recipe: baked potato soup

mmm fall cooking. i used this Baked Potato Soup recipe from allrecipes, modifying just a little bit based on ingredients i had and time i didn't have (i forgot the original recipe calls for baked potatoes. seeing as i started din at 8pm, this was not an option).

ingredients list:- 3 strips bacon
- 1 cup chopped leeks
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp fresh basil
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 3 & 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 2 large russet potatoes, cubed
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 tsp hot pepper sauce
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 tsp chopped fresh chives

to make: boil 3 cups chicken broth, adding cubed potatoes once it comes to a boil. cook bacon in the meantime. when bacon is done, set aside. saute leeks, onion, & garlic in bacon grease, stirring in flour, salt, basil and pepper after the onion mixture has cooked down. by this time, the potatoes should be softened and cooked through (and absorbed a ton of the broth). pour the remaining broth from potatoes into bacon grease/onion/flour mixture. add in remaining 1/2 cup chicken broth, stirring until all flour clumps have dissolved (additional broth or water may be required if mixture is still too thick). stir in the potatoes, cream, and hot pepper sauce and simmer on low until 2-3 minutes until mixture is at desired soupy thickness. garnish with bacon, cheese, and chives, and sprinkle with salt & pepper to taste.

this dish is so easy - no drama, no surprises, no cursing. perfect weeknight din din if you ignore the calories, 6.5 stars ******~.