Crockpot Sausage and Potato Dinner

(Recipe has been slightly edited on 6/21/09)

Ingredients:

2 T butter
2 T sweet rice flour
1 1/2 C heavy cream
1 1/2 C chicken broth
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground dry mustard
freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
3 C grated cheddar
(NOTE: this is to make a thick cheese sauce to replace the canned cheddar cheese soup in the original recipe - canned cheddar cheese soup is not usually gluten free!)

10 medium potatoes, about 3 pounds, sliced
12 to 16 oz gluten free smoked sausage, such as kielbasa, chicken apple sausage or other similar sausage, sliced
1 large onion, diced

3/4 cup evaporated milk
Paprika

Directions:

Make the cheese sauce first by melting the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. When the butter bubbles, add the rice flour. Cook, stirring (best to use a wire whisk), for about 1 minute. While whisking, slowly pour in the cream a little at a time to keep mixture smooth, until the mixture bubbles and becomes thick. Continue cooking, and add the chicken broth a little at time while whisking constantly, until the mixture has the thickness and consistency of paint. You don't want it to be too thick, because it will thicken when you add the cheese. Add more or less chicken broth until you achieve the right consistency.

Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in salt, dry mustard, black pepper, garlic powder, and cheese; continue to stir until cheese is melted. Set the cheese sauce aside.

Toss sliced potatoes, sausages, and onions together in a 5 to 7-quart slow cooker. In the sauce pan, combine cheese sauce and evaporated milk (NOTE: you can use more or less evaporated milk depending on whether you want it to be thicker or more like a potato-cheese-sausage soup). Gently stir the cheese sauce mixture into the potatoes and sausages. Sprinkle with paprika. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours, until potatoes are tender, stirring GENTLY once about halfway through the cooking time.