Baked Potato Soup

This is a Panera bread copycat recipe {I found online}. I love anything I have ever eaten there. This is so good, but as you can tell by the fattening ingredients, you shouldn't eat it every day.

I took Heather & Abby to lunch at Panera last week {don't do that very often, but it was so fun} and Heather ordered this soup. She said "mine" tastes better. Of course it's not my recipe, but you get the idea. So Yummy!

4 large baking potatoes
5 slices bacon
1/2 cup butter
1 large onion, diced
1/2 cup flour
6 cups milk
2 tsp. course salt
1 tsp pepper
1 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese, divided
(or a combination of cheeses you have on hand)
1 cup sour cream

Preheat oven to 400*. Scrub potatoes well and prick several times with a fork; bake 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Remove from oven and let cool. When cool, cut in half lengthwise and scoop out potato pulp; set aside. Discard skins (unless you want to snack on them, like I do)

Cook bacon until crisp. Drain, reserving drippings. Crumble and set aside.

In a large soup pot over low heat, add reserved bacon drippings and butter. Add onion and saute 4 to 5 minutes until soft. Stir in flour until well combined; cook for several minutes, but do not let brown. Gradually add milk and bring to a boil, stirring constantly, until thickened. Add potato pulp, salt, pepper, crumbled bacon and 1 cup cheese. Stir and cook until cheese is melted. Stir in sour cream. Add extra milk, if necessary for desired thickness.

Garnish with remaining cheese. You may add crumbled bacon, sliced green onion or chives to each bowl.

I have doubled this recipe and it works great.