Ingredients
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2 medium potatoes (about 2 cups chopped)
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2 tablespoons butter
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1 cup diced white onion
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2 tablespoons flour
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4 cups chicken stock
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2 cups water
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1/4 cup cornstarch
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1 1/2 cups instant mashed potatoes
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1 teaspoon salt
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3/4 teaspoon pepper
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1/2 teaspoon basil
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1/8 teaspoon thyme
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1 cup half-and-half
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1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
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1/4 cup crumbled cooked bacon (as a mostly-vegetarian, I would omit this)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees and bake the potatoes for an hour, or until done.
- When potatoes have cooked remove them from oven to cool.
- As potatoes cool, melting butter in large saucepan, and saute onion until light brown.
- Add the flour to the onions and stir.
- Add stock, water, cornstarch, mashed potato flakes, and spices to the pot and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Cut potatoes in half lengthwise and scoop out contents with a large spoon.
- Discard skin.
- Chop baked potato with a large knife to make chunks that are about 1/2-inch in size.
- Add chopped baked potato and half and half to saucepan, bring soup back to a boil, and then reduce heat and simmer the soup for another 15 minutes or until it is thick.
- Spoon about 1 1/2 cups of soup into a bowl and top with about a tablespoon of shredded cheddar cheese, a 1/2 tbs of bacon (if you want!) and a teaspoon or so of chopped green onion.