Cheesy Potato Soup

This is my version of O'Charleys Soup. Though I am not sure I want to claim that mine is anything like theirs anymore. I think they changed their recipe :( Jonathan and I ate there for lunch a couple of weeks ago and it was awful. Nothing like mine anymore. Mine is awesome!
Try it. You'll like it. No, you'll love it so much you'll make a double recipe next time. It's that good! I promise :)
3 lb. bag of baby red potatoes, sliced into 1/2 inch strips
3 chicken flavor bouillon cubes
3 cans of Campbell's Cheddar Cheese Soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
2 cups milk (any kind is fine)
1 large bag of "Real Bacon" Bacon Pieces
1 Tablespoon Hot Sauce
1/2 stick butter
1/4 cup flour
2 cups heavy whipping cream
Garlic Salt/Pepper to taste
Make sure that you slice the potatoes lengthwise into strips about 1/2 inch thick. If you dice them, they will fall apart and be mush. It will still taste good, but it will be better if you don't cut them too small :) Boil the potatoes in their own pan of water, enough to cover the potatoes, and throw in the bouillon cubes to add flavoring to the potatoes. You only want to boil the potatoes until they are tender, not soft. Usually about 6-7 minutes.
While the potatoes are boiling, you can start preparing the rest of the soup. Get a large pot and pour in the 4 cans of soup, 2 cups of milk, and bacon bits, hot sauce, a sprinkle of garlic salt, and a little pepper. Stir that all together and simmer on very low. You just want to heat it through for now.
In a separate pan, melt the butter. Stir in the flour, and slowly add the heavy whipping cream. Cook on low heat so you don't burn the butter or cream. When this mixture thickens, you can add it to the other pot and stir it all together again.

By now, the potatoes are probably done. Drain them, but save the liquid. Add 1 cup of the liqud to your soup mixture. Next, add the potatoes to your soup mixture and very gently stir them to incorporate into the soup. Once they are mixed in, you can decide if you want to add more of the broth or not. Let the soup simmer for about 20-30 minutes before serving to blend the flavors.
I usually serve this soup with honey butter and yeast rolls. Garnish with sliced green onions, shredded cheddar cheese and more bacon bits if you want :) Enjoy! You might want to print out this recipe if you are planning to share with someone else. They will want it!
Refridgerate leftovers, or you can freeze them. If you do freeze them, make sure you allow enough time to thaw completely before reheating. It tends to separate a little if you reheat in the microwave, so I recommend low heat on the stovetop.
If you make this recipe, please let me know what you think of it.