Welcome to our very first #MondayMixup post. In this series, we’ll be featuring notable characters from Anaiah Press books and sharing their favorite recipes. Today, Kara Leigh Miller is sharing the comfort food Isabelle Carson (from Perfectly Imperfect) loves the most: loaded potato soup, yum!
Read on for the recipe and to find out why Isabelle loves this soup so much.
In Perfectly Imperfect, Isabelle Carson doesn’t exactly have the best home life. Her brother died in a car accident that left her and her parents with more grief than any of them know how to handle. Isabelle’s mother has, sadly, turned to alcohol to cope, and her father has become a workaholic. All of that leaves Isabelle on her own a lot, and as a result, she’s committed herself to achieving perfection in all areas of her life outside of home.
One way Isabelle copes is with comfort food, and one of her favorites, that her brother had also loved, is loaded potato soup. Prior to Brandon’s death, the two would make this together on a snow day and over-indulge in it while curled up on the couch with blankets and a movie marathon. Talk about a great way to spend a cold, wintery afternoon.
This recipe is also a favorite in my house, and recently, my daughter requested I make it for her birthday dinner. So, now I’m going to share the recipe with all of you!
INGREDIENTS:
4-6 large potatoes
½ cup butter
½ cup flour
6 cups whole milk
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
8 slices bacon
4 green onions, diced
1 cup sour cream
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Cook bacon. Set aside to cool, then crumble it.
- Peel and cut potatoes into bite-sized pieces. Boil until tender. Drain and set aside.
- In a large, nonstick pan, melt butter over low heat.
- Add flour, stirring until smooth.
- Gradually add milk. Cook over low to medium heat, stirring constantly until thick and bubbly. DO NOT BOIL!
- Stir in potato chunks, salt, pepper, cheese, bacon and onion.
- Heat until thoroughly cooked and warmed.
- Add sour cream and serve.
TIPS & TRICKS:
- I cook the bacon in the oven. (Line a cookie sheet with tinfoil, lay bacon on a lined sheet, cook in a 400 degree oven for 10–15 minutes. Take out, flip bacon, and cook for another 10 minutes.) I tend to cook the bacon until it’s nice and crispy because it will eventually soften when added to the soup.
- I use large baking potatoes as they tend to be a little firmer and won’t break down as much during boiling and reheating.
- Step #6 above typically takes anywhere from 20–30 minutes.
- I buy a bag of pre-shredded cheese (simply because it’s easier) and opt for sharp cheddar to give the soup a little extra kick.
- I often serve this with fresh baked rolls or warm Italian bread. Though a salad is a nice companion, too.
Hope you enjoy this satisfying dish as much as I—and Isabelle—do!
Get to know Isabelle better in
PERFECTLY IMPERFECT
Anaiah Press 
This looks delicious!