Smoky Potato Cheese Soup

"I almost didn't write a review for this one because I didn't follow the recipe exactly. I was really happy with the results so I decided to share what I did. With the onion, I added some finely chop..." See moreped carrots & celery. It adds a little more flavor and a few vitamins. Plus kids hardly notice they are eating a few extra veggies. I cooked the veggies, potatos, and sausage on the stove in just one can of chicken broth. After I mashed the potatos a little, I transfered everything to my crockpot, added one can of evaporated milk and the velveeta cheese. It was easy to let it all blend together in the crock pot and I didn't have to watch it. We left and when we returned, it was nice & thick and just needed to be stirred a little. I used only one can each of the broth & milk instead of two. To make it a little thinner, I might add a little 2% or a little more broth next time. Like other reviewers, I cut way back on the butter used to saute the veggies. I think a couple of tablespoons is sufficient. I also used a little less sausage and chopped it smaller than bite sized in order to appeal more to the younger members of the family. This one is definitely a keeper with these modifications for my house. I love any recipe that allows me to have the crockpot do the cooking while I'm away."

"With modifications, this is a very good soup, especially on cold nights. I added some garlic (2-3 cloves) to the onions while I sauteed them in the butter. I also added bits of smoked sausage BEFORE..." See more I added the stock. Gave the soup more smoky, hearty flavor. I also added a pinch cayenne (red pepper flakes or Tabasco would be good too). Finally, I used 5 large baking potatoes and only 1 can of evaporated milk. It made a ton of soup, and my picky boyfriend ate 2 heaping bowls!"

"This is my all-time favorite potato soup recipe! I've been using it for a few years, but I did make some changes. I use dehydrated onion and leave out the margarine completely. I also use beef brot..." See moreh instead of chicken (I've made it both ways and we like the beef best). I know it would be less fat using turkey sausage, but the beef tastes so much better. :oP I normally slice and cook the sausage separately and drain it well to remove quite a bit of fat before adding to the soup. Make some homemade bread with this, and you've got a stick-to-your-ribs meal that is true comfort food on a cold winter's day. :o) Thanks so much!"