*delicious potato cheese soup

I have had several request for my Loaded Potato Cheese Soup recipe and I am delighted to share it with you all! I usually make this soup for friends who might be sick and shut in for a while, it is delicious, comforting and easy to make.

I do not peel my potatoes, simply slice them up about 1/4 inch thick or to your liking.  Put in steam basket. Steam until you can stick a fork into the potatoes.

I chopped up one large onion and have put on the griddle along with a tablespoon of oil and butter to carmelize the onions.

Once they are caramelized, set aside.

We love the rosemary in this soup and simply think that it "makes" it.  If you do not have rosemary growing at your home, you can find it in the produce department at most grocers.  Add the chopped fresh rosemary to a stock pot which will soon be joined by the other ingredients!

Potatoes are all steamed and ready to go in the stock pot. Pour 2 1/2  cups of hot water into pot, I do use the water that was in steam pot with the potatoes.  If you prefer, you can use half milk and half water.  Keep burner on a medium-low setting.  This is when you will also add the three tablespoons of flour as a thickener.  Take the flour and add to 1/3 cup of warm water. Whisk well. Then you will continually whisk while you are adding it to the pot of soup so it does not turn into biscuits in your soup. Cause it will!  So whisk, whisk, whisk initially then just stir your pot and let it simmer a bit on low. You can now add the rosemary, and onions.

Mmm, bacon. Yes we are bacon-aters! OK.. so if you don't eat meat or you don't do pork.. leave the bacon out.  Once the bacon is cooked to your liking, you can drain it, stir it into the pot of soup or set it aside to use as a topping along with the cheese in each soup bowl.

 YUMMY.  I do love me some bacon.  Turkey bacon is just not the same.

Served... Loaded Potato Cheese Soup!

Loaded Potato Cheese Soup
This set recipe will serve about 5 people.
6 medium to large potatoes (redskin, yukon gold or your favorite)
2 1/2  cups of water (I do use the water from the steamer pot for steaming the potatoes or you can use half water and half milk)
1 large onion, tbsp of olive oil, tbsp of butter
grated cheddar cheese for topping
1 rosemary sprig, copped
3 Tablespoons of flour, 1/3 cup of warm water

(options: you can use half water and half milk if you choose for a richer soup, also Eric says everything is better with bacon. Bacon, I think, is his favorite meat)