Crockpot Loaded Potato Soup with Cheddar Bay Biscuits

Ingredients

• 32 oz chicken broth (One 32-ounce carton)
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp salt
• minced garlic (One heaping spoonful, plus a little more for good measure)
• 1 onion (Diced; leave out if desired)
• 7 russet potatoes (Use 6 to 8 potatoes depending on size; peeled and cubed into bite-sized pieces)
• 0.5 stick butter (Cut into squares)
• 2 cup shredded cheddar cheese (For the soup)
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1.5 cup heavy whipping cream (Half-and-half or milk may be used instead)
• 5 oz bacon bits (Two 2.5-ounce bags; add most to the soup and reserve some for topping. The source says the bacon bits were fried first.)
• 1 box Cheddar Bay biscuit mix (Use the biscuit mix and seasoning packet from one box)
• 0.5 cup shredded cheddar cheese (For the biscuit dough)
• 0.75 cup cold water (For the biscuit dough)
• 0.25 cup butter (Melt for brushing over the baked biscuits)

Steps

1. 1

   Place the chicken broth in a slow cooker. Add the black pepper, salt, and minced garlic, including the extra little bit called for in the source.

2. 2

   Dice the onion and add it to the slow cooker. Omit it if you do not like onions.

3. 3

   Peel 6 to 8 russet potatoes, depending on their size, and cut them into bite-sized cubes. Add the potatoes to the slow cooker and stir well.

4. 4

   Add the butter, cut into squares, to the slow cooker.

5. 5

   Cover the slow cooker and cook on high for 3 to 4 hours, or on low for 6 to 7 hours.

6. 6

   When the potatoes are nearly finished, prepare the bacon bits as described in the source by frying the two bags. Reserve some for the topping.

7. 7

   Remove most of the cooked potatoes from the slow cooker, leaving a few chunks in the soup if desired. Mash the removed potatoes with the back of a fork. For a completely smooth texture, remove and mash all of them.

8. 8

   Return the mashed potatoes to the slow cooker, then add the 2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, and heavy whipping cream. Half-and-half or milk may be substituted for the heavy cream.

9. 9

   Add most of the fried bacon bits to the soup, reserving the rest for the topping. Stir thoroughly.

10. 10

    In a separate bowl, combine the Cheddar Bay biscuit mix, its 1/2 cup of shredded cheddar cheese, and the cold water. Mix until combined.

11. 11

    Drop spoonfuls of the biscuit mixture over the surface of the soup, distributing them across the top like drop biscuits.

12. 12

    Lay paper towels across the top of the slow cooker, then put the lid on. The paper towels absorb moisture so the biscuits can cook through.

13. 13

    Cook on high for another 1 to 2 hours, until the biscuits are cooked.

14. 14

    Melt the 1/4 cup butter and mix it with the seasoning packet from the Cheddar Bay biscuit mix.

15. 15

    Brush the melted butter and seasoning mixture over the cooked biscuits. Finish with the reserved bacon bits and serve the loaded potato soup hot.

Notes

The source does not specify the slow-cooker size or an exact doneness test for the biscuits beyond cooking them until done. Bacon-bit quantity is given as two 2.5-ounce bags, with most used in the soup and some reserved for topping.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• soup
• slow-cooked
• crockpot
• comfort food
• fall
• family-style