This Evenings Dinner AND Dessert

Tonight's dinner was freakin awesome if I do say so myself! Amy, over at "My Name Is Snickerdoodle", posted recipe for Baked Potato Soup and I was dying to try it out. You can check out her recipe HERE and I posted my version below.

Loaded Baked Potato Soup
6-8 large baking potatoes (depending on the size)
2 cans chicken broth
water
salt
pepper
2 cups milk
1 cup heavy whipping cream
4 TBSP unsalted butter
1 lb bacon diced and browned
1 medium yellow onion, diced and sauteed
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Green onions sliced for garnish

Peel and cube potatoes. Place cubed potatoes in a large pot. Pour over chicken broth. Add enough water to cover, about 2 inches above potatoes. Stir in 1 tsp salt. Bring to a boil. Boil for about 20-30 minutes. You want the potatoes to break down further than you would if you were making mashed potatoes. Keep an eye on the liquid because you don't want to scorch the bottom. Add more water if needed. While potatoes are cooking, brown bacon. Remove from pan and saute onion in 1 TBSP of bacon grease. Once potatoes are cooked take off heat and drain, leaving only about a cup of water/chicken broth. Mash with a potato masher. They should be the consistency of really thin mashed potatoes. Return to low heat and add in 1 more tsp salt, 2 tsp pepper and butter. Mix until butter is melted. Stir in milk and heavy whipping cream to desired constancy. Heat for about 5 more minutes, constantly stirring. Mix in 2 cups of cheese, onions and most of the bacon (save some for a garnish). Add more salt and pepper to taste. Ladle into bowls and and garnish with more shredded cheese, bacon and green onions.

(I stirred the green onions into my soup and LOVE it!)


After dinner was cleaned up I got to makin dessert!!! I have been cravin some Banana Pudding like you wouldn't believe! Here in Texas we love our "Nana Puddin" with any type of BBQ or Potatoes!

Of course my helper, Devin, was pulling his chair up to the island as soon as he noticed what I was doing.

Then came Little Munchkin...


Look at that yumminess!!!!!
I hope you love it as much as we did!!!!

Creamy Banana Pudding
1 (14-ounce) can Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 1/2 cups cold water
1 (3.5 ounce) package instant pudding and pie filling
1 pint heavy whipping cream, whipped
vanilla wafers
3 medium bananas, sliced and dipped in lemon juice

-In a large mixing bowl, combine sweetened condensed milk, water and pudding mix until well blended.
-Chill 5 minutes in refrigerator.
-Pour heavy whipping cream in separate bowl and beat with a whisk until frothy
-Gently fold the whipping cream into the pudding mix
-Spoon 1 cup pudding mixture into 2 1/2 quart glass serving bowl.
-Top with wafers, bananas and pudding. Repeat twice.
-Chill and dig in!