Bennigan’s restaurant was my favorite place to eat for a loooong time because of this Potato Soup recipe.  It is to die for.  Literally.  Well, okay, maybe not literally.
Anyway, if you’re a fan of potato soup and you’ve never tried this one, put it on the menu for this week.  I was devastated when our local Bennigan’s shut it’s doors forever, and was so grateful to find this recipe so I could keep on potato soupin’.
(side note: I’m also in search of a totally awesome Bennigan’s Monte Cristo recipe.  Anyone have any leads?)

(many thanks to www.cdkitchen.com for sharing this recipe on their site)
(potato soup image from iamnotafarmgirl.wordpress.com)

Ingredients
3 pounds starchy baking potatoes, scrubbed clean
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
1 1/2 cup onions, finely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh garlic, minced
1 can (14 1/2 ounce size) can chicken broth
3 cups low-fat milk or whole milk
1 teaspoon salt, to taste
1/4 teaspoon black pepper, to taste
***Toppings***
shredded Colby cheese, garnish (optional)
crumbled bacon, garnish (optional)
chopped scallions, garnish (optional)

Preparation
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
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 and 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.

Serves 6.