Slow Cooker Baked Potato Soup

0 Cook the bacon. Throw [adjustable]1-2[/adjustable] strips of bacon in a skillet. When crisp, remove them from the pan and save for later in the fridge. (You can reheat these in the microwave for 20-30 seconds until warm for garnish.) Save the grease.
1 Add the onion and garlic to the skillet with the bacon grease. Cook until soft and fragrant, about 5-7 minutes. Scoop into the slow cooker.
2 Scrub and chop the potatoes into 1-2” pieces. (The smaller the bites, the quicker they’ll be cooked through.)
3 Place the chopped potatoes in the slow cooker, and pour in the stock.
4 Place the lid on the slow cooker, and cook on low for 7-8 hours. If you need your soup done faster, cook on high for 4-5 hours.
5 Thirty minutes before serving, add the cream cheese and sour cream. Let them melt into the soup. Do not do this early or they will curdle.
6 Blend in a regular-sized blender or with an immersion blender until smooth.
7 Serve with your favorite toppings, and enjoy immediately!