Baked Potato Soup

Ingredients

• 2.5 pounds baking potatoes 
• 0.5 teaspoon pepper black freshly ground
• 4 ounces extrasharp cheddar cheese shredded divided reduced-fat
• 6  bacon crumbled cooked
• 3 ounces flour all-purpose
• 0.8 cup green onions divided chopped
• 6 cups milk 2% reduced-fat
• 1 cup cup heavy whipping cream sour reduced-fat
• 1 teaspoon salt 

Equipment

• bowl
• ladle
• oven
• knife
• whisk
• measuring cup
• dutch oven

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 40
2. Pierce potatoes with a fork; bake at 400 for 1 hour or until tender. Cool. Peel potatoes; coarsely mash.
3. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife.
4. Place flour in a large Dutch oven; gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk until blended. Cook over medium heat until thick and bubbly (about 8 minutes).
5. Add mashed potatoes, 3/4 cup cheese, salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, stirring until cheese melts.
6. Remove from heat.
7. Stir in sour cream and 1/2 cup onions. Cook over low heat 10 minutes or until thoroughly heated (do not boil). Ladle 1 1/2 cups soup into each of 8 bowls.
8. Sprinkle each serving with 1 1/2 teaspoons cheese, 1 1/2 teaspoons onions, and about 1 tablespoon bacon.
9. Garnish with cracked pepper, if desired.