Loaded Potato Soup

So, I have to kick off this particular post by telling you about one of my new favorite blogs, which is the place I found this fast and fabulous soup. The blog is called Ezra Pound Cake, and the name alone had me at hello. It's full of terrific recipes and even more terrific color commentary, and it's one of the blogs I go to as much for the entertaining writing as for the scrumptious dinner inspiration.

Anyway, I found this soup when I was wandering around the site the other day, and it totally lived up to my fondest hopes and dreams: in other words, it is basically like eating the soup version of some really fantastic mashed potatoes. Which is my personal idea of heaven, so I was in a place of perfect happiness for as long as the soup lasted. Smooth, thick, creamy, with bits of cheese and bacon and green onion....is your mouth watering yet?

And to make it even more wonderful, it is a snap to make. Cook up a few potatoes in your microwave (I used Yukon golds, which worked perfectly). While the potatoes are cooking, you make the soup base by sauteing some chopped onion and adding in some chicken broth and milk and a little sour cream. When the potatoes are done, scoop the potato out of the skin and drop it into the soup mixture, and then give the whole thing a good whirl with an immersion blender or your regular blender. Garnish with some chopped cooked bacon, some shredded cheddar and some chopped green onions. And there you have it - the soup version of some really fabulous mashed potatoes. YUM. Thanks, Ezra Pound Cake - you rock!

Loaded Potato Soup, adapted from Ezra Pound Cake

• 4 (6-ounce) potatoes (I used Yukon Gold)
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1 1/4 cups chicken broth
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups 1% low-fat milk, divided
• 1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3 bacon slices, halved
• 1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 4 teaspoons thinly sliced green onions

1. Scrub and dry the potatoes, and prick them all over with a fork. Place the potatoes on a plate, and microwave them on high for 13 minutes. The potatoes should be tender. Cut them in half, and set aside.

2. While the potatoes are cooking, heat the oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion, and sauté for 3 minutes. Add broth.

3. In a small bowl, combine flour and 1/2 cup milk. Add the mixture to the pan with 1 1/2 cups milk. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Cook for 1 minute.

4. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in sour cream, salt and pepper. Set aside.

5. Place a paper towel on a microwave-safe plate. Arrange your bacon halves on the paper towel, and cover them with a second paper towel. Microwave on high for 4 minutes. Crumble bacon. Set aside.

6. Scoop the potato pulp out of the skins, and mash the pulp into the soup (at this point I pureed it with my emsulsion blender to get it even smoother) . Discard skins.

7. Garnish each serving of soup with cheese, green onions and crumbled bacon. Serve immediately.

Click here for printable recipe