Friday Recipe: Potato Soup

Tis the season to break out the crock pot and make some delicious soups and stews! I wasn't going to, after all October had been rather nice...until Halloween weekend that is. And then I decided it was time. From AllRecipes.com where I get the majority of my recipes.

Prep Time: Cook Time: Ready In:
30 Min 3 Hrs 10 Min 3 Hrs 40 Min


Ingredients
3 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled (you can try turkey bacon but I prefer the taste of real bacon)
4 red potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch chunks
1/4 cup butter
1/2 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup milk (I use 2% organic)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour (non-bleached cause who needs bleach in their food?)
3 cups milk
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons seasoned salt
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes (I use black pepper)
1/2 teaspoon celery salt
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
chives for garnish (optional-I don't do this, not a fan of chives)

Directions
Preheat a large slow cooker by turning it to the High setting and covering with the lid.
Place the cut-up potatoes in a microwave safe bowl, and microwave on High for about 8 minutes, until the potatoes are cooked and steaming hot.

While the potatoes are cooking, place the butter in the preheated slow cooker, and cook and stir the onions and garlic for about 5 minutes, until the onions turn golden. Stir in 1/2 cup of milk, and whisk in the flour until smooth. Gradually whisk in the remaining 3 cups of milk, and let the mixture come to a simmer in the slow cooker. Simmer for about 10 minutes, until the soup begins to thicken.

Stir in the hot cooked potatoes, crumbled bacon, sour cream, Cheddar cheese, Parmesan cheese, seasoned salt, parsley, red pepper flakes, celery salt, and dried basil. Stir to mix the soup well, reduce the slow cooker setting to Low, cover, and cook for 3 hours, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle with chives and serve.

Nutritional Information
Amount Per Serving Calories: 429 Total Fat: 23.5g Cholesterol: 61mg