Just about everyone I know loves baked potatoes. And bacon. Let's face it, even the most militant vegans get weak in the knees when they get a good whiff of bacon. Bacon makes so many dishes even better. Especially baked potatoes.

So imagine a warm hour that smells like bacon. Imagine taking two favorite things, baked potatoes and bacon, and turning them into a delicious, savory soup that will warm your house, entice your nose, and put happy bacon-induced smiles on the faces of your guests.

This recipe delivers a soup that will do just that.

Ingredients:
4 bacon slices
3 pounds baking potatoes
2 cups gluten-free chicken broth
2 cups onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 bay leaf
4 cups whole milk
¾ teaspoon black pepper
½ cup sliced green onions
¾ cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 teaspoon salt

Directions:
In a large soup pot, cook bacon oven over medium heat until evenly crisp. Remove bacon from pot; crumble into a bowl and set aside. Remove pot from heat, but keep the bacon drippings in the pot.

Use a fork to poke holes in the potatoes. Cover potatoes with aluminum foil, and bake at 400° F for about 1 hour or until tender when poked with a fork.

Remove potatoes from the oven and allow them to cool slightly. Use a potato masher to partially mash potatoes, including skins, then set them aside.

When potatoes are mashed, add onion to bacon drippings in pan, and sauté for about 5 minutes, until onion is soft.

Add salt, garlic, and bay leaf, and sauté for another 2-3 minutes. Add potato, milk, pepper, and broth, and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat, and simmer for another 10 minutes. Remove bay leaf.

Spoon soup into serving bowls and top each with bacon, green onions, and cheese. Enjoy!