Ingredients

• 1/2 cup chopped raw bacon
• 4 tbsp (56 grams) butter
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• pinched dried thyme leaves
• 1/8 tsp nutmeg
• 1 chicken bouillon cube
• 10 cups chicken broth
• 8 cups peeled and diced potatoes
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 2 large potatoes, baked, peeled, and diced
• 1 dried bay leaf (optional)
• 1/2 cup sliced green onions (optional)
• 1 cup shredded american/cheddar cheese (optional)
• 1 cup diced white onions (optional)
• 1/2 cup sour cream (optional)

Instructions

1. Place bacon and butter in a large saucepan/pot and cook bacon over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, until crispy. Stir often.
2. While the bacon is cooking, you should peel and dice the potatoes. 1 large baking potato usually equals 1 cup chopped potatoes. You can set them aside until you are ready to use them.
3. You can add white onions, if you want, and cook them for 3 minutes.
4. If you want bacon with a little crunch in your soup, then remove the bacon from the pot, and place it in a bowl lined with a paper towel, once it is crispy. Otherwise, just leave the bacon in the pot and continue the recipe.
5. Next, add in the flour, and using a whisk stir it. Cook the flour for about 1-2 minutes.
6. Then, add in the chicken stock, bouillon cube, thyme, nutmeg, and diced raw potatoes. I usually use water and extra bouillon cubes to make chicken stock, if you don't have chicken stock.
7. Bring it all to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover the pot with a lid, and let it simmer for 15 minutes.
8. While the soup is cooking, you can prepare the baked potatoes.
9. Pre-heat the oven to a high heat around 220C/428F. Then peel, and dice two large baking potatoes.
10. In a plastic food safe bag, place the diced potatoes, and drizzle them with olive oil. Then, season them with thyme, salt, and pepper.
11. Place the potatoes on a baking sheet lined with baking paper or an oiled baking pan, and bake them in the oven until tender, about 15 - 20 minutes. You should check on them as they cook.
12. Next, if the potatoes in the soup are tender, then mash them with a potato masher. For a creamier soup, you can also use a hand mixer/chopper, but be careful.
13. Then, add in the cream, and bring the soup to a boil. This will thicken the soup. You can add more cream if the soup is not thick enough.
14. Next, lower the heat, and season the soup with salt, and pepper. Taste the soup. You can also add in more thyme.
15. The soup is done now. Check on the oven baked potatoes, if they are finished then remove them from the oven.
16. Now for serving. Put some oven potatoes in a soup bowl, and add in hot soup, and some toppings like bacon, cheddar cheese, sour cream, and/or green onions.