Cheeseburger Soup

If the title doesn’t make you drool, something might be wrong with your taste buds!  I first heard of Cheeseburger Soup on an episode of “Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives” on the Food Network.  It sounded delicious.  A few months later we had some missionary friends stay with us and they left me a cookbook as a thank you.  It is “Family and Friends Favorite Recipes” by Margaret and Branson Gayler of Rome, Georgia.  This is one of those soups that I get sad when the leftovers and over!  I have a vegetarian friend who uses the veggie crumbles in this instead of the beef and still enjoys it. 

Ingredients:

-½ lb ground beef

-¾ c shredded carrots

-¾ c diced celery

-¾ c chopped onions

-1 tsp dried basil

-1 tsp dried parsley flakes

-4 T butter, divided

-3 c chicken broth

-4 c diced, peeled potatoes (about 1 ¾ lbs)

-¼ to ½ c flour

-1.5 c milk

-8 oz Velveeta

-1 tsp salt ¼ tsp pepper

-¼ c sour cream

Directions:

1.  Brown the beef in a 3 quart saucepan, drain and set aside.  In another saucepan, sauté the onions, carrots, celery, basil and parsley in 1 Tbsp butter until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. 

Add broth, potatoes and beef, bring to a boil then reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 10 -12 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. 

2.  In a small skillet, melt the remaining butter, add flour and cook, while stirring, for 3 to 5 minutes or until bubbly.  Add this mixture to the soup and bring to a boil.  Cook and stir for 2 minutes. 

3.  Reduce heat to low and add cheese, milk, salt and pepper.  Cook and stir until cheese melts.  Remove from the heat and blend in the sour cream.