Crock-Pot Loaded Baked Potato Soup

It is 48 degrees here in Texas. This is the coldest it has been all fall, I think. I am going to share the best  baked potato soup recipe with all of you. It takes a little more work than just throwing everything in and not thinking about it again, but it is so delicious and worth every single extra little step.

This is one of Ethan's favorite soups, so I could not wait until it got cold to make it, literally. We were eating soup and it was bright and sunshiney outside. We both loved it, and he had plenty of the leftovers. He even proclaimed that he couldn't wait until we had it again! I will never use another loaded baked potato soup recipe again, it is the perfect one.
Source: Pink Parsley

Ingredients:
8 slices of Bacon, thick-sliced and chopped
1 Onion, large and minced
3 cloves of Garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon of Dried Thyme
2 tablespoons of Flour
4 cups of Chicken Broth, low sodium
3 pounds of Russet Potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
2 cups of Sharp Cheddar Cheese, shredded, plus more for topping
1/2 cup of Heavy Cream
1/2 cup of Light Sour Cream
Salt and Pepper
Sliced Scallions

Directions:

First, cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until it is crispy, 5- 7 minutes. When you are done cooking the bacon, place it on a plate lined with paper towels and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Next, discard of the bacon grease except for 2 tablespoons. Saute the onions in the skillet with the bacon grease until browned about 8 minutes. Now, add the garlic, thyme, and salt and pepper. Cook for about one minute and stir in the flour. Stir constantly for one minute and then whisk in one cup of chicken broth. Scrape up the brown bits in the skillet with the whisk and cook until the mixture has thickened. When the mixture has thickened, pour into the slow cooker.

Now, stir the remaining three cups of broth, potatoes, 3/4 teaspoon of salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper into the crock-pot. Cover and cook for 4-6 hours on low. If you want to leave this for longer, 6-9 hours, cut your potatoes into 1 inch pieces.

After the time has lapsed, transfer three cups of potatoes to a medium bowl and add the heavy cream and mash with a potato masher until smooth. Now, place these potatoes back in the crock-pot. Stir in the sour cream and cheddar cheese. Let this heat thoroughly, about 10 minutes.

Now, it is ready to serve. Heat the bacon up in the microwave, about 30 seconds, and place on top of the soup along with shredded cheese and scallions.

Enjoy!

Happy Cooking,
The Barbee Housewife