#FoodieExtravaganza ~ Slow Cooker Loaded Potato Soup

Foodie Extravaganza is where bloggers come together and celebrate food holidays. Did you know there is at least one food assigned to each day of the year to celebrate that food? Kathleen from Fearlessly Creative Mammas is our host this month and since she is from Idaho, she picked potatoes. All of the recipes will feature potatoes in one form or another. Posting day is always the first Wednesday of the month. If you are a blogger and you're interested in joining in the fun, visit us at our Facebook Foodie Extravaganza page. You can also visit our past party submissions on our Pinterest Foodie Extravaganza board. We hope you will enjoy the recipes we are sharing this month. The potato is so versatile that we've come up with a huge variety of recipes for you to try.

This month I finally had the chance to make a crock pot loaded potato soup, which I've had on my "to make" list for quite awhile. I am so glad I did. I know it's early August and it's HOT outside - but that doesn't keep me away from the crock pot and a bowl of creamy, comforting soup. I love soup anytime of year - plus, that's what air conditioning is for. :)

This soup did not disappoint. My son oohed and ahhed and my sister deemed it very tasty. We served this with a loaf of homemade ciabatta bread and called it a day. Lindsey took a few bites but was being her typical toddler self and wasn't terribly interested in dinner. I loved the flavor - once everything was combined I taste tested and added a little more black pepper and some seasoned salt until it was "just right" for my tastes. We used a stick blender to coarsely puree most of the potatoes, but left some in tact, and some in smaller chunks so it had some texture still. We will definitely use this one again. It was easy, and delicious!

See all the amazing Foodie Extravaganza recipes for potatoes this month:

• Latvian Spiced Dill French Fries from Fearlessly Creative Mammas                
• Chicken and Mashed Potato Waffles from Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• Chipotle and Lime Roasted Fingerling Potatoes from Sew You Think You Can Cook                                                                                                                                   
• Horseradish Potato Au Gratin from Gate to Plate
• Roasted Purple Potatoes with Rosemary and Thyme from Our Good Life       
• Slow Cooker Loaded Potato Soup from Making Miracles
• Llapingachos (Ecuadorian Stuffed Potato Patties) from Tara's Multicultural Table
• Tortilla Espanola (Spanish Omelet) from Cali's Cuisine
• Japanese Moon Gazing Potatoes from Ninja Baker
• Potato Gnocchi with Wild Mushrooms from A Day in the Life on the Farm       
• Sweet Potato Spiced Swirl Bread from Baking in Pyjamas
• Loaded Pierogi from Cooking With Carlee
• Bloody Mary Potato Salad from Cindy's Recipes and Writings
• Colcannon with Kale from Cherishing a Sweet Life
• Potato Rolled Tacos from Foodie and Wine
• Jersey Royals with Mint from Food Lust People Love
• Naked Ladies with their Legs Crossed from Passion Kneaded
• Shredded Potato Crusted Chicken from The Freshman Cook
• Copycat Chicken and Gnocchi Soup from Pantry Friendly Cooking

Slow Cooker Loaded Potato Soup adapted from Cooking Classy

Ingredients
3 to 3 1/2 lbs russet potatoes, peeled and diced into 1/2-inch to 3/4-inch pieces (about 7 medium potatoes, 8 - 9 cups)
1 medium yellow onion, finely diced (1 cup)
3 (14.5 oz) cans low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup evaporated milk
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sour cream

Toppings
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
9-oz bacon, cooked until crispy and chopped into small pieces
4 green onions, diced

Directions

1. Add potatoes, onion, chicken broth, evaporated milk and season with salt and pepper to taste in a large crock pot. Cover with lid and cook on low for 8 hours (poke potatoes with a fork to check make sure they're soft before moving on to the next step).
2. Ladle out 2 cups liquid from soup mixture in the crock pot into a liquid measuring cup, set aside. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add flour and cook, whisking constantly, 2 minutes until mixture is smooth. While whisking, slowly pour 2 cups liquid in measuring cup into butter mixture (it will thicken quickly). 
3. Pour butter mixture into slow cooker and stir to blend. If desired, mash some or all of the potatoes with a potato masher to break down into smaller pieces or use an emulsion blender to puree. (You can also pour some, or all, of the soup into your blender and puree in batches for smoother consistency. If you do, please be VERY careful as pureeing hot liquids can be dangerous. Make sure your lid is on very tightly, don't fill more than half full, and cover the top with a kitchen towel in case any liquid escapes during blending.) 
4. Turn the crock pot up to high heat for 10 minutes to allow the soup to thicken. Turn heat off, taste test and adjust seasonings if necessary, and stir in the sour cream and then ladle into bowls for serving.
5. Top each bowl of soup with a sprinkling of shredded cheddar, bacon and green onions if desired.