Baked Potato Soup (yeah that one)

This recipe came from a newspaper clipping.  I made it for my family of 9 one winter afternoon.  They came home from church to hot soup and stuffed ham and cheese rolls.  We have good memories of this soup.  This is pure comfort!  

For the soup:

 4 c. chicken broth

4 c. milk

8 Tbsp. butter (if you don't use bacon grease)

3/4 c. flour

1 tsp. salt

3 bay leaves

1/2 tsp. white pepper ( I have left this out when I didn't have it in my cupboard and just used pepper)

4  large potatoes, I have used Russet or Yukon gold,  I bake these first and scoop out the flesh.

For toppings you will need:

 1/2 lb. to 1 lb. bacon, fried and crumbled, save the grease for later

 1 1/2 to 2 c. shredded cheddar, or colby/jack cheese or cheese to your liking

can also use chopped green onions 

Sour cream

To make the soup:

Heat chicken stock and milk in a large saucepan over medium-high heat to almost boiling.  Remove from heat and set aside.  Reduce heat to low .  In large soup pot, add bacon grease and butter to make 8 Tbsp. all together,  add flour stirring constantly for about 3 min. to cook flour and make a roux.  Gradually add milk mixture to roux pouring in a slow steady stream.  While stirring vigorously to blend and eliminate lumps.  Add bay leaves and pepper.  Add potatoes mash them until there is only small bites,  now add salt, and continue to simmer over low heat about 15-20 min. until soup thickens.  Lightly mash potatoes in soup and stir to blend well.  Pour soup in bowls and top with toppings.

Makes a little more than a quart of soup - for my family I one and a half this recipe.  

** Serve this with stuffed ham and cheese rolls and you will be in heaven!

Stuffed Ham and Cheese Rolls:

For 6 rolls:

Thaw 9 frozen rhodes rolls

Preheat oven to 375 degrees 

Take 1 1/2 rolls and spread them out, put one slice of honey ham and one slice of provolone cheese in the middle and bring edges up and seal completely.  Do that with the rest of them.  Put on greased or lined cookie sheet and let raise until double.  Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until golden brown.  Take out and spread melted butter on tops and sprinkle with garlic salt.  Serve with soup.