean

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 lbs. baking potatoes
• 1/2 lb. sliced bacon
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 4 cups milk
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 3 cups shredded white cheddar cheese
• 4 scallions, thinly sliced
• 6 teaspoons sour cream

Preparation

Step 1

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Pierce potatoes with a fork and bake at 400 degrees for 50 minutes until tender. Allow to cool slightly Scoop potato flesh into a bowl and mash.

Meanwhile, cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet until crisp, about 8 minutes. Remove bacon and crumble; set aside. Reserve 2 tablespoons of bacon fat.

In a large pot, add butter and reserved bacon fat. Heat over medium heat. Add onion and cook 3 minutes; sprinkle flour over onion and cook 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk; stir in salt, pepper, nutmeg and cayenne. Add reserved mashed potatoes and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in 2 cups of the cheese, half the reserved bacon and half the scallions.

Heat broiler. Divide soup equally among 6 flame-proof onion soup crocks. Sprinkle remaining cup of cheese over tops of crocks. Broil 4 inches from heat source for 3 minutes until cheese melts.

Garnish each with 1 teaspoon sour cream and remaining bacon and scallions.