Slow-Cooker Corn Chowder

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 medium carrots, finely chopped
• 1 stalk celery, finely chopped
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 large idaho potato (about 1 pound, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes)
• 3 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 1 bay leaf
• 34 teaspoon dried thyme
• 18 teaspoon paprika
• 4 cups frozen corn kernels
• 2 cups milk
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons white wine
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
• 34 teaspoon salt
• 5 slices ready-to-serve bacon, prepared according to package directions and crumbled

1. Place oil in a 4-6 quart stovetop-safe slow cooker bowl over medium-high heat on stovetop (use a skillet if your slow cooker bowl is not stovetop safe!
2. ).
3. Cook carrot, celery and onion for 7 minutes or until softened.
4. Transfer to a slow-cooker base and add potatoes to bowl.
5. Pour broth over top and add bay leaf, dried thyme and paprika.
6. Cover and cook on high for 1 1/2 hours or low for 3 hours, or until potatoes are cooked through.
7. Stir in corn and milk; cover and cook for 1 hour or until heated through.
8. In a small bowl, stir together cornstarch and wine and whisk into soup; cook an additional 10 minutes.
9. Stir in fresh thyme and salt.
10. Using a potato masher, gently mash the soup until slightly thickened.
11. Sprinkle each serving with a generous 1/2 T crumbled bacon and serve immediately.

vegetable oil, carrots, celery, onion, idaho potato, chicken broth, bay leaf, thyme, paprika, frozen corn kernels, milk, cornstarch, white wine, fresh thyme, salt, ready

Taken from www.food.com/recipe/slow-cooker-corn-chowder-290563 (may not work)