Homemade Baked Potato Soup

I feel that it just isn't winter until you have had a hearty bowl of baked potato soup. Unfortunately the restaurant that made my favorite closed down a year a go so I have been on the search to find a delicious soup. With the temperature outside back down below freezing I decided tonight would be the perfect night for some baked potato soup. The soup itself is easy but what really makes the soup delicious is the various topping that I think compliments this soup quite nicely. So when the weather get cold, this soup is the perfect thing to warm you up.

Ingredients
6 Potatoes, Cleaned
4 Tablespoons Butter
1/2 Cup Flour
6 Cups Whole Milk (feel free to use a different type in order to cut calories)
2 teaspoons Salt
Dash of Black Pepper
1 Cup of Cheddar Cheese
2 Green Onions, Chopped
1/2 Cup Sour Cream

For the Toppings
Bacon (you can cook your own bacon like I did, or you can use bacon bits)
Cheddar Cheese
Sour Cream
Green Onions

Instructions
1. Cook Potatoes in the microwave. (you also can use the oven but I find the microwave easier and it saves a lot of time)

2. Cook the bacon according to the directions. (I'm a fan of cooking the bacon in the oven I think it turns out perfect ever time. To learn how to do it click here)

3. Once the potatoes are cooked and cooled peel the skin off the potatoes. (Once they are cooled the skin peels off easily)

4. Take three potatoes and mash them with a fork. Take the remaining three potatoes and cut them into 1/2 inch cubes.

5. In a large sauce pan melt the butter over medium heat. Once melted stir in 1/4 cup of flour to make a rue. Cook until it becomes slightly golden, about 1 to 2 minutes.

6. Whisk in the milk, and once combined add the remaining 1/4 cup of flour. Let the mixture cook until thick, about 8 to 10 minutes.

7. Once the soup has thickened, add in the potatoes and stir into well combined.

8. Add in Cheddar cheese, stir and remove from the heat.

9. Add in sour cream and green onions and stir.

10. Serve immediately. I pair this soup with all of the toppings in dishes on the side, this way it becomes a self serve and everyone can add as much or as little as they want. Tonight I went with crumbled bacon, cheddar cheese, sour cream and green onions.

The baked potato soup was amazing, it was the perfect pick me up for a cold winter day. Though during the summer I occasionally like to turn up the AC and make some soup to warm myself up. This is a simple weekend night recipe that anyone can throw together when they get home from work. Enjoy:)

Valentine's Day Crock Pot Baked Apples

With Valentine’s Day almost here, everyone is looking for a delicious dessert that they can make for their lover that is easy and good. When thinking of a festive "love" dessert I wanted something warm, and that embraced the feeling and colors of Valentine’s Day. So I thought why not try something with apples that is so simple but will impress your significant other.

So today I decided to experiment and make "Baked Apples," but in the crock pot. It’s simple and easy and only cooks for about 3 hours; it can’t get any better than that.

Ingredients
6 Gala Apples (You could use any apple you prefer but these takes amazing and look beautiful)
3/4 Cup Walnuts, Chopped
3/4 Cup Dark Brown Sugar, Packed
1 Tablespoon Cinnamon
6 Tablespoons Butter (room temperature) or Margarine
3/4 Cup Apple Cider

Directions

1. Preheat a large Crock Pot to high heat.

2. Core the apples. (I didn't have an apple corer so I used a paring knife, though after coring all 6 apples I have decided to invest in one)

3. In a bowl combine walnuts, sugar, cinnamon and butter.

4. Stuff the apples with the mixture.

5. Pour the apple cider in the Crock Pot and place the apples into the Crock Pot.

6. Cook apples on high for 3 hours or until soft.

Three hours later and we have the finished product. The apple was soft and cooked just right, looking back at it the only thing I would do different is add a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side.

Overall, the apples were amazing and I high recommend that you make them yourself. They are delicious but the best part is they are so simple to make.