Lazy Day Gluten Free Crock Pot Baked Potato Soup

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What's that you say? You have been bitten by the lazy bug and you need a dish that feeds a crowd for the pot luck? TODAY!?!?!?!?!?!   Well believe me when I say this, "I've been there".  In fact just last weekend I woke up Sunday morning needing a pot luck dish to take with me by 9:30 am.   It takes very little effort to throw this soup together and I never come home with any leftovers.  EVER.  The best part? Nobody ever realizes that is was my lazy version of the soup either.  It tastes every bit as good as the kind you slave over the stove to make.

I want to point out that it is a tad bit on the garlicky side.  I think garlic makes everything better. I also want you to notice that I am not using thickener.  I had intended to but the soup turned out so nice and thick as it was that I did not need any. Probably because I don't add the cream.  You don't need it! ;-)

2 quarts chicken broth
2 (30 oz) bags Ore-Ida frozen cubed hash browns
1/2 cup Onion, finely diced (frozen)
2 cloves Garlic, finely diced (heaping from jarred)
2 chicken bouillon cubes
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/4 black pepper
1/4 ground cayenne pepper
1 stick of Butter (yikes I know)
1 8-ounce package of Cream Cheese, room temp.
1 cup Extra Sharp Shredded Cheddar Cheese

Topping:
Extra Cheese
Sour Cream
Real Bacon Bits

• Add all ingredients (except cheeses) into crock pot very early in the morning.
• Cook on low for 8, high for 4 or until potatoes are cooked through/soft and broth starts to look creamy.
• Using your emulsifier stick blender puree potato soup until entirely creamy.  Leave out 2 cups of soup if you want the soup slightly chunky.
• Add cream cheese and cheddar cheese and stir until dissolved and fully incorporated.  Or cheat and use the blender for this part too! ;-)
• Serve topped with extra sharp cheddar,  Bacon pieces and sour cream.

Note:

Some Jarred Bacon Bits contain gluten, proceed with caution.  I usually steal out a slice of bacon or two whenever I make it for breakfast to chop and store for just such a recipe.

Other great Baked Potato Soup recipes on the Web:
Our favorite blog, a year of crock potting's Potato Soup
Another Easy Baked Potato Soup (not GF, but could be)