Panera Bread's Baked Potato Soup

Panera Bread is one of my favorite places to hang out . . . rarely do I miss out on a cup of this awesome soup.


4 large baking potatoes
5 slices bacon
1/2 cup butter
1 large onion, diced
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
6 cups milk
2 teaspoons coarse salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 cups (6-ounces) grated cheddar cheese, divided
1 cup sour cream


Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Scrub potatoes well and prick several times with fork; bake approximately 1 1/2 hours to 2 hours. Remove from oven and let cool. When cool, cut in half lengthwise and scoop out potato pulp; set aside. Discard skins.

Cook bacon until crisp. Drain, reserving drippings, crumble, and set aside.

In a large soup pot over low heat, add reserved bacon dripping and butter. Add onion and saute approximately 4 to 5 minutes until soft. Stir in flour until well combined; cook for several minutes, but do not let brown. Gradually add milk and bring to a boil, stirring constantly, until thickened. Add potato, salt, pepper, crumbled bacon, and 1 cup cheese.

Stir while cooking until cheese is melted, add in sour cream. Additional milk may be added to adjust thickness.

Cherry Chocolate Cobbler

1-1/2 c. flour
1/2 c. sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 c. butter
1 (6 oz.) pkg. Nestle's semi-sweet chocolate morsels
1/4 c. milk
1 egg
1 (21 oz.) can cherry pie filling
1/2 c. nuts, finely chopped


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and butter; cut with pastry blender until crumbs are the size of large peas.

Melt Nestle's semi-sweet chocolate morsels over hot (not boiling) water. Remove from heat and cool slightly at room temperature (about 5 minutes).

Add milk and egg to melted chocolate and mix well.

Blend chocolate into flour mixture. Spread cherry pie filling in bottom of 2 quart casserole. Drop chocolate batter randomly over cherries. Sprinkle with chopped nuts.

Bake at 350 degrees for 40 - 45 minutes.

Serve warm with heavy cream.

Makes 6 servings.