{YUM!} Loaded Potato & Cheese Soup

It was pretty chilly here for a few days, until it wasn't! We had almost 90 degree weather! But like I said, it was chilly and with that I was craving soup. Specifically, potato cheese soup. Yum. So, I did what I do best, searched for an easy recipe on Pinterest. I found quite a few, but I wanted easy and tasty. And I found it. I adapted this recipe from Handle the Heat. I added LOTS of cheese and some garlic. I didn't make it the healthiest, but it was sooo YUMMY! Here's my adaptation of potato cheese soup...

Loaded Potato & Cheese Soup
Yield: 4 servings
Ready in: 30 minutes

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

1. Pierce potatoes with a fork. Microwave on HIGH 13 minutes or until tender. Cut in half; cool slightly.
2. While potatoes cook, heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; sauté 3 minutes. Add broth. Combine flour and 1/2 cup milk in measuring cup; add to pan then add the remaining 1 1/2 cups milk. Bring to a boil; stir often, being careful to not let the milk boil over. Cook 1 minute. Remove from heat; stir in sour cream, salt, pepper, and 2 cups of cheese.
3. Arrange bacon on a paper towel on a microwave-safe plate. Cover with a paper towel; microwave on HIGH for 4 minutes. Crumble bacon.
4. Scoop potato into soup and discard potato skins. Coarsely mash potatoes into soup using a potato masher. Ladle soup into four bowls and top with the rest of the cheese, green onions, and bacon.