Cheddar cheese crackers, crumbled

1. Before you begin peeling and chopping the vegetables, preheat a 6-quart or larger slow cooker on the low setting. This will help jump-start the cooking process.

2. Place the potatoes, pancetta, onion and garlic in the slow cooker.

3. Pour in the broth and evaporated milk. Give the mixture a stir to combine.

4. Add the salt, thyme and pepper, and stir to combine. Cover and cook until the potatoes and onions are tender, 5 to 6 hours on the high setting or 8 to 9 hours on the low setting.

5. Before thickening the soup, taste and add more salt and pepper as needed. Ladle off 1 cup of the cooking liquid into a small bowl, doing your best to leave behind any vegetable chunks. Quickly whisk the flour into the reserved cooking liquid until smooth -- it should thicken almost immediately. Pour the thickened broth back into the slow cooker and stir to combine. Cover and cook until the soup thickens, about 30 minutes more.

6. Serve the soup with the topping options. If not serving immediately, turn your slow cooker to the warm setting for up to 1 1/2 hours. As the soup cools, some separation might occur, but it's nothing a stir won't remedy.

Recipe notes: Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to five days.

(Meghan Splawn is associate food editor for TheKitchn.com, a nationally known blog for people who love food and home cooking. Submit any comments or questions to editorial@thekitchn.com.)