Potato Chowder

I found a recipe on Pinterest that sounded really good, Paula Deen's Crock Pot Potato Soup.  That was the plan...but as usual, it didn't actually go as planned.  Here is the original recipe:

1 30 oz pkg of frozen hash browns
1/2 cup onion
28 ounces of chicken broth
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/3 tsp of black pepper

Put in crockpot on low for 5 hours. Then add:
1 8 oz pkg softened cream cheese.  

Cook for 30 more minutes until the cream cheese is melted.

Before the cream cheese, I thought it had a lot of extra liquid so I decided to modify...because it's what I do.  I had bought a store roasted chicken last week and only used part and so pulled the rest out of the freezer and added it.  Then I added a can of whole kernel corn and a can of green peas.  And some bell pepper. And some salt. And I crumbled a little bacon on top.  And some cheese might be good but I don't think cheese is normally worth the calories.   And it tastes pretty darn good!!  I made a pan of cornbread and I have soup for thousands.  Ok, maybe just 8.  I sent 2 to Sarjim & Rick, will take lunch for all to work tomorrow and will still be eating for awhile.  In fact, I ran out of bowls and the one I pictured is in an old refrigerator bowl!!  

If you have not seen them, there are frozen packages of pre-diced onions and bell peppers so basically there was no chopping.  This is an extremely easy and tasty soup.  And I have never cooked much with cream cheese but I am quickly becoming a great fan.  I'll be embracing it more.   Here is the picture of my soup: