Potato Soup

So it's Tuesday which means it's a Crock Pot day in our house.  We haven't made this soup in quite some time, and it's chilly outside, so what better time to revisit a family favorite?  I can't wait until dinner time and it's only 10am!

Loaded Baked Potato Soup Recipe

INGREDIENTS:

6 large baking potatoes, peeled, cut in 1/2-inch cubes
1 large onion, chopped
1 quart chicken broth
3 cloves garlic, minced (or pressed)
1/4 cup butter
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 cup cream or half-and-half cream
1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
1 cup sour cream (optional)
8 slices bacon, fried & crumbled
cheese, for sprinkling

PREPARATION:

1.      Combine first seven ingredients in a large Crockpot; cover and cook on HIGH for 4 hours or LOW for 8 hours (potato should be tender).

2.      Mash mixture until potatoes are coarsely chopped and soup is slightly thickened.
Stir in cream, cheese and chives.  (I let this bake for 30 mins. more after adding cream.)

3.      Top with sour cream (if used), sprinkle with bacon and more cheese.

Now, here are a few things I do differently:

·         I usually cook on low for 8ish hours.

·         I use green onions if I don’t have chives available, which is most of the time.

·         Instead of making bacon, I use a whole bag of Oscar Meyer/Kroger real bacon bits.  I add this in  about ½ way through the cooking time so the bacon flavor cooks in well. 

·         To make a whole crock pot full (approx. doubling the recipe), I use a whole bag of potatoes, 1-2 onions, 2-2.5 quarts chicken broth, 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, and more salt/pepper as desired.

Adapted from www.cdkitchen.com.