Homestyle Potato Soup with Roasted Corn

I wanted a crockpot soup for after church so I snagged the idea of roasted corn from Mel's Roasted Corn Chowder and added it to a crockpot Homestyle Potato Soup recipe I had. The results were SUPER yummy. Between Shayne, I and the 2 kids we almost finished off the whole pot {i don't know if that should be overly embarrassing admitting how much we eat, but it's not!} It's a perfect Sunday meal, ready to eat in only 25 minutes after church.

1 (14 1/2 oz.) can fat-free, less sodium chicken broth
2 c. cubed red potatoes (about 4 lbs.)
1 c. chopped onion
1 c. thinly sliced celery
3/4 c. thinly sliced carrot
3 T. butter or margarine, cut into small pieces
1 1/4 t. salt
1/2 t. freshly ground pepper
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 c. all-purpose flour
1 1/2 c. 2% reduced-fat milk
4 c. frozen corn
1 3.4 oz. shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Place first 9 ingredients in crockpot; stir will. Cover with lid and cook on HIGH setting for 1 hour. Reduce to LOW setting and cook 4 to 5 hours or until vegetables are tender. Increase to HIGH setting.

Place flour in a bowl; gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk until well blended. Stir into soup. Cook, uncovered 25 minutes or until thick, stirring frequently.

To roast the corn, heat the oven to 400. Place kernels on an oiled sheet pan (you only need about 1T to keep it from sticking). Roast corn for 17-20 minutes, until it just begins to brown and the sugars are released. When done, gently stir into soup.

Ladle into bowls; sprinkle with cheese and ground pepper.