Current favorite fall/winter soup (with recipe)

Someone gave me a "Fix-It and Forget-It: Feasting with Your Slow Cooker" cookbook when we first got married. I've turned to it several times over the years when I wanted to prep something in the morning and have it ready in the evening. 

I recently discovered a delicious potato soup recipe I thought I'd share. It's super easy and so tasty! I've made it twice in the last two weeks and we've enjoyed it!  I think it'll be a good go-to recipe once Bobo is around and I need something I can prepare rather quickly (10 mins prep time, 7-8 hour slow cooker time). It's hearty and just an overall feel good, comfort food soup! 

Here's the recipe:

No Fuss Potato Soup

6 cups diced, peeled potatoes

5 cups water

2 cups diced onions

1/2 cup diced celery

1/2 cup diced carrots

1/4 cup margarine or butter

4 tsp (or cubes) chicken bouillon granules

2 tsp salt (I went light on the salt then tasted and added more at the end if needed)

1/4 tsp pepper

12-oz. can evaporated milk

3 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley (I only had dried on hand and just sprinkled a bit in)

8 oz. cheddar or Colby cheese, shredded (sharp cheddar is nice, I add more than 8 oz)

1. Combine all ingredients except milk, parsley and cheese in slow cooker. 

2. Cover. Cook on High 7-8 hours or until vegetables are tender. 

3. Stir in milk and parsley. Stir in cheese until it melts.

Variations:

For added flavor, stir in 3 slices bacon, browned and crisp and crumbled (I just top each bowl with a healthy portion of crisp bacon rather than putting it all in the pot). 

You can also top each bowl with chopped chives, if desired. 

I followed the recipe exactly the first time and then just eyeballed the measurements for the veggies the second time. I think I added more carrots than called for but it was good. 

Note: cooking on high produces a pretty smooth consistency with some veggie chunks. If you prefer more chunky and not as smooth, you could try cooking it on low. 

Enjoy!