Slow Cooker Cheesy Potatoes with Smoked Sausage

Ingredients:

6 pounds potatoes, peeled and cubed
8-ounces smoked sausage, sliced and cut into half-moons *
1 medium onion, diced
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons flour
4 cups milk
Kosher salt
Black pepper
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 cup sour cream
2 1/2 cups shredded cheese (I use Colby-jack, but cheddar or plain Colby would work just fine, too)
Paprika

* My sausage of choice happens to come in a 16-oz. package, so I use one of the two large links in the package.  I find that if I use much more, the dish is way too greasy.

Directions:

1. Liberally coat your slow cooker with non-stick sprayy.
2. In a large sauce pan over medium heat, saute onions in the butter and olive oil for a few minutes until turning translucent.
3. Sprinkle flour over onions and stir to coat.
4. Cook for a couple of minutes, then whisk in milk.
5. Allow to come to a slight simmer.
6. Season with salt and pepper (I use about 2 teaspoons of salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper.)
7. Turn off heat and pour into a large mixing bowl.
8. Whisk in the soup and sour cream.  Set aside.
9. Place potatoes and sausage in slow cooker.  (I coat my potatoes with a little more salt and pepper.)
10. Add 1 1/2 cups of the shredded cheese. Gently stir to combines potatoes, sausage and cheese.
11. Pour the sauce over top and stir to make sure sauce is well-distributed throughout potatoes. Sprinkle with a little paprika .Cook on high for about 8 hours.
12. If I am home during the day, I stir the potatoes once or twice throughout the cooking process just to ensure it all gets cooked evenly.
13. During the last hour of so of cooking, sprinkle the other 1 cup of cheese on top, if desired.
14. Then, I kind of “cheat” by throwing the whole thing (lid removed) in the oven on about 400 degrees for 20 minutes or so right at the end.  I only do this if the sauce isn’t as thick as I’d like.
15. Allow to sit with the lid off for about 15 – 20 minutes.  Stir, then serve.