Crockpot Potato Soup

This picture is kind of yucky but this soup is really good!!! I’ve been changing a lot about the way I run my home in 2014 (cleaning calendar, cooking more often, staying in budget)  and it has been working out so well! I hope to write a few posts on all that in the near future. I feel like I often try new things and they flop 75% of the time. Which happens you know? So it’s okay. But it just makes it all the more a miracle when 75% of the things I’ve been trying since the new year have WORKED! It has been so encouraging to me! One of the biggest shifts for me has been the budget. My husband and I have basically spent 6 years of our marriage having 2 incomes. Even after Bryan was born and I stayed home, since I was paid on a school year, I continued getting a paycheck for about 6 months (it was a huge blessing!)

But that’s the case no longer. And man it has been a huge paradigm shift going from a loosey goosey budget to having to count pennies and not being to able to buy things you want or need because you’ve spent your money this month. NOW! Please don’t get me wrong. We are super blessed financially and are able to eat well and go out to eat some and buy some non-essentials… we are not struggling. But compared to living with two incomes and no kids? One income for 3 people (and 2 people staying home and eating at home all day!) is rough!

I’ve been cooking a lot more since I’ve been staying at home and two things I’ve been doing are

1. Cooking big portions that my baby and I can eat for lunch for days and
2. Trying to start cooking a few “meatless meals.”

The second one is so hard!!! This was my first successful one that I felt was filling enough for my meat-loving hubby. And it was YUMMY!!! I’ve made it twice since then. It’s super filling and makes for great leftovers! And is delicious with bacon on it… meat free… or maybe just not mainly meat:)

But help me out!! What are your favorite meat less? Or what are some of your favorite cost effective meals? 

slightly adapted from I Heart Naptime

Ingredients:

• 4-6 medium potatoes, peeled and diced in 1/2 – 1 inch cubes
• 2 cans cream of chicken
• 1 can cream of celery
• 2 cups half and half (could also do milk, if trying to be healthier)
• 6 T butter
• 1/2 t. pepper
• 1/2 t. salt
• 1 t. onion powder
• 1 t. garlic powder
• 1/4 t. cayenne
• 1/4 t. thyme

• 1 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese (plus additional for sprinkling on top)

• 1 bunch green onions thinly sliced (about 1/2 cup -optional, for serving)
• 4 strips bacon (optional, for serving)

Instructions

1. Place potatoes, soup, half and half, butter and spices in crockpot. Stir. Cook on low 6-8 hours (or high 3-4). Check potatoes about an hour or two before you want to serve and make sure the potatoes are cooked through. If not, turn up to high, or if already on high, cut potatoes smaller.
2. About 15 minutes before serving, preheat oven to 400 degrees and cook bacon in 400 degree oven for 10 minutes or until crispy. Let cool briefly and crumble bacon. Set aside.
3. Stir cheddar cheese in soup. Taste and adjust spices if needed.
4. Ladle soup in bowls, sprinkle additional cheese on top with green onions and bacon and a dash of extra pepper.

Note: This can EASILY be made on the stovetop in about 30 minutes. Chop potatoes and add all ingredients in large stockpot or dutch oven. Boil for about 20 minutes or until potatoes are cooked throughout. You may find they will fall apart and you will have smoother, less chunky soup in this method.