Crock Pot Potato Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Ingredients

4 cups shredded hash browns, thawed

• 3 cups small-chopped broccoli florets

• 1 cup shredded carrot

• 1 shallot (or 1/2 small sweet onion), minced

• 3 cups sodium reduced chicken broth

• 4 oz (1/2 cup) herbed cream cheese

• 1 cup milk (2% fat or higher)

• 8 oz (1 cup) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese, plus more for topping

• salt and pepper

Directions

1. To a 6-quart crock pot add hash browns, broccoli, carrots, shallot and chicken broth, then stir to combine, cover, and cook on LOW for 4-5 hours or until broccoli is very tender.

2. To a blender add the cream cheese, milk, and roughly 1/3 of the cooked vegetables. Blend until very creamy then stir back into the crock pot, cover, and cook on LOW for 10 minutes.

3. Then sprinkle 1/2 cup of Cheddar cheese into soup, stirring until the cheese is completely melted before adding the second 1/2 cup. Add salt and pepper to taste, then serve. Garnish each serving with a little more shredded Cheddar cheese if you wish.