Slow Cooker Potato Soup

Here's one of my favorite "go to" meals that is on the lighter side, but still very filling and satisfying. Plus, it's very inexpensive to prepare. Even my picky daughter will eat this.

4 potatoes peeled and cubed (about 1.5 pounds)
28 oz. vegtable or chicken broth
1/4 cup butter
1 large onion chopped
1 carrot cut into small-ish chunks
2 chicken boullion cubes
dash of garlic powder
salt & pepper to taste
1 cup cream or milk* (don't add until blending at the end)

Place above ingredients (but not the milk) in a slow cooker for about 8-10 hours on low. I usually toss this together in the morning prior to leaving the house. OR, you can assemble it the night before.

After mixture has cooked for 8-10 hours, remove lid from slow cooker and using a hand blender (a.k.a. boat motor), blend ingredients together along with mixing in 1 cup of milk until smooth. If you don't have a hand blender, you can use a regular blender by putting small batches of the soup in and blending until smooth. I LOVE my "boat motor" hand blender because I don't have to dirty, dismantle, and then clean another large appliance.

This soup has a rich, creamy texture without a lot of added fats. A lot of times I will add frozen peas at the very end to trick yet more vegtables into the family diet. The frozen peas (don't blend them into mush -- just put them in whole) gives the soup color and texture. If you're not fond of peas, leave them out.

If you're feeling in the mood, you can also add crumbled bacon and a dallop of sour cream for garnish on top at serving time.

Serve with a green salad and warmed, crusty french bread.