Bennigans Ultimate Baked Potato Soup

This is sooooo good!! Don't judge it until you have your toppings on. Its nice and warm and yummy! It also makes great leftovers, and is almost better the next day!

Bennigans Ultimate Baked Potato Soup
3 lbs all-purpose potatoes
1 T. butter
1 1/2 cup finely chopped onions (optional...we don't use them)
2 T. minced garlic
14 oz chicken broth (I use bullion cubes and make it with hot water..)
3 cups milk
1 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
Toppings-shredded cheese, crumbled bacon, sour cream

Preheat oven to 400. Pierce potatoes and bake for 1 hour until tender. Let cool until you can handle them and peel. On the stovetop, put butter, garlic, and onion (if your using) in a pan and melt the butter. Add 2/3 of the potatoes and mash. Slowly add broth, milk, salt and pepper while mashing (kinda like making mashed potatoes). Bring to a simmer. Cut remaining potatoes into cubes. Add to soup and stir gently to mix. Serve with toppings.