Cheesy bacon ranch potatoes in the slow cooker

Hi everyone! I have been making these recently and they are so easy and so good! I make them in my nesco roaster on the slow cook setting. They aren't for anyone who is low sodium , but I made changes that made them weight watcher friendly. The changes I made got the servings down to 4 or 5 WW'er points per cup depending on what you use. What I changed was , I used sargento reduced fat sharp cheddar in the bag and I bought a jar of real Hormel bacon bits, NOT those gross fake bacos....the Hormel ones are just already fried bacon pieces in a jar and I used 3 to 4 tablespoons for the whole recipe. I also added some smoked paprika to the potatoes to boost the smokey flavor after I eliminated some of the bacon. I used a bit more dressing powder and I used half the amount of cheese, it was still delicious and tasted indulgent. Also used nonstick foil to prevent a mess. It took 2 1/2 hours in my nesco. Reheats beautifully too and the potatoes were the perfect texture! I have it with baked chicken or pork chops or meatloaf or baked fish ....very nice in the colder weather! SLOW COOKER CHEESY BACON RANCH POTATOES Prep Time 15 minutes Cook Time 8 hours, 15 minutes (not this long for me at all in my nesco) Total Time 8 hours, 30 minutes Yield 8 servings The easiest potatoes you can make right in the crockpot - perfectly tender, flavorful and cheesy! INGREDIENTS 6 slices bacon 3 pounds red potatoes, chopped 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided 1 tablespoon Ranch Seasoning and Salad Dressing Mix 2 tablespoons chopped chives INSTRUCTIONS Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Spread bacon in a single layer onto the prepared baking sheet. Place into oven and bake until brown and crispy, about 12-14 minutes. Let cool before crumbling; set aside.(I skipped this and used the Hormel bits in the jar, way less fat and calories and still gives a nice bacon flavor ) Line a slow cooker with aluminum foil, leaving enough to overhang to wrap the potatoes on top, and coat with nonstick spray. Place a layer of potatoes evenly into the slow cooker. Top with cheese, Ranch Seasoning and bacon, repeating 2 more times and reserving 1/2 cup cheese. Cover potatoes with aluminum foil and cook on low heat for 7-8 hours or high heat for 3-4 hours. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Cover and cook until melted, about 1-2 minutes. Serve immediately, garnished with chives.