Cheeseburger Soup

This is one of my favorite soup recipes. It came from a Taste of Home Soup cookbook. I often add cooked, crumbled bacon to the recipe to make it Bacon Cheeseburger Soup. To speed preparation, I usually substitute frozen diced potatoes (often called Southern style hash browns) for the fresh potatoes.

Yield: 8 servings (2-1/4 quarts)

1/2 pound ground beef
3/4 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup shredded carrots
3/4 cup diced celery
1-1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
4 Tablespoons butter, divided
4 cups diced peeled potatoes (1-3/4 pounds)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 pound process cheese (Velveeta), cut into small cubes
1-1/2 cups milk
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup sour cream (optional)

In a 3-quart saucepan, cook beef until no longer pink; drain and set aside. In the same saucepan, saute onion, carrots, celery, basil, and parsley in 1 Tablespoon butter until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Add broth, potatoes, and beef; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10-12 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

Meanwhile, in a small skillet, melt remaining butter. Add flour; cook and stir for 3-5 minutes or until bubbly. Add to soup; bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Add cheese, milk, salt, and pepper; cook and stir until cheese melts. If adding sour cream, remove soup from heat and blend in sour cream.