Serves 6

12 slices bacon (I use a jar of Hormel bacon pieces, it saves time)
2/3 cup margarine or butter
2/3 cup flour
7 cups milk
4 large baked potatoes, peeled and cubed
4 green onions, chopped
1 1/4 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions
1 Place bacon in a large deep skillet. Cook over medium heat until browned. Drain, crumble and set aside. *Eliminate this step if you used the jar of bacon bits. Baccos won’t work. They will just dissolve in the soup and make it an interesting pink color. Use real bacon pieces.
2 In a large pot, melt the butter or margarine over medium heat. Whisk in flour until smooth. Gradually stir in the milk, whisking constantly until thickened. (If you heat the milk in the microwave or a pan before adding to the flour/butter mixture it will thicken faster. Stir in the potatoes and onions and bring almost to a boil.
3 Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. Mix in bacon, cheese, sour cream, salt and pepper. Turn off heat and continue stirring frequently until cheese is melted.