Baked Potato Soup (or why I am so glad my husband usually cooks)

My husband is an amazing cook, so it is not often that I am slaving over a hot stove. But every once in a while I decide to give him a break and make dinner for him. Last night I made baked potato soup, which is so yummy that I thought I would share the recipe:

Baked Potato Soup

4 large russet potatoes
2/3 cup flour
2/3 cup butter
6 cups milk
salt and pepper
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
one buch of chopped green onions
8 slices of bacon

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Remind my two boys that the oven is hot and dangerous and not to touch or open it. Wash potatoes in sink. Sprinkle each one with some salt and individually wrap in foil. Answer questions such as, "What is that, Mom? What are you doing with those? Why is it called a potato? How do you spell potato?" Then put potatoes in oven to cook for about an hour or until tender and easily pierced with a fork. Whoops -- remember that you forgot to pierce each one with a fork before you put them in and want to avoid repeating the exploding potato incident of 2004. Pull potatoes out, unwrap each one, pierce with a fork, re-wrap, and return to oven. Answer question, "Why did you just do that, Mom?"

While potatoes are cooking, begin grating the cheese. If you have a bag of already grated cheese, you can skip this step, but for me grating cheese is somewhat meditative, so I like to include it. While you are grating, scoot over a little so the four-year old can eat half of the cheese as it lands on the plate. Hope as you watch him touch the cheese that his hands are relatively clean. Once the cheese is grated, wash green onions and finely chop them. A good knife is essential -- I highly recommed a Wusthof knife. Answer questions, "Are knives dangerous? Why are they dangerous? What are knives made of? If knives are made of metal then can they also cut metal?" Pause to consider this last question because it is kind of a good one, answer that yes if a knife is strong enough and sharp enough that it could cut metal, and continue chopping onions. Realize that it is after five, therefore socially acceptable to make a drink. Further realize that since hubbie is working late and you have to get through the next hour and a half of questions by yourself that a drink is not only acceptable, but highly necessary. Put soup recipe on hold long enough to make a drink.

While holding your drink carefully, open refrigerator and get out bacon. Take a nice big sip and then place drink on counter. Open bacon with scissors. Place eight slices on All-Clad griddle (an absolute must-have item if you make bacon, pancakes, or fried eggs often). Turn burners on (the griddle sits atop two burners), and remind two-year old who is directly under you clutching your legs that the fire is hot and not to touch. Think about how cute he looks clutching your legs while you cook. Good -- that means the drink is kicking in.

Fry bacon on the griddle. Get distracted helping four-year old with his Leapster. Smell the bacon burning and return to stove. Pull bacon off of stove. Manage to not drip grease on two year-old who is running circles around your legs.

Since this should all only take twenty minutes but has taken an hour because the kids are there, the potatoes must be done. Pull them out of the oven and let them cool. Use your body as a human shield to keep two-year old from runnung into oven door when you open it.

Melt the butter in a large pot on low heat. Add the flour and stir for about two minutes until a paste is formed. This is a good time to pick your drink up since you will be using one hand to stir for the next ten minutes or so. Begin adding the milk about a cup or two at a time. Once the mixture thickens, add more milk and continue until all 6 cups have been added. Turn the heat up to medium once you have added about half of the milk.

Put the Ipod on your favorite playlist. I recommend The Dave Brubeck Quartet's "Jazz Goes to College" for some nice atmosphere music. Watch kids dance and think about how cute they are and how lucky you are to have them. Then watch kids knock each other down and remember that it is time to get back to that drink! Your drink is by the soup, so this is a good time to add the potatoes. Chop up the potatoes into very small pieces and add them to the soup. I like to mash some of them into the soup with a potato masher to incorporate the flavors. Add half of the cheese, then salt and pepper generously. Turn off heat and put lid on to keep soup warm until hubbie gets home. When you serve the soup later, garnish with the bacon, onions and remaining cheese. For now, clean up the kitchen, finish your drink (don't forget to savor that last sip), and go dance with your kids.