Celebrate St. Patty's Day with this Traditional Irish Potato Soup

This St. Patrick's Day, celebrate with this hearty Slow Cooker Irish Potato Soup! 

Ingredients

• 10 strips bacon, divided
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 5 lb Idaho potatoes
• 4 cups unsalted chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon dried parsley
• salt and pepper
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1/3 cup flour
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 2 cups shredded Welsh cheddar cheese (or a mild cheddar)
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/3 cup chopped chives

Instructions

1. Cook the bacon until crispy. When cool, crumble or dice into small pieces. Divide in half - half goes into the slow cooker and half gets stored in the fridge until later.
2. Place the onion, celery, garlic and potatoes into the slow cooker.
3. Add in the broth, dried parsley, and salt and pepper to taste.
4. Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on low heat for 8 hours (or high heat for 4 hours).
5. Use a potato masher or an immersion blender to mash/puree some of the potatoes in the slow cooker. You don't have to get them all or make it perfect, just give it a good go.
6. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.
7. Melt the butter and heat until it starts to sizzle.
8. Whisk in the flour and stir for 1 minute.
9. Slowly (about 1/4 cup at a time) add in the milk, whisking after each addition until the milk is completely mixed in.
10. Continue whisking and cooking for 5 minutes, or until the sauce begins to thicken.
11. Turn off the heat and stir in the 2 cups shredded cheese and sour cream.
12. Mix the sauce into the soup and stir to combine.
13. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with reserved bacon, shredded cheddar cheese and chives.

Source: thegingeredwhisk.com