Cheesy Baked Potato Soup & a Great Base for any Cheesy Soup

I got this recipe from "The Essential Mormon Cookbook."  The original recipe is for broccoli cheese chowder, but I used it to make a cheesy potato soup last night.  This cheesy soup is a great base for any kind of soup--just throw in whatever ingredients you want. 

Cheesy Baked Potato Soup

serves 2-4, but can easily be doubled. 

(these are the amounts I used for Tony and I)

Ingredients

1/4 cup margarine or butter

1/4 cup flour

2 cups milk

1/2 cup chicken broth

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup grated cheddar cheese

1/4 cup chopped yellow onion

2 red potatoes (or one small white potato), cooked & cubed

4 strips turkey bacon, cooked & crumbled

1/2 can corn

Directions

Saute chopped onion; set aside.

In a saucepan or soup pot, prepare a white sauce: melt the butter over medium heat, then stir in flour until well blended.  Gradually stir in milk, chicken broth & salt.  Stir constantly until mixture reaches a soft boil.  Cook 1-2 minutes, until thickened.  

*Add potato, corn, bacon & onion.  Stir in cheese.  Cook briefly over medium heat, but AVOID BRINGING TO A BOIL!  

Serve immediately or keep warm over low heat.

*here it where you can switch the soup to a cheesy broccoli soup if you want.  Instead of adding potato, corn and bacon, add onion and some steamed broccoli.  Now you have a cheesy broccoli chowder!