Baked Potato Soup

I used to love ordering baked potato soups back in the days of eating out vs knowing how to prepare a meal at home. I thought baked potato soups were da bomb. Now they are just fizzle and no kapow. To me, they have no umph and no substance. If you're gonna eat baked potato soup...it should feel like you are eating a baked potato. At least in my world it should. I happened to come across two different baked potato soups within days of each other so I decided I should get off my duff and get to making some hearty baked potato soup. The original recipes are:

baked potato soup from Taste and Tell

and
loaded potato soup from Family Kitchen

Here is my smashed together version of the 2 recipes:

1/4 c butter

2 small onions, chopped

1/4 c flour

3 c chicken stock

1 12 oz can evaporated milk

6-7 small to medium baked and cooled russets (baked in the crockpot)

2 c diced ham (I used leftover bone in ham prepared with this glaze...added wonderful flavor to the mix)

2 large carrots shredded

1 c sour cream

shredded cheese (optional)

chives (optional)

thyme leaves (optional)

Melt the butter in a soup pot and add the chopped onions. Cook over medium heat until onions are at least translucent. We like ours more carmelized so I always cook them just shy of being burnt. Add the flour and stir. You want to cook the flour for about 30 seconds before adding your liquid to sort of toast the flour. This takes away the flour-y taste and adds a slightly nutty note. Slowly whisk in the stock and milk. Let the mixture some to a boil and bring it back down to a simmer. In the meantime, scoop out the guts of 4 potatos. Add that mush to the soup pot. Dice the rest of the potato shells and remaining potatoes, skin and all. There is no need to peel unless you have some sort of aversion to potato skins. Add the diced potatoes, ham and carrots. Cook until all the ingredients are heated through. Add salt and pepper to taste. Remove from the heat and add sour cream. Top with cheese, chives or thyme if desired.