Baked Potato Soup

[Vex]

I made this soup last night for supper. It has helped me maintain what little sanity I have left, 12 days after surgery and still in the full liquids phase, now that I am hungry and near-desperate for "real foods." Also, I have a big sweet tooth, but have wearied of so many sweet protein shakes, sweet yogurt drinks, sweet popsicles and juices. So coming up with good, savory soups has been really important during this stage for me.

baked potato soup

4 baking potatoes (about 2 1/2 pounds)

2/3 cup all-purpose flour (about 3 ounces)

6 cups 2% milk

1 cup (4 ounces) reduced-fat shredded extrasharp cheddar cheese, divided

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (I had ground white pepper so that's what I used)

1 cup reduced-fat sour cream

3/4 cup chopped green onions, divided (I omitted)

6 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled (I omitted)

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Pierce potatoes with a fork, bake at 400 degrees for 1 hour or until tender. Cool. Peel potatoes, coarsely mash.

(I didn't want to take the time to do this. I peeled and quartered the potatoes, and boiled them on the stovetop in well-salted water. This also made them a lot moister and, I think, easier to mash into oblivion. However, I think this recipe would work awesome with leftover baked potatoes from a previous evening or, for bandsters, on a night when they are baking potatoes for their families.)

2. Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Place flour in a large Dutch oven; gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk until blended. Cook over medium heat until thick and bubbly, about 8 minutes. Add mashed potatoes, 3/4 cup cheese, salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, stirring until cheese melts. Remove from heat.

3. Stir in sour cream and 1/2 cup onions. Cook over low heat 10 minutes or until thoroughly heated (do not boil). Ladle 1 1/2 cups soup into each of 8 bowls. Sprinkle each serving with 1 1/2 teaspoons cheese, 1 1/2 teaspoons onions, and about 1 tablespoon bacon. Garnish with cracked pepper.

Yield: 8 servings

(I made a half-recipe as my boyfriend does not care for soup. I had it for dinner last night and lunch today and I haven't even eaten a whole serving yet.)

Calories: 329 (30% from fat)

Fat: 10.8 g (sat 5.9 g, mono 3.5 g, poly 0.7 g)

Carb: 44.5 g

Protein: 13.6 g

Fiber: 2.8 g

Chol: 38 mg

Iron: 1.1 mg

Sodium: 587 mg

Calc: 407 mg

Stolen from September 2007 Cooking Light issue, page 140.

[MamaMichelle]

Chad can you move this to the Recipe Forum?

:lb13:

[erin2796]

Is this safe for the post op creamy soups phase if blended????

[julieburns]

Erin you've asked a loaded question. Dr. Ortiz specifically said "No Blenders" to many of us. I've also read many posts though where people have used blenders. Dr. Miranda said anything that you could suck through a straw you could have (although they don't recommend using straws. So what is the correct answer.....you'd better ask them for clarification.

[Kittycat]

I made this soup last night for supper. It has helped me maintain what little sanity I have left, 12 days after surgery and still in the full liquids phase, now that I am hungry and near-desperate for "real foods." Also, I have a big sweet tooth, but have wearied of so many sweet protein shakes, sweet yogurt drinks, sweet popsicles and juices. So coming up with good, savory soups has been really important during this stage for me.

baked potato soup

4 baking potatoes (about 2 1/2 pounds)

2/3 cup all-purpose flour (about 3 ounces)

6 cups 2% milk

1 cup (4 ounces) reduced-fat shredded extrasharp cheddar cheese, divided

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (I had ground white pepper so that's what I used)

1 cup reduced-fat sour cream

3/4 cup chopped green onions, divided (I omitted)

6 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled (I omitted)

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Pierce potatoes with a fork, bake at 400 degrees for 1 hour or until tender. Cool. Peel potatoes, coarsely mash.

(I didn't want to take the time to do this. I peeled and quartered the potatoes, and boiled them on the stovetop in well-salted water. This also made them a lot moister and, I think, easier to mash into oblivion. However, I think this recipe would work awesome with leftover baked potatoes from a previous evening or, for bandsters, on a night when they are baking potatoes for their families.)

2. Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Place flour in a large Dutch oven; gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk until blended. Cook over medium heat until thick and bubbly, about 8 minutes. Add mashed potatoes, 3/4 cup cheese, salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, stirring until cheese melts. Remove from heat.

3. Stir in sour cream and 1/2 cup onions. Cook over low heat 10 minutes or until thoroughly heated (do not boil). Ladle 1 1/2 cups soup into each of 8 bowls. Sprinkle each serving with 1 1/2 teaspoons cheese, 1 1/2 teaspoons onions, and about 1 tablespoon bacon. Garnish with cracked pepper.

Yield: 8 servings

(I made a half-recipe as my boyfriend does not care for soup. I had it for dinner last night and lunch today and I haven't even eaten a whole serving yet.)

Calories: 329 (30% from fat)

Fat: 10.8 g (sat 5.9 g, mono 3.5 g, poly 0.7 g)

Carb: 44.5 g

Protein: 13.6 g

Fiber: 2.8 g

Chol: 38 mg

Iron: 1.1 mg

Sodium: 587 mg

Calc: 407 mg

Stolen from September 2007 Cooking Light issue, page 140.

Sounds great...is that 329 calories per serving??? Wow!

Cathy

[Kittycat]

Is this safe for the post op creamy soups phase if blended????

Hi Erin, how are you doing? Feeling ok?

I ate creamy of potato soup mixed with cream of cheddar alot..and chewed the chunks...chewing is your blender and makes you feel like you are actually eating something.

Take care, Cathy

[erin2796]

Hey guys! I asked Dr. Miranda about the blender and she said it was okay as long as you could drink it from a straw afterwards and still drained out the chunks to be safe.... I guess I'll skip it just to be safe.

Hey Cathy,

I'm doing much better now! Still sore but only really by the big incision where the port I think is. How about you? How have you been holding up?