Loaded Baked Potato Soup

This is a food network recipe and was great for this extreme cold weather we've had lately. I wanted to put this in bread bowls, but forget to get the bread on my way home from work. Next time I will definitely put them in a bread bowl. This soup was really good and I have leftovers for work tomorrow.

• 6 medium potatoes
• 12 slices thick cut bacon
• 1/2 cup flour
• 6 cups warm milk
• 6 oz sharp cheddar, grated
• salt and pepper to taste
• 4 oz sour cream
• 3 tbsp chopped chives

1. Preheat the oven to 350. Bake potatoes 35-45 minutes until a paring knife will go through easily.
2. Slice the bacon into thin strips and cook over medium heat till crisp. Remove bacon with slotted spoon and set aside. Leave the drippings in the pot.
3. Add the flour to the pot with the drippings and stir to combine. Cook and stir until flour and fat is combined, about 1 minute.
4. Pour in the milk while whisking. Cook over medium heat till bubbly and thickened, stirring frequently, about 15 minutes.
5. Remove skins from potatoes, chop potatoes into chunks and pour into pot.
6. Mash with wooden spoon or use immersion blender, leave some chunks in the soup.
7. Add the bacon, cheese and season with salt and pepper.
8. Stir and cook till cheese is melted.
9. Ladle into bowls, top with sour cream, sprinkle with bacon and chives (you can also sprinkle with more cheese if desired)