Copycat Bennigan'S Potato Soup-Lightened Version - cooking recipe

Ingredients

3 lbs starchy baking potatoes, scrubbed clean
1 tablespoon butter or 1 tablespoon margarine
1 1/2 cups onions, finely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh garlic, minced
1 (14 1/2 ounce) can chicken broth
3 cups 1% low-fat milk or 3 cups whole milk
1 teaspoon salt, to taste
1/4 teaspoon black pepper, to taste
shredded colby cheese, garnish (optional)
crumbled bacon, garnish (optional)
chopped scallion, garnish (optional)

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400\u00b0F.
Poke potatoes with a fork several times and bake 1 hour or until tender when pierced.
Let cool slightly, and when you can touch them without burning your fingers, peel potatoes.
Melt butter in a large stockpot over medium-low heat.
Add onions and garlic, cover and let sweat 10 minutes, or until soft- but not brown.
Add 2/3 of the potatoes and mash using a potato masher right in the pot.
Add chicken broth, milk, and season to taste with salt & pepper.
Raise the heat slightly to bring mixture to a low simmer (bubbles forming under the surface, but not a boil), stirring occasionally.
Chop remaining potatoes into small cubes, add to soup, and stir gently; keep heating until soup warmed through.
Ladle into serving bowls and garnish with any or all of the optional toppings.