Creamy Loaded Potato Soup

It has rained for 5 days in a row now. I know that it's been step-one-foot-out-the-door-and-start-sweating hot but 5 days?! If Baxter doesn't get outside to run around soon, I will no longer have any bedroom dresser drawers. That's right, he's actually chewing the corners off of them. New ones have been ordered which means that the bedroom door will stay closed. Poor B$ (our stupid nickname for him which he will answer to as much as he does to Baxter).

Anyway, as Matt will be the first one to tell you if it is really cold, if one of us went to the dentist (thanks for that ritual mom), or it is rainy outside - we have soup.

Although the potato is my go-to soup, since I always have everything at my house, you can change it up with what you serve it with. Try sliders, chicken tenders with buffalo sauce on them, croutons, or even an arugula salad with a little Italian dressing. Since I cook the potatoes in chicken broth and add all the toppings of a baked potato, it's really flavorful and not your average potato soup!


Creamy Loaded Potato Soup
4 servings


4 russet or Idaho potatoes
4 cups chicken Broth, possibly more
5 slices of bacon
1/2 cup whipping cream (you can use any kind of milk but the thicker the milk, the creamier the soup)
1/4 cup cream cheese
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 cup sharp Cheddar Cheese, shredded - more to taste if you want
salt and pepper
Sour cream to garnish


1. Peel and cut all the potatoes and place in a large pot. Fill with enough chicken broth to fill up the pot about 3/4 of the way up the potatoes. Boil over high heat until they are fork tender. Once ready, DO NOT DRAIN! Just set it aside.


2. Meanwhile, pan-fry or broil the bacon until cooked through. I like mine really crunchy so that it doesn't get too soft in the soup. Chop into small pieces. I use my kitchen shears here because it's so much easier and neater than using a knife with the bent and curved slices.


3. Using a potato masher (or a fork) mash up the potatoes in the chicken broth that you cooked it in. Add the whipping cream and more chicken broth until you get it just a little bit more liquidy (let's pretend that is a word) than you want. Season with salt and pepper.


4. Stir in the cream cheese, cooked bacon crumbles, butter, and cheddar cheese until well combined. Add more of each ingredient to your liking. Reheat if needed and serve warm with a dollop of sour cream on top.