Restaurant-Quality Baked Potato Soup

Name: Restaurant-Quality Baked Potato Soup
Total time: 105
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 2 potatoes; 3 tablespoons margarine; 2 cups chopped white onion; 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour; 4 cups chicken stock; 2 cups water; 0.25 cup cornstarch; 1.5 cups instant mashed potato flakes; 1 teaspoon salt; 0.75 teaspoon ground black pepper; 0.5 teaspoon dried basil; 0.125 teaspoon dried thyme; 1 cup half-and-half; 0.5 cup shredded Cheddar cheese; 8 ounces bacon - cooked and crumbled; 2 green onions, chopped

Recipe by MARBALET from allrecipes.com

2 Hr. 45 Mins.

Ingredients

6 servings

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2 potatoes
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3 tablespoons margarine
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2 cups chopped white onion
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2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
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4 cups chicken stock
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2 cups water
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0.25 cup cornstarch
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1.5 cups instant mashed potato flakes

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1 teaspoon salt
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0.75 teaspoon ground black pepper
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0.5 teaspoon dried basil
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0.125 teaspoon dried thyme
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1 cup half-and-half
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0.5 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
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8 ounces bacon - cooked and crumbled
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2 green onions, chopped

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Bake potatoes for 1 hour, or until done. Set aside to cool.
Melt butter in a 3 quart saucepan over medium heat. Saute onions until tender and golden brown. Stir in flour, and cook 5 minutes to make a roux. Pour in chicken stock and water. Add cornstarch and mashed potato flakes. Season with salt, pepper, basil and thyme. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 5 minutes.
Remove the skin from the cooled potatoes, and discard. Dice the potatoes into 1/2 inch cubes, and stir into soup, along with the half-and-half. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until thick. Spoon into bowls, and garnish with shredded cheese, bacon and chopped green onion.