Potato Soup for the Luck of the Irish

I don't know if the Irish are lucky or not. Right now it doesn't seem like luck plays a part in our everyday lives as the weather bounces from a 75 degrees sunny day to 24 degrees predicted for tomorrow night and we are staying home with the threats of coronavirus around us. It is certainly a time for comfort, and comfort food. With family birthdays in March we often think of St. Patricks Day themes and to me potatoes come in that theme.
This Loaded Crockpot Soup was a hit at a birthday supper last night and will make warm leftover meals tomorrow. It is easy to put together with hash brown potatoes and loaded like a baked potato with cheddar cheese and bacon.  I served it with the Cheese Wheel we usually enjoy at Christmas time. I added 1 cup of chopped ham to the cheese mixture in the cheese wheel for a hardy side for the soup.

LOADED CROCKPOT HASH BROWN POTATO SOUP              

 from Family Fresh Meals.com

      

Ingredients: 

1 – 20 oz bag of shredded hash brown potatoes

32 oz chicken broth

½ cup shredded carrots

7 slices of bacon, cooked and diced (reserve 2 slices for toppings)

1 cup water

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon pepper1/4 cup onion, diced

1-2 cloves garlic, minced

3 tablespoons flour

1 cup heavy cream

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions:

·     Int a 4-5 qt. slow cooker, add potatoes, carrots, bacon, broth, water, onion, garlic, salt and pepper. 

·     Cook in High 3 hours, or low 6 hours. 

·     Once cooking time is done, whisk flour and cream together until smooth. Add to slow cooker. (I tempered the cream mixture by mixing a small amount of potato/broth mixture with the cream mixture before adding it to the slow cooker.)

·     Cover and cook for on low for 30 minutes. Add cheese and stir until cheese is melted. 

·     Serve hot with optional toppings of shredded cheese, crumbled bacon, chopped green onions, sour cream.