Easy Potato Soup [Tasty Tuesday]

Now that the weather is getting frigid cold in Ohio, I figured it was time for some soup!  If it were up to me, I would eat soup all year.  My husband tends to disagree.  This potato soup is super easy and perfect for chilly days!  My husband always insists he needs something to go with his soup in order to feel full.  With this soup, he was totally satisfied!  The only meat was the minimal turkey bacon topping.  I consider that a success in this house!

What You Need:
1 bag frozen diced hash brown potatoes
1/2 large onion, diced
1 quart chicken broth (I used reduced sodium)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup butter
2 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1 cup half & half cream
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese + extra for topping
6-8 slices of bacon, crumbled for topping (I used turkey bacon)
green onion, diced for topping

How to Make:

• Combine the first 7 ingredients in your crock pot.  Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours.  (Alternative: cook on HIGH for 4 hours.)  I like to use these to make for an easier clean-up!
• Using a potato masher, mash mixture until potatoes are coarsely chopped and soup is thickened to your liking.  I like to leave some chunks of potatoes!
• Stir in half & half and shredded cheese.
• Serve with optional toppings for your dinner guests: shredded cheddar, crumbled bacon, and chives.

**This recipe is modified from a recipe found on cdkitchen.com.