Easy Cream of Potato Crockpot Soup

What you need:

1 1/2 bags frozen southern style potatoes

32 ounces or more of chicken broth

2 cups chopped celery

1 cup chopped carrots

1/2 cup Hormel real bacon bits

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 - 8 ounce block cream cheese

1 - large can cream of chicken soup

4 stalks green onion chopped

1/2 to 1 cup diced onions (optional)

ground pepper (about 1/2 tsp) 

What to do:

1. In large crockpot combine frozen southern style potatoes, celery, carrots
 and onions (if desired).

(If you have the time let them sit out for about 1 hour, so that they fall apart and into pot easily)

2. On top of potatoes and vegetables, put in cream of chicken soup and pour in chicken broth.

3. Cut cream cheese into squares and sprinkle around on top of ingredients in crockpot.

4. Sprinkle with ground pepper, half of the bacon bits - 1/4 cup
 and half of shredded cheese- 1/2 cup.

5. Put lid on crockpot and set on low for 6 to 8 hours. . . now you can do what you want.

6. Use the extra bacon bits, shredded cheese and chopped green onion to garnish individual bowls of soup.

I originally found this recipe on Pinterest.  It traces back to topfoodpics.com
The recipe is titled "Paula Dean's crockpot potato soup recipe.
It was super easy to put together and really delicious.  My family

loved this soup and it quickly disappeared.  This is great comfort food on a wintery day.

If you don't want this soup too thick, you can add additional chicken broth until you achieve the thickness you desire.  I put all the ingredients together in my crockpot the night before
 and just kept the pot in my refrigerator until morning.  This made it quick and easy to put it in the crockpot and turn it on before leaving for work.  I love having our dinner meal already in the works
 so I can come home and enjoy!!!

I changed this recipe by adding a little more potatoes, the bacon, cheese, celery and carrots.

It made a nice big hearty batch of soup.  This provided soup for 8 to 10 people and I think a few

of them had seconds.  There was one bowl left for lunch the next day.  I love leftover soup!