SG's Cream of Potato Soup

I looked outside this morning and the leaves carpeting our yard were covered in frost.

So, for the next 6 months, I'll be wearing a scarf. And, a puffy coat. And, boots. And, gloves. And, chapstick! (Hellooo, Midwest winter.)

{{groan}}

And, I'll be making soup. Lots and lots and lots of soup. Because when it's cold outside, it's what's for dinner at our house.

I love this recipe for Cream of Potato Soup. It's savory and hearty and absolutely delicious. And, it's so easy and ready in 30 minutes. I can decide to make this for dinner right before my husband gets home from work, and shortly after he walks in the door, I have dinner ready.

Please tell me I'm not the only one who waits until 4:59pm to start thinking about dinner. Anyone? Anyone? Bueller? Anyone?

This soup is so easy that I'm not gonna clog up this post with too many pictures.

But, the one thing I do differently than I do in most soups is that I mash some of the potatoes and use them as the thickener. That way, this recipe can be totally gluten free. My sister eats gluten free (as do some of my friends), and I love to post recipes that she can eat.

Once the potatoes are soft (see full recipe below), I put my gravy strainer over the pot. (My poor gravy strainer bears evidence of its life as a weapon in battle. Life with three boys, baby.)

I scoop in about 1 cup of potatoes (with bits of sauteed carrot and onion).

Then, I mash it with a fork until it's soft.

I add the mashed potato to the pot. This step helps to thicken the soup without needing any flour. And, it gives the soup a creamy, potato-y texture as well as chunks of potato.

Once the soup is finished, you can eat it just like it is.

But, why? When there's bacon!

I also add a handful of shredded cheese. (You can add sour cream, too, if you're livin' on the edge.)

Then, I do this.

And, a little of this.

Finishing it off with a bit more of this.

And, this here is how a bowl of SG's Cream of Potato Soup is supposed to look.

Creamy. Cheesy. Delicious.

I guess you could call it a Loaded Baked Potato Soup. It really is the soup form of my Loaded Baked Potato Pizza.

I hope you'll try this one. If you liked the Creamy Broccoli Cheese Soup I posted a couple of weeks ago, I think you'll like this one, too!

Enjoy! And, Happy Friday!

SG's Cream of Potato Soup

6 large potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 tablespoons butter
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1 medium onion, diced
6 cups chicken stock
2 cups half and half
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon hot sauce
6 strips bacon, crumbled
4 ounces cheese, shredded

In a large stockpot, melt butter. Add carrots and onion and saute for 5 minutes. Add potatoes to pot and add chicken stock. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Simmer potatoes for 15 minutes, or until soft.

In a strainer or separate bowl, scoop out 1 cup of potatoes. Mash with a fork. Add mashed potato back into pot. Over low heat, add half and half, salt, pepper, and hot sauce. Simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, until thickened.

Serve topped with bacon and cheese.

*You can add 1 teaspoon of basil, thyme, or dill to this soup as well, to give it more of a herby flavor.

*This recipe makes about 12 cups of soup.