Loaded Potato Soup {Slow Cooker}

It's another Gooseberry Patch recipe review today. 

If you've missed any of the other recipes that I have reviewed so far, be sure to check those out when you have time:

Hashbrown~Pork Chop Casserole

Cheeseburger Soup

This next recipe has been a favorite of ours for years. 
I have always enjoyed making (and eating) this soup. 

So when I saw the recipe in Gooseberry Patch's latest cookbook; Big Book of Home Cooking, I wanted to see how it was different from my usual go-to recipe. 
And I gotta say, I was intrigued on how much easier this recipe was since it is all done in the slow cooker.  It really did make a big difference here. 
I did not have to make a roux to thicken the soup up a bit, so therefore I didn't have to add
 flour and butter (although you could add a bit of butter if you really wanted to). 
All in all, this is my new favorite way to make this soup. 
My notes about the recipe are in parentheses below.

Ingredients:

4 lbs. potatoes (red skin, russet or yukon gold),peeled and cubed

1/2 c. onion, chopped

2 14 oz. cans chicken broth

2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

2 cups half and half

Garnish: shredded cheddar cheese, cooked and crumbled bacon, sliced green onions

The recipe did not call for garlic, but I added in 2 cloves of minced garlic for added flavor 
and because I had it on hand already.

Directions:

Layer sliced (or cubed) potatoes in a lightly greased 5-quart slow cooker. 

Top with chopped onion (and garlic, if using).

Add chicken broth, salt and pepper. Broth will not completely cover potatoes. 

Cover and cook on low setting for 8 hours or until potatoes are tender.

Mash mixture with a potato masher. 

I didn't mash it completely because I still wanted some visible potato chunks in there.

Stir in half and half. Cover and cook on high setting 20 more minutes, or until mixture is thoroughly heated.

Ladle into bowls and garnish with favorite toppings. Serves 8.

Cook's Notes: I thought this recipe was far easier than my usual potato soup recipe, which called for making a roux first. You can use any type of potato you want with this recipe. It calls for red-skinned potatoes which taste great but I'm also a big fan of Yukon Gold because of their smooth and creamy texture.   But if all you can find are russet potatoes, then go with those, it will still taste delicious.   Also, I enjoy a bit of celery (about 2 stalks, chopped) in my potato soup as well, so if you do too then add it in with the potatoes and onions.

And if you really want to cut down on all the chopping. Get it? Cut down on the chopping? Oh, I kill myself! Are you still with me? Anyhoo, try using a bag of Southern Style frozen hash browns (the kind that are cubed). It is a huge time saver in the morning if you are scrambling to get this in the slow cooker before heading out the door. Or, if you're just feeling kinda tired and lazy, which is sometimes my case. Just keepin' it real here folks.

Enjoy!

Printable Recipe Here