Baked Potato Soup

Weather is warming up around here, so I wanted to get a quick soup recipe out to you before you lose all your chilly days. I've been meaning to share this one for awhile. It came from a friend of mine, Carrie, a few years back in a recipe exchange. We've loved it ever since. I've actually adapted the original recipe a bit for us but I imagine the flavor is about the same either way.

Baked Potato Soup

6-8 large baking potatoes

1/2 cup butter

2 cups chicken broth

2 cups milk

3/4 tsp pepper

1 tsp salt

1 Tbs garlic powder

1/4 cup flour

Bake potatoes in oven. When potatoes are done, peel them if you want, then cut into cubes. Use about 2 cups of cubed potatoes and blend in a blender or food processor with 2 cups of chicken stock to make a smooth puree. Combine this with the rest of the potato cubes and other ingredients in a pot on the stove or in your crockpot. Add more milk or chicken broth if you want to thin the soup a bit. You can also add more or less garlic, salt, and pepper. Serve topped with cheese, bacon bits, chives, etc.. 

Notes: We LOVE this stuff. I have never done it in the crock pot, which is what the original recipe said. I usually am not that ahead of the game. But we mix it together in about 20 minutes in a pot on the stove. I have always forgotten to put the 1/4 cup flour, and I don't think it needs it, so we have continued not to add it. We usually add a little more black pepper and garlic for our tastes! Also, last time I made this I just pureed all the potatoes rather than having any chunks and I think we liked it better that way. Enjoy!