Loaded Baked Potato Soup

(Courtesy of Family Circle)

Ingredients:
2 1/2 lbs. baking potatoes
1/2 lb. sliced bacon
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
4 c. 2% milk
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
3 c. shredded white cheddar cheese
4 scallions, thinly sliced
6 tsp. sour cream

Directions:
Heat oven to 400 degrees.  Pierce potatoes with a fork and bake at 400 degrees for 50 minutes until tender.  Allow to cool slightly.  Scoop potato flesh into a bowl and mash.

Meanwhile, cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet until crisp, about 8 minutes.  Remove bacon and crumble; set aside.  Reserve 2 Tbsp. of bacon fat.

In a large pot, add butter and reserved bacon fat.  Heat over medium heat.  Add onion and cook 3 minutes; sprinkle flour over onion and cook 1 minute.  Gradually whisk in milk; stir in salt, pepper, nutmeg and cayenne.  Add reserved mashed potatoes and bring to a simmer.  Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Stir in 2 c. of cheese, half the reserved bacon and half the scallions.

Heat broiler.  Divide soup equally among 6 flame-proof onion soup crocks.  Sprinkle remaining cup of cheese over tops of crocks.  Broil 4 inches from the heat source for 3 minutes until cheese melts.

Garnish each with 1 tsp. sour cream and remaining bacon and scallions.

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