Loaded Baked Potato Soup

 

2/3 cup each butter or margarine, flour
7 cups milk *
4 large baking potatoes, cooked, cubed
1 lb. bacon
8 oz. Velveeta® Cheese product
1 cup sour cream
to taste: salt and pepper
1 cup shredded Mexi-blend cheese
1 bunch green onions, sliced

 

      Cut up bacon and cook.  Drain.  Bake potatoes, then peel and chop.  Now I use 4 cups of Yukon Gold®, chunked and cooked by boiling.  Much less messy and you keep nutrients of skin.  Drain.  In a large pot melt butter.  Stir in flour, heat and stir until smooth.  Cook 1 minute.  Gradually add milk, stirring constantly until thickened.  Have milk warmed to prevent burning milk on bottom while it tries to warm up rest of milk.  Add cheese and stir until melted.  Stir in sour cream.

* This is with about 1/2 milk  Add potatoes and bacon.

To Freeze:  Omit potatoes (they become gritty when you thaw); cool and put in bags.  When ready to use, reheat and add potatoes.  *An alternative method is to add the milk to pan and warm.  Make a roux out of butter and flour.  Add roux to milk and stir.  It will thicken in just a few minutes.