Crock pot baked Potato Soup

I got this recipe on a blog called "Mama Loves Food!" and wow, is it delicious! I have tried a few potato soup recipes in the past, but non were a keeper until this one. I think it's because this recipe uses cream cheese instead of heavy cream or milk. It is delicious! I used the new product from Green Mountain Farms that is a blend of cream cheese/greek yogurt. It works well in any cream cheese recipe, and is less calories. Enjoy!

Crock Pot Baked Potato Soup

• 5 pounds russet potatoes, washed but NOT peeled. Diced into 1/2 inch(ish) cubes
• 1 medium/large yellow onion, diced
• 10 cloves of garlic, minced (if you use jarred, it's a 5 teaspoon equivalent)
• 64 ounces (8 cups) chicken stock or broth
• 16 oz cream cheese, softened 
• 1 tablespoon seasoned salt 
• optional garnishes: crumbled bacon, shredded cheese, green onions

1. Add potatoes, onion, garlic, seasoning, and chicken stock to slow cooker.
2. Cook on high for 6 hours or low for 10 hours.
3. Add the softened cream cheese and puree soup with an immersion blender until the cheese is incorporated and about half the soup is blended. (Alternately you could remove half the soup and the cream cheese to an upright blender, then re-incorporate).
4. Stir well, top with your choice of garnishes & enjoy!

Slow Cooker Ham Tot Breakfast Casserole

**originally posted on WGLR.com on 12-9-13

‘Tis the season for overnight holiday guests! Or just for more hearty breakfasts to warm your belly and carry you through the day. This dish is perfect if you have some family or friends staying at your home for the holidays, for a holiday brunch, or for Christmas morning, especially since opening presents may come before breakfast that day, if you have kids in the house! Eliminate the need to prep breakfast, and enjoy the time with your loved ones with this week’s “Julie’s Crock of the Week,” Crockpot Ham Tot Breakfast Casserole! I did a similar recipe back in season one of Julie’s Crock of the week that used shredded potatoes, but this one uses tater tots (which are their own food group, right? ha!).

Now, this would work best if you have one of those fancy programmable crock pots (I have asked Santa for one this year), because you can make it go to a “warm” setting at 4 or 5 am so it doesn’t scorch at all. I just cook it overnight, but my crock has a hot spot that does make some crispy edges. BUT, I just scoop that part off, and the rest is fine to eat  Just a heads up! You know your own crockpot the best. Also, another “hazard” of this is that the delicious smell of breakfast may wake you in the middle of the night and confuse your mind and body, LOL!

Also, the tater tots WILL NOT HOLD THEIR SHAPE. So, don’t expect that to happen. If you overcook, it may become too mushy for some, but I liked the consistency. My husband said he really enjoyed it, too. This original recipe is called “bacon tot casserole” but that is with Canadian bacon, which I think is more like ham. So I changed the name 

Slow Cooker Ham Tot Breakfast Casserole

• 1 lb. frozen tater tots
• 1/2 lb diced Canadian bacon or ham
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1-1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 6 eggs (or 1.5 cups egg substitute)
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 2 Tbsp flour
• salt & pepper

Use a 4-5 quart crock pot for this. Layer ingredients in order: one third of the tater tots, bacon, onions, green peppers, and cheeses. Repeat layers two more times, ending with cheeses. In a medium bowl, combine eggs, milk, and flour and beat with whisk or egg beater until combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour mixture over layers in crock pot.

Cook on low for about 6 hours. Could be less, could be more, depending on your crock pot. If you have a programmable one, I’d set it on low for 4 to 5 hours, then switch it to warm until you wake up to eat it.

Slow Cooker Corn & Potato Chowder

OK, so no more naughty fudge cake for this week. Back to a good meal! Potato and corn chowder!! This hearty chowder will leave your belly full and your tastebuds happy too. Even my non-corn loving husband ate it. Although I don't think he is having leftovers, but that's his fault, not the chowder's :) And I am plugging an "As Seen on TV" gadget which helps me so much for recipes like this...the Vidalia Chopper. OMG, makes cubing potatoes and dicing veggies for recipes like this a BREEZE!

Slow Cooker Corn and Potato Chowder

-8 ounces (1/2 pound) bacon, cooked until crispy and crumbled (I used the packages real bacon bits, I am all for ease in prep)
-2 1/2 pounds Russet potatoes (approximately 5 medium sized potatoes), NOT peeled, diced in 1/4 inch cubes
-8 cups (about 2 pounds) kernel corn (I used frozen)
-1 medium/large sweet yellow onion, finely chopped
-1 cup chopped celery
-6 - 8 garlic cloves, crushed
-1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
-32 ounces (4 cups) chicken stock
-16 ounces (2 cups) half & half or heavy cream
-salt & pepper

Combine all ingredients EXCEPT half & half in the slow cooker.

Cook on low for 10 hours or high for 6 hours.

Blend about half the soup using an immersion blender or just scoop it into your upright blender then return to slow cooker. (Or if you are like me, and prefer easier ways, I just took a potato masher and mashed up the soup some in the crock pot, I like some potato chunks in my chowder anyway)

Add half & half or heavy cream and continue cooking, uncovered, for about another 15 minutes, until heated through. Salt and pepper to taste.

Recipe from the blog "Mama Loves Food."