Baked Potato Soup with Crispy Potato Skins

Ingredients

• 3 lbs russet potatoes
• olive oil
• salt
• pepper
• ½ lb bacon (cut in pieces)
• 3 tbsp butter
• 1 leek (or ½ onion), diced
• 1 celery rib, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tbsp flour
• 2 cups chicken broth

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven and prepare the potatoes.
2. Bake the potatoes until tender.
3. Scoop out the insides of the potatoes, leaving the skins intact.
4. Crisp the potato skins in the oven with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
5. In a pot, cook the bacon until crispy, then remove and set aside.
6. In the same pot, melt butter and sauté the leek (or onion), celery, and garlic.
7. Add flour and stir to combine, then gradually add chicken broth.
8. Add the scooped potato insides back into the pot and mix well.
9. Serve the soup topped with crispy bacon and use the potato skins as spoons.