Baked Potato Soup

Bake Potatoes: Add potatoes to a large baking tray and poke a few times with a knife or tines of a fork. Coat in a drizzle of oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake at 400 degrees for 1 hour, or until fork tender. Remove from oven and allow to cool.

Shred cheese and allow to sit at room temp while you prepare the soup.

Finish Potatoes: Once potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut in half, lengthwise. Scoop out potato flesh and place potato skins on baking sheet. Drizzle skins with more olive oil, a little more salt and pepper and broil for a few minutes, until crispy.

Cook Bacon: When potatoes are half way through cooking, add bacon to a large soup pot over medium heat and cook until the fat is rendered and bacon is crispy (8-10 minutes). Use a slotted spoon to remove bacon to a paper towel lined plate. Remove some bacon grease.

Sauté Veggies: Add butter to pan and allow to melt, then add leek and celery. Sauté until tender. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Sprinkle in flour and stir to combine, for 1 minute. Slowly add chicken broth and chicken bouillon paste, while stirring.

Scoop potato flesh into soup pot, breaking it a part with a wooden spoon. Add milk and season with salt and pepper. Cook for a few minutes until warmed through.

Finish Soup: Use an immersion blender to gently puree about half of the soup until you get the texture you want. Don’t overdo it—we don’t want the potatoes to get “gluey” in texture. Remove from heat and stir in cheddar cheese.

Serve topped with extra shredded cheddar cheese, a big spoonful of bacon, sour cream and sprinkle of chives. Serve with crisp potato skins for dipping.