Baked Potato and Broccoli Soup

Baked Potato and Broccoli Soup

1/4 c. all purpose flour (heaping cup!)

2 (14.5 oz) cans chicken broth, divided

3 c. peeled, cubed potato (about 1 1/4 lbs)

2 c. broccoli, chopped

1 small onion chopped

1 ½ cups milk (I used skim milk and it worked just fine)

8 oz. block reduced fat sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded (use the block cheese rather than pre-shredded for even melting)

4 fully cooked bacon slices, crushed after cooked (I know, I know--this is not a lot of bacon-but gives the soup good flavor! Keeping this healthy, people!)

3/4 cup cooked ham- Optional! (I had this on hand, so just threw it in)

7 teaspoons chopped green onions

Whisk together flour and 1/3 c. chicken broth until smooth. You may need to stir in a little extra flour if the broth doesn't thicken up enough (you should be fine though w/the heaping cup).

Combine remaining chicken broth and next 3 ingredients in a Dutch oven. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 8 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Gradually stir in flour mixture. Cook, stirring often, 5 minutes. Add ham and cooked bacon.

Stir in Milk and 8 oz. shredded cheese. Cook mixture over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until cheese melts. Top each serving of soup with bacon pieces (if you have some leftover), 1 tsp. chopped green onions.

**This soup was ahhh--maazing...especially on a cold winter's night. We have lots of leftovers and this makes us happy so we have easy "go-to" dinners on super busy evenings (or great for lunch, too!).

***It did take me about 45 mins. from start to finish. Not super fast, but it was easy and worth the extra minutes. Also, this soup is a much healthier version compared to most potato soups. It makes a huge pot, so eat up!

****Thank you Melissa for this recipe!!!! Although I made a few personal changes, it was still a wonderful---thanks for the dinner idea!