Magic99POINT5

A storm system will bring windy conditions today in central IL, along with showers and thunderstorms spreading from west to east through the day. Showers and thunderstorms will taper off overnight into Wednesday morning, then primarily dry conditions are expected through the weekend, although some scattered showers are possible Thursday night into Friday. Temperatures will be much above normal today with highs from 69 to 76 degrees, then temperatures will cool off from Wednesday through Saturday, reaching highs only in the mid to upper 50s by Saturday, which will be close to normal for this time of year.

Crockpot 5-Ingredient Loaded Potato & Bacon Chowder

🥔🥓 The ultimate post-Halloween recovery meal. Start it in the morning and come home to a thick, velvety potato soup that warms the whole house.

Ingredients (serves 6)
1 (32 oz) bag frozen diced hash brown potatoes
1 (32 oz) carton chicken broth
1 (8 oz) block cream cheese, cubed
1 (1 oz) packet dry ranch seasoning mix
1 cup cooked, crumbled bacon, plus extra for topping
Shredded sharp cheddar cheese, for serving

Directions

Add the frozen diced potatoes, chicken broth, cubed cream cheese, and ranch seasoning to a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker. Stir gently to distribute the seasoning.

Cover and cook on LOW for 6–7 hours or HIGH for 3–4 hours, until the potatoes are tender and the soup is hot throughout.

About 30 minutes before serving, use a potato masher to lightly crush some of the potatoes directly in the slow cooker. This helps thicken the chowder while leaving some hearty chunks.

Stir well until the cream cheese is fully incorporated and the soup looks creamy. If it is thicker than you like, add a little extra warm broth.

Stir in the cooked bacon, reserving some for garnish. Ladle into bowls and top with shredded cheddar and extra crispy bacon.

This is comfort food with almost no hands-on work! Are you team extra bacon or team extra cheddar when it comes to loaded potato soup?