It’s Crock Pot Wednesday time and today’s entry is this really tasty and hearty potato soup with shrimp from Paula Deen’s Paula Deen and Friends: Living It Up, Southern Style.  And because it’s Paula, you know it is going to have butter!  Fortunately, it’s not too much and it does add a real depth of richness that only butter provides.  This is one terrific soup especially during this really cold week we are having.  Thanks for choosing to participate by linking up with Mister Linky below.

(My adaptations are in italics.)I’m still Using It Up from my freezer and pantry this week.  I had everything on hand to make this soup.  Don’t you just love it when that happens? 

• 1/2 stick butter
• 1 small onion, diced
• 2 medium carrots (or celery), diced about the same size as the onion
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 8 medium russet potatoes, peeled and cubed (I typically do not peel ours, and I leave them in fairly large cubes since they will be cooking in the slow cooker all day.)
• 4 cups milk, whole, reduced fat (2 percent) or low fat (1 percent)
• 2 chicken bouillon cubes, dissolved in 1/2 cup hot milk
• 1 cup half-and-half (I usually use chicken or vegetable stock just to help out with the calorie count.)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning or Emeril’s Bayou Blast
• 2 cups frozen whole kernel corn, optional
• 2 cups salted water (I don’t use.)
• 1 pound medium shrimp
• Crumbled bacon bits, for garnish
• Grated sharp Cheddar, for garnish
• Dill sprigs, optional garnish (I prefer Italian parsley.)

  

In a 4-quart saucepan, melt the butter and sauté the onion and carrots until both are slightly tender, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute.

(At this point, I add the flour and butter mixture to the crock pot along with the potatoes, milk, frozen corn and dissolved bouillon cubes.  If I am going to be at home, I will add the half and half about half way through the cooking time.  Otherwise, I add it with the potato cubes.  If I am using stock, it goes in with the potatoes at the beginning of the cooking time.  Season with the salt and freshly cracked black pepper.  Cook on LOW 6 to 8 hours.) 

Add the potatoes, milk, and dissolved bouillon cubes. Cook over medium heat for 15 minutes, until the potatoes are very soft and some of them have begun to dissolve into mush. Add the half-and-half, salt, and pepper.

In a small saucepan, bring 2 cups lightly salted water to a boil. Add the shrimp all at once and stir well. Watch the shrimp closely; as soon as they all turn pink, about 2 to 3 minutes, turn off the heat and drain. The shrimp should be slightly undercooked. When they are cool, peel them, and chop roughly into big chunks. Add the shrimp to the soup and stir well.

(About 30 minutes before serving, I add the peeled and chopped raw shrimp.  The shrimp is done when it turns pink throughout.  You can use precooked, frozen shrimp if you have that on hand.  I would definitely thaw it under running cold water before adding it to the soup. )

Serve soup sprinkled with bacon bits and grated cheese. Garnish with dill sprigs (or parsley), if desired.

 (Photo courtesy of pauladeen.com)

Linked to:  My Girl, Paula!