Cheesy Potato Soup

This is the soup in my crock pot on my beautifully set fall table.  Isn’t it gorgeous?

A gorgeous, gorgeous fall day, and what could be better for dinner than an amazing soup that cooks itself all day in the crock pot?  (An amazing soup that someone else cooks all day in the crock pot for you?)  This soup was really easy, and very delish.  The only real gripe I have about it is that I had to peel and cut up the potatoes.  I know, I know, I’m trying really hard to become more of a Holly Homemaker, and that’s part of the job.  *sigh*  And thanks to my mother ~ who was a total soup saver by picking up Littlest from kindergarten ~ I did just that?  Are you proud of me?  You totally should be.

Soup topped with bacon with salad and roll.  I was totally going to make rolls, but the craziness of the day called for Rhodes warm and serve instead.  Yum!

 Cheesy Potato Soup

serves 6

source: pillsbury.com

4 slices bacon

1½ cups chopped onion

5 cups diced peeled russet potatoes (about 5 medium)

1 medium stalk celery, chopped (½ cup)

4 cups chicken broth

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

½ cup all-purpose flour

1½ cups half-and-half

2 cups shredded American and cheddar cheese blend

In a 12-inch skillet, cook bacon over medium heat, turning occasionally, until browned and crispy.  Remove from skillet, reserving fat in skillet.  Drain bacon on paper towel, then refrigerate.  In same skillet, cook onion in bacon fat over medium heat 4 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until tender.

Spray slow cooker with cooking spray.  In cooker, mix onion, potatoes, celery, broth, salt and pepper.

Cover; cook on Low heat setting 6 to 7 hours.

In small bowl, beat flour and half-and-half with wire whisk until well blended; stir into soup.  Increase heat setting to High.  Cover; cook about 30 minutes longer or until thickened.  Stir in cheese until well melted.  Crumble bacon; sprinkle over soup.

Of course I made some changes.  (Did you expect anything different?  So silly of you.)  I thought I had celery, but it had evolved into some primordial ooze in my crisper.  (Thought those things were supposed to keep things crisp.  Go figure.)  So instead of celery, I used a couple of sprinkles of celery seed and some season salt instead of the regular salt.  (I think there’s some celery flavor in that season salt, isn’t there?)  And for a little more on that celery-ish flavor I used half vegetable broth and half chicken.  And you KNOW I didn't use the onion.  Sprinkled liberally (very liberally, since it called for so much onion) with onion powder.  And I didn’t bother with the American cheese either.  Just used a nice couple of handfulls of cheddar jack.

Everyone loved this soup.  Middlest ~ who has claimed for the last two years that he hates potatoes and tomatoes and everything associated with them ~ even ate it and loved it.  We had grandpa over for dinner and he raved, eating two helpings and taking some home for lunch tomorrow.  Since my husband told me he didn’t want leftovers, I gave them to our other grandpa and grandma and they loved it too.  Gotta love it when everyone’s digging on a recipe!

Doesn’t my table set for fall look fabulous?  Mmm, soup!