Loaded Baked Potato Soup…

“I hate people who are not serious about their meals.”

-Oscar Wilde

_ _I don’t know much about a lot of things, but I do know a lot about a few things… For example, I know a surprising amount about the history of the Soviet KGB thanks to a professor who I’m fairly confident believed himself to be Stalin reincarnate. I also know a lot more about my diet habits now, thanks to this blog: I know that I eat way too much starch; I know that I eat way too much cheese; I know that because there is broccoli in this soup I feel pretty good about consuming mass quantities of it. What I don’t know is what to do with leftovers… because I never have any.

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Serves: 2-3

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Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups Potatoes (Russet, Yukon… whatever), diced

1/4 cup Onion, diced

2 cups Water

1/2 tsp Salt

1 “pinch” Pepper

2 tbsp Flour

1/2 cup Milk (skim or 1%)

1/2 cup Buttermilk

2/3 cup Broccoli, cooked and finely chopped

1 cup Cheddar, shredded

1 oz (2 tbsp) Cream Cheese

1/4 tsp Paprika

1/8 tsp Garlic Powder

1/4 cup Bacon, crumbled

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1. Place potatoes and onion in a large pot with enough water to just cover the vegetables (I used 2 cups of water). Bring to a boil and cook for about 15-20 minutes, until the potatoes are fork-tender. Stir occasionally to keep the potatoes from burning or sticking to the pot.

2. When potatoes are cooked, mash them a little bit– so they’re mashed but still chunky.

3. Whisk together the flour with the milk and stir into the potatoes. Then add the buttermilk and allow it to simmer until the mixture is thickened.

4. Add the broccoli, salt, pepper, paprika and garlic powder and stir to mix. Allow the broccoli to heat through.

5. Remove from heat an add in the cheddar and cream cheese stirring until it is all melted and combined.

6. In each bowl add a little extra cheddar and bacon bits… and any other topping you might want.