Back in January, I came down with a bout of the flu, and had little to no energy, with not much of an appetite. But, knowing that I had to eat, I wanted something warm and comforting that would require minimal effort on my part. The first thing that came to mind, was my crock pot, and what naturally followed was soup. I’ve always been a fan of baked potato soup, although I had never made it before. I perused quite a few recipes online and  decided to adjust a couple that looked really tasty. The end result thoroughly pleased me, and definitely hit the spot!

Ingredients

• 1 bag (32 oz) frozen O’Brien diced hash brown potatoes
• 1 carton (32-oz) Progresso® chicken broth
• 1 bag (8 oz) shredded American-Cheddar cheese blend (2 cups), plus additional for garnish
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 tbsp. all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. pepper
• 1 tsp. dried basil
• 1/4 tsp. dried thyme
• 1/2 cup sour cream (I use light)
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1/2 tsp. hot sauce (optional)
• ¼ cup real bacon pieces (from 2.8-oz package)
• 4 medium green onions, sliced (1/4 cup) for garnish

Directions

1. Cook bacon in a skillet or microwave until crispy. Crumble & set half aside. Reserve 1 tbsp bacon drippings to add to crock pot (optional, but recommended).
2. Put all ingredients in slow cooker, except for green onions and half of bacon.
3. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours.
4. Garnish with bacon pieces, green onion and additional shredded cheese (and sour cream, if desired).

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