Restaurant Style Baked Potato Soup

• 8 tablespoons butter
• 4 cups diced onions
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/4 cup chicken base, mixed with 8 c. water
• 1 1/4 cups instant instant potato flakes
• 4 cups half-and-half (Sometimes I use heavy cream)
• 1/2 teaspoon seasoning salt
• 1 teaspoon basil (this usually gets tripled once we got an herb garden bc its so amazingly aromatic when it's fresh...)
• 1 -4 dash Tabasco sauce
• 2 cups cooked diced potatoes (no joke i made them in the microwave last week)
• grated cheddar cheese (grate your own)
• 4 slices bacon, fried, drained, and crumbled
• green onion tops or fresh chives

1. In large stock pot saute onions in butter 10- 15 minute Do not brown.
2. Add flour to onions and butter, cook 4-5 minute Do not brown.
3. Mix chicken stock with potato buds. Use a whisk to blend until smooth.
4. Add stock mixture to roux. mixing slowly with whisk. Cook 15- 20 minute.
5. Whisk in half and half and cook for 10 more minutes. Do not boil.
6. Add spices and taste and toggle taste :).
7. Add potatoes, and pour into bowls.
8. Garnish with cheddar, chives, bacon.
9. ** Cooking the bacon, grating cheese, chopping green onion while the soup is cooking all cut down on prep time.

butter, onions, flour, chicken base, instant instant potato, seasoning salt, basil, potatoes, cheddar cheese, bacon, green onion

Taken from www.food.com/recipe/restaurant-style-baked-potato-soup-249461 (may not work)