Potato Soup

I grew up with my Dad often making Potato Soup and it was one of my favorite meals. I never thought I could have a Potato Soup as good as that. I tried for years to make it and get mine to taste exactly how my Dad’s did. While I don’t think I ever got it tasting exactly like my Dad’s did, I got mine tasting pretty darn good.

I wasn’t looking for a new Potato Soup recipe, but I love looking at recipes online to get ideas, every once in a while I find one that looks good enough to try almost exactly as it’s written. I came across this recipe for Potato Soup that is apparently a  copycat recipe for the Potato Soup served at Panera. I’ve heard of Panera before, but we don’t have them up here, so I have no clue what their soup is like. This recipe looked so good though that I had to try it….as for whether or not it tastes like the soup from Panera I have no idea!

I like to make soup in the Winter for my husband to take to work for his supper. He works in a cold warehouse all night, so I like to send him with something that will warm him up. Last Winter I decided to give this soup recipe a try. It was so fricken good that it is now a regular on my soup list for his work suppers. I mean, amazing good! It tastes like a creamy loaded baked potato, and who doesn’t love loaded baked potatoes!?! I sure do!

I went a little crazy with the chicken stock when I made it last week(yes, because I don’t measure LOL), so the soup in the picture is not as thick as I usually prefer it, the taste was not affected though, it was still just as good.  I always make a double recipe so I have enough for at least 3 or 4 nights of hubby’s supper and a little extra so I get some too .

Cream Cheese Potato Soup

Inspired by Panera's Cream Cheese Potato Soup by Shawn H

4 cups Chicken, Turkey or Veggie Broth*

4 cups peeled and cubed Potatoes

1/4 cup minced Onion

1/2 tsp Salt

1/4 tsp Pepper

1/4 tsp Ground Red Pepper

1 pkg(8oz) Cream Cheese

Saute onions in large pot in a little bit of oil. Add broth, potatoes, salt and peppers. Boil on medium until potatoes are cooked. Mash potatoes, but not all of them, keep it a little chunky(unless you really don’t like chunky, then by all means, mash it all up!). Mashing some of the potatoes will release the starch and thicken the soup.

Remove some of the soup into a blender, add the cream cheese and blend well. Pour back into the pot and simmer until it has reached the thickness you like and the cream cheese is nicely melted and blended in with the rest of the soup.

Dish out and top each bowl with some shredded cheese, crumbled bacon and green onion.

*I’ve made it with all 3 and they are all good.

Jolene