Hard Rock Cafe Baked Potato Soup...

Perhaps it's the Idaho girl in me but I love a potato just about any way you cook it. I even like potatoes in flake form which my husband lovingly refers to as fake potatoes. So throwing potatoes in a soup (another favorite of mine) is destined to be amazing. I know our cool Arizona temperatures this week pale in comparison to the majority of the country, but it dropped into the low 60's which means its a soup week for us!

This recipe is from a friend and the first time I ate it, it was love at first bite. It's creamy, it has bacon and just enough kick to keep it interesting.


6 · to 8 slices bacon, fried crisp, drippings reserved
1 cup · onions -- diced
2/3 cup · flour
6 cup · hot chicken stock
4 cup · baked potatoes -- peeled and cubed (I throw them in the microwave when I'm running low on time)
1 cup · heavy cream (I've also made this with an additional cup of milk instead of cream and it turned out great!)
1 cup milk
1/4 cup · parsley -- chopped or 3 tsp dried
1 1/2 teaspoon · granulated garlic
1 1/2 teaspoon · dried basil
1 1/2 teaspoon · salt
1 1/2 teaspoon · hot sauce (I add less than this amount and then add more to taste because every hot sauce is different)
1 teaspoon · coarsely ground pepper
1 cup · Cheddar cheese
1/4 cup · green onions, white part only -- diced

Chop cooked bacon and reserve drippings.Cook onions in drippings over medium-high heat until transparent, about 3 minutes. Add flour, stirring to prevent lumps. Cook 2-3 minutes until mixture is golden. Add chicken stock gradually, whisking to prevent lumps, until liquid thickens. Reduce heat to simmer and add potatoes, cream, chopped bacon, parsley, garlic, basil, salt, pepper sauce and black pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes; do not allow to boil. Add grated cheese and green onions. Heat until cheese melts smoothly. Garnish each serving as desired with chopped bacon, grated cheese and chopped parsley. Makes 2 quarts, about 8 servings.