Baked Potato Soup {On the Stove or In the Crock-Pot}

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Pierce each potato with a fork and then place on a baking sheet. Bake for approximately 1 hour, until fork tender. Cool completely.
2. When the potatoes are cool, slice them in half and use a spoon to scoop out as much of the flesh as possible. Discard the skins and roughly mash the potatoes a few times, leaving plenty of large bite size chunks.
3. In the bottom of a large soup pot or dutch oven, combine the flour and about 2 cups of milk. Whisk to combine and then slowly stir in the rest of the milk. Cook over medium heat, for about 5 - 10 minutes, until the mixture thickens slightly.
4. Add the potatoes, salt, and pepper and turn the heat to low. Cook the soup without boiling at all, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes. Stir in the sour cream and cook about 3 more minutes. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper to taste.
5. Ladle soup into bowls and top with bacon, cheese, chives and/or sour cream. Enjoy!
6. (Depending on the size of your crock-pot, consider halving this recipe.) Bake the potatoes as directed above. Place the scooped out insides of the potatoes in the bottom of the crockpot and mash the potatoes a few times.
7. Whisk together the flour, salt, and pepper, along with 1 cup of milk, until smooth. Pour over the potatoes. Add the remaining milk, stir, and cook on HIGH for 2 hours or on LOW for 4-5 hours.
8. Stirring and scraping the sides once or twice after it begins to thicken. Once the soup has thickened, stir in the sour cream and serve immediately or set the crockpot to WARM and keep hot until ready to serve.
9. Ladle soup into bowls and top with bacon, cheese, chives and/or sour cream. Enjoy!