GAME NIGHT: Best Potato Soup EVER & I Can't Believe I was Afraid of Apples to Apples

I have been in possession of my brother's Apples to Apples game for oh, a year and a half.  In my defense, he is a freshman in high school now and too cool for anyone, let alone sink to the level of playing a board game.  {Perhaps had they been called bored games he would maybe play since, you know, everything is soooo boring.}  Bottomline is, he doesn't miss it and I'll have to check with Em, but I think possession is 9/10ths of the law.  I borrowed it with the intention of using it for one of our game nights and I'm not going to lie, I've always heard it was fun, but I was a little intimidated.  I don't know why.  Maybe I'm more of an orange person?  All weird idiosynchracies aside, I was an idiot.  When I googled "How to play Apples to Apples" and realized it looked like the fricken easiest game EVER to play, I knew it was the one for our first game night of the year.

We loved it.  First, we had all kinds of little ones running around and we all sat in our living room in the midst of a toy tornado.  It was insanity, but we could still play.  Amy had to go home, no problem with her just leaving the game.  Then Doug showed up, no problem with him just jumping in to the game.  Diapers were changed, beers were gotten and still no problem missing a round or two.  Not to mention it was hilarious.  You can play with a specific winning amount of green cards to determine the winner, or you can just play until you're sick of it and whomever {Karen} ends up with the most cards wins.  If you haven't tried it, give it a go!

So, while I do document our game nights from time to time, it is not often unless there is something monumental.  And this soup is monuental.  My neighbor friend Bridget brought it to me and it's loosely based on that and the recipe found in Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Cookbook.  I have been meaning to blog about it for a year, I promised Lisa {of the braised short ribs fame} and Karen and Nikki and Noelle and Amy this recipe and I keep either doling out the recipe or telling them I'll get it to them.  It is the PERFECT best potato soup ever.  Really.  And anything this easy and looks like you did a lot of work and tastes this yummy is high on my list of keepers.

Best Potato Soup Ever

5 lbs potatoes, peeled {I used Yukon Gold this time, but regular Russet potatoes also work well}

chicken demi glace or stock {I think using the demi glace makes this recipe!}

1 Tb minced garlic

1 cup cream or half in half

1/2 cup sour cream

1 stick of {real} butter

thyme, rosemary, seasoned salt

For Garnish:

shredded cheddar

crumbled bacon

sour cream

chives or green onions

1. Peel & chop the potatoes.  Put into a crock pot with minced garlic and cover with stock made from demi glace {or regular chicken stock} cover and turn on high for 5 hours.

2. Using a hand masher {don't use an immersion blender on this one} mash the potatoes until bite sized chunks remain, but the potatoes are mashed up.

3. Add the butter, cut into chunks, allow to melt into the potatoes.  Stir in the cream & sour cream.  Season liberally with seasoned salt & spices.

4. Serve with shredded cheddar, crumbled bacon, sour cream, and green onions.

Enjoy!

Oh, and PSA, when you have a house full of people and your toddler disappears with his "friend" Annabelle, be sure to check on them... you just might find them snuggled up in his toddler bed.  And yes, she is dressed as a firefighter and he's in his monkey pjs.  Whew.