Baked Potato Soup

This is one of Bonnie's D - Lisech's recipes.

1 med. garlic bulb - 1/4 in. cut off the top
6 large baking potatoes - rinsed and pierced with fork
4 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/2 tsp. pepper

optional add ins:
crumbled cooked turkey bacon
shredded cheese (lowfat works)
sour cream
minced green onions

Heat oven to 400
Wrap garlic bulb tightly in foil
Place garlic and potatoes in oven, bake 45 minutes. Remove garlic, continue baking the potatoes another 15 minutes or so, until tender.

Squeeze pulp from garlic into a 4 qt. pot
Peel 3 of the potatoes, add to pot and mash until nearly smooth.
Gradually stir in chicken broth and pepper.
Place over medium heat and cook until hot, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile cut remaining potatoes (with skin) into smallish pieces. Stir into soup and cook until heated through. Serve with chosen add-ins.

In a pinch I have used garlic powder in place of the roasted garlic. My note says I used 3/4 tsp. and it was good. I also use a small bulb of garlic or just several cloves instead of a whole bulb.