Baked Potato Soup

First prep step (takes 1 hour):
Preheat oven to 350 F. Rinse the potatoes to clean the skin. Coat them with olive oil and sprinkle with a bit of salt. Poke them with a fork (about 4 times) and put them on a baking sheet. Bake them for about one hour or until done (test with fork).

Second prep step—be careful, potatoes are REALLY hot!
After the potatoes are done, cut them in half lengthwise. Scoop out the insides into a bowl. (If you want, you can save the outsides in a freezer bag for making baked potato skins.)

For preparing the soup:
In a large soup kettle over medium heat, melt the butter. Stir in the flour; heat and stir until smooth. (A whisk helps.) This creates a thickener called a roux (“rue”). Continue cooking and stirring until it browns a bit (it should be about the color of a ‘browned baked roll’ or even a ‘cookie’).

Gradually add the milk, stirring constantly until thickened. Add potatoes (and green onions, optional). Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. You do not need to whip the potatoes; it’s supposed to be lumpy.

Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Add remaining ingredients; stir until cheese is melted. If needed, you can thin it with additional milk to desired consistency (it’s better thick).

*Sprinkle servings with more cheese and bacon for extra goodness!