Slow Cooker Loaded Potato Soup

Something about the weather turning colder turns me into a BEAR - I just want to stock up on calories and hibernate!!!  This a great soup for fall or winter, especially with some good peasant bread.

Slow Cooker Loaded Potato Soup

Ingredients:
3 to 3 1/2 lbs russet potatoes, peeled and diced small (about 7 medium potatoes)
1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
3 (14.5 oz) cans low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup evaporated milk
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (6 oz)
9 oz bacon, cooked and diced or crumbled
4 green onions, diced



Procedure: 

To a 6 or 7-quart slow cooker, add potatoes, onion, chicken broth, evaporated milk and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and cook on HIGH heat for 4 hours or LOW heat for 8 hours (check to be sure potatoes are done - I cut my potatoes really small).

Set aside 2 cups liquid from soup mixture in crock pot.

In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, 2 minutes. While whisking, slowly pour in the 2 cups liquid you set aside into the butter mixture (it will thicken quickly). Pour butter mixture into slow cooker and stir to blend. If desired, mash potatoes with a potato masher to break down into smaller pieces or use an emulsion blender to puree - depends how to like the texture of your soup - I like to remove half from the crock and puree what's inside the crock, then stir the non-pureed back in.

Cover and cook on HIGH heat until thickened, about 10 minutes. Turn heat to warm, stir in sour cream (don't ever boil sour cream - it will curdle).

Serve warm topped with cheese, bacon and green onions (you can just mix in those three remaining ingredients into slow cooker or top individual servings).

Recipe Source: Cooking Classy