LOADED BAKED POTATO SOUP with BUTTERMILK BISCUITS with MAPLE BUTTER

LOADED BAKED POTATO SOUP
3 tablespoons butter
1 large Vidalia onion, chopped
2 tablespoons flour
6 cups hot water
1 tablespoon Better than Bouillon Chicken Base
1/2 pound bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
6 large Yukon potatoes, peeled 3 potatoes diced and 3 potatoes finely grated
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon white pepper
1/4 teaspoon basil
1/4 teaspoon thyme
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 green onions, sliced thin

  • Whisk together the hot water and bouillon base.
  • Melt butter in a skillet and saute onion until tender.
  • Stir in flour until golden.
  • Gradually add 1 cup of the broth.
  • Bring to a boil.
  • Cook and stir until thickened.
  • Transfer to slow cooker.
  • Add the remaining broth and blend well.
  • Add in the bacon, potatoes, salt, pepper, basil and thyme.
  • Cook on low 6-8 hours or until potatoes are tender.
  • Stir in heavy and sour cream and heat through.
  • Garnish each bowl with green onions and cheese.
  • Serve with buttermilk biscuits and maple honey.

BUTTERMILK BISCUITS with MAPLE BUTTER (a little lighter and sweeter with the maple butter)
BISCUITS
1 1/2 cup flour
1 cup cake flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon apple pie spice
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons butter, softened
2 tablespoons Crisco
1 cup + 2 tablespoons buttermilk
1 egg
BUTTER
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 tablespoons brown sugar

  • Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
  • Spray an 8 inch cake pan with PURE.
  • Sift together the 1 cup of the flour, cake flour, salt, baking powder and soda.
  • With a pastry blender cut in butter and Crisco until mixture is coarse and crumbly
  • Stir in buttermilk.
  • In a mixing bowl add the remaining 1/2 cup flour.
  • Drop the dough 1/4 cup at a time into the flour.
  • Shape into balls.
  • Arrange all the balls in the pan.
  • Beat egg with water. Brush tops of dough.
  • Bake 15-18 minutes or until golden brown.
  • To make this ahead of time do all steps except the buttermilk, cover and refrigerate until needed.
  • Stir syrup into butter.
  • Transfer to wax paper.
  • Top with another sheet of wax paper.
  • Press into a 1/4 inch thickness and freeze for 10 minutes.
  • Using a rolling pin roll smooth.
  • Remove top sheet of wax paper and sprinkle with brown sugar.
  • Using small cutouts, cut butter into desired shapes.
  • These can be made ahead of time and frozen.