Slow Cooker Potato Soup

Saute the bacon and onions in a frying pan until they are soft. Add in the garlic and saute until fragrant, around 1-2 minutes. Drain most of the bacon grease, leaving a tablespoon or so for flavor, then place in the bottom of the slow cooker.
Place the prepared potatoes into the slow cooker, along with the broth and all spices. Stir to combine.
Cook in the crockpot on HIGH for 3-4 hours, or on LOW for 7-8 until the potatoes are slightly falling apart and the broth is cloudy.
Take a potato masher and gently mash down the potatoes in the soup to break them up to the desired consistency. It is best when you break most of them down and leave some chunks for texture! You don't need an immersion blender at all for this, the potatoes should fall apart under a masher.
To make the roux place a medium-size pot over low heat and melt the butter.
Stir in the flour until it's combined, it will be all clumped together, this is ok.
Next, little by little, stir in the milk making sure that the milk is absorbed into the flour without making it lumpy. Eventually the mixture will be smooth.
When all of the milk has been added and the mixture is smooth, add in the cheese and stir until melted.
Whisk in your milk/cheese sauce into the slow cooker. Cook for another 20 minutes or so, stirring occasionally so there isn't a skin on the surface.
Serve and top with shredded cheese, minced green onions, extra bacon etc.