This is the best potato soup in the world. It is creamy, cheesy and dangerous. This version of potato soup is not good for you. You should probably make it once a year. And no more than that. :D

Perhaps I should have made the recipe complicated so you'd avoid it. Oh well. I am sorry for any weight gain or food comas that will happen after eating this potato soup.

I suggest forcing it on everyone you know so you're not the only one gaining weight. Regardless, this potato soup is worth it.

(This recipe comes from a restaurant Tyler worked at for years. I've modified it a bit just because I didn't think it had enough flavor at first. Mine's a little thicker, too!)

Step 1: Ingredients + Cooking the Potatoes

1/2 lb of your favorite cheese (I'm using white cheddar)
4 cooked potatoes (russet works well - mine were TINY so I used more)
3-4 cups of cream (sure, you could use milk, but it won't be nearly as delicious)
a tablespoon of butter
generous pinch of red pepper
couple pinches Italian seasoning
salt and pepper to taste
optional: green onions and bacon for topping/mixing in

You'll want to wash and then cook the potatoes before doing anything else.

In the microwave: Prick them all over with a fork, and put them on a microwave safe plate. Depending on your microwave, four potatoes should take around 20 minutes. I normally do ten minutes, flip them and check their doneness with a knife, and then do an additional ten minutes if they're still pretty hard, and a little less if they're beginning to soften. :)

In the oven: Bake them at 350 F for an hour.

Once they're done, peel them and slice them in half to speed up cooling - and then leave them to cool a bit.

Step 2: Potato Prep + Seasonings

Make sure all potatoes are peeled and cut into chunks.

In a saucepan over medium heat, drop in the tablespoon of butter, the red pepper flakes and Italian seasoning. Let the butter melt and stir the seasonings around until they start smelling nice. :)

Step 3: Add Potatoes and Cream

Add the potatoes to the pan and then add 1/3 of the cream. Use a whisk or a potato masher to break down the potatoes until you're happy with them. I like my potato soup to be a little chunky. :)

Once the potatoes are mashed enough for you, add in the rest of the cream. Bring this up to a slow bubble, stirring every minute or so. You'll see tiny bubbles start to form around the edges of the pot and the soup will begin to thicken a little once it's nice and hot.

Step 4: Add the Cheese + Check the Seasonings

Grate your cheese into the hot soup. Stir it often to make sure the cheese melts evenly.

Once the cheese is in, the soup will be nice and thick. At this point, add salt and pepper to taste, as well as extra red pepper flakes and Italian seasoning if you want them. You might find that the cheese overpowers what you put in before. :D

Garnish with bacon and green onions if you're feeling up to it or just dig right in. Enjoy!