Baked Potato Soup;

 When I worked at the Manor most years my boss would give me a new cookery book for Christmas. Usually they were artsy-fartsy books filled with cheffie food that normal people just don’t have the money, expertise or time to cook in their own homes.

One year though,  she gave me aa Junior League one, entitled Seasons in Thyme, put together by the Junior League of Birmingham, Michigan, and it was filled with lots of tasty recipes that I have put to use here at home and that we enjoy outside of dinner party fare!   There are no photographs in it to drool over, which is its only drawback.  Today’s recipe is one I adapted from the Starters Chapter in the book.

 
I adore potatoes in any way shape or form, and I am not ashamed to tell you that a nice baked potato is one of my favourite ways to enjoy them . . . plain, baked and adorned with some sour cream and chives.  Soooo good with its crisp skin and fluffy insides . . .  that sour cream melting down inside and the sharpness of the chives!!   I will have maybe a sprinkling of cheese and crisp bacon bits on top as well,  if I am feeling rather more indulgent.

 
It did look rather plain so I have topped it with some baked potato skins.   It seemed a shame to dispose of them.  The skin is always my favourite part of a baked potato!

 
I took one of the baked potatoes and instead of peeling it, I cut it into quarters and then trimmed off the skin from each quarter from the flesh, with about a 1/4 inch layer of skin.  I spritzed the four skin quarters with some low fat cooking spray and sprinkled them with some seasoning salt, the paprika and pepper one and then I put them on a baking sheet . . .

 
About 10 minutes in a hot oven (220*C/425*F) and they were starting to get nice and crispy.  I had reserved some of the bacon and spring onions from the main body of the soup, not a lot, just enough to garnish my potato skin croutons.

 
After they had crisped, I took them out of the oven and sprinkled them with cheese and the bacon and spring onion I had reserved and banged them back in the oven to melt the cheese.  With a dab of sour cream on top, they made the perfect garnish for what was already a really rich and delicious soup!   If you like baked potatoes, you are going to love this!

salt and black pepper to taste

 
Melt the butter in a large saucepan.  Stir in the flour and whisk until smooth.  Cook without colouring for about a minute or so.  Slowly whisk in the milk, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens and bubbles.  Add the potatoes and onions.  Bring to the boil, stirring, but then reduce to a slow simmer and simmer for 10 minutes over very low heat.  Stir in the bacon.   Gradually whisk in the cheese, allowing each addition to melt before adding more.  Stir in the sour cream and season to taste with salt and black pepper. Serve immediately, ladled into heated bowls.

 Creamy, rich and totally indulgent.  The perfect way to welcome October!  Bon Appetit!

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The English Kitchen
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