Slow Cooker Potato Leek Soup

The temperature has taken a plunge and that always means it's time for soup. This recipe is simple, with few ingredients and accidentally vegan if you ignore the bacon. I did not ignore it. I wanted a lot more of it.

Ingredients & Tools

• 4 potatoes
• 4 leeks
• 6 cups of water
• 3 tablespoons of salt
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme
• 3 garlic cloves
• 6-8 slices of bacon [triple this to make yourself happier]
• slow cooker
• immersion blender

Leeks are delicious vegetables from the onion and garlic family. They taste like mild onions and you only use the white and light green parts. Chop off the dark green tops, usually at least half of the leek.

Leeks often have dirt and sand within its layers. You probably noticed that in the picture above. Split the leek length-wise and fan out the layers under running water to make sure any trapped dirt is rinsed off.

Chop the leeks into one inch pieces and add them to the slow cooker's stoneware, but do not chop them into two inch pieces. Do you want to ruin everything!?

Peel and chop the potatoes and add them too.

Add the salt. If you prefer to use vegetable or chicken stock instead of just water, you may want to adjust the amount. If you're not adding the bacon, you may need more salt.

Add the thyme and the crushed garlic cloves.

Add 6 cups of water. Cook this on high for 4 hours or on the low setting for 8. 

Cook and dice the bacon.  While the bacon is cooking, blend the soup with an immersion blender.

This was so good, mainly because of the bacon. I'll make this again and ensure I have a lot more bacon in the house. I may edit the title of this post: Bacon and a little soup on the side.