Creamy Slow Cooker Potato Cheese Soup
(from cocoabliss’s recipe box)
Cocoabliss tip: It’s really messy to purée in a blender or food processor. Reverse the process with an immersion blender: Take out what you don’t want to purée and keep chunky and buzz the rest with your stick right in the crock-pot. Then put the reserved chunks back in. Could also be nice with other cheeses, e.g. gouda with cumin, mozza, etc. Would be nice with broccoli, peas, lentils, etc. Subsitute part of potatoes for cauliflower or old bread. Modify spices. Use back bacon, leftover sausage or sandwich meat instead of bacon. Use white wine for part of water or stock. Throw in corn instead of cheese for a potato/corn chowder….. possibilities are endless!
Source: modified from AllRecipes.com (from RecipeThing user Coffmans) (from RecipeThing user diannezzz)
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 300 minutes
Serves 8 people
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/2 white onion, chopped
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups water
- 2 large carrots, diced
- 4 stalks celery, diced
- 1 tablespoon dried, minced garlic
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cup milk (use whole or sub some cream)
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 5 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
- 6 slices crisp cooked bacon, crumbled
Directions
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Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook onion in butter until translucent. Stir in flour until smooth, then gradually stir in 2 cups water, carrots, celery, garlic, salt, and pepper. Heat through, then stir in milk and stock. Pour into vegetable mixture.
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Place potatoes in slow cooker, and pour heated vegetable mixture into potatoes. Place bay leaf in pot.
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Cover, and cook 5 hours on High, or 8 hours on Low.
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Remove bay leaf. Puree about 4 cups of the soup in a blender or food processor, and then stir pureed soup into contents of slow cooker. Stir in cheese and bacon until cheese is melted.