{creamy loaded baked potato soup}

Its been nice and chilly outside giving me the perfect opportunity to use my crock pot to make all sorts of stews and soups. This week I attempted a loaded potato soup and I must say that it came out pretty delicious. I was all out of cheddar cheese so there is none in the soup but I felt it tasted just as good as if it had it in there. Leaving it out also made it a good bit healthier! If you have cheese I'd say leave it out of the soup but maybe add a little on top with the sour cream and bacon crumbles. Serve this up with a delicious sandwich or salad and you have a meal to warm you on these cold winter nights.

Recipe after the jump

{creamy loaded baked potato soup}

recipe adapted from: Slow Cooker: The Best Cookbook Ever by Diane Phillips

ingredients:

2 medium leeks, finely chopped, using the white and some of the tender green parts
6 medium yukon gold potatoes
4 cups chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
1/2 cup soy milk
1/2 cup soy creamer
6 green onions, finely chopped, using the white and some of the tender greens parts

2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese (optional, I left this out)

8 strips bacon, cooked crisp, drained and crumbled (save some for the topping)
salt and pepper to taste

garnish:
cheddar cheese
bacon crumbles
sour cream

directions:

Combine the leeks, potatoes, chicken broth and some salt and pepper in your slow cooker and cook on high for 3 hours or on low for 5 - 6 hours until the potatoes are tender. Using an immersion blender, purée the soup or cool the soup and purée it in a blender.*

Reduce heat to low and add the soy milk, soy creamer, cheese if you're including it, green onions and bacon. Cover and cook for an additional 1 hour. Season with salt and pepper.

Serve the soup with a bit of sour cream, bacon crumbles and cheddar cheese. Enjoy!

*My immersion blender was on its way to me in the mail so I did the blender method....if you do not cool the soup be super super careful because it will explode hot liquid out the top (I learned the painful way).