Cheeseburger Soup

When I worked at Stacker Cafe back in the day, I used to love it when Phyllis would make this soup. It was creamy, cheesy and tasted exactly like a cheeseburger ... you couldn't go wrong. So when I started working as the head cook at the brewery in Pinedale on Thursdays and Fridays, I was put in charge of making the soup du jour. Being as such, I pulled this one out and it was a huge success. Richie, Honis, Nicole and I would eat half the pot before the place even opened. Knowing that all of the employees loved it, I ended up tripling the recipe whenever I made it at the pub. After I quit eating red meat, I also made this with ground turkey and it was just as delicious.

1 lb. ground beef
1 small onion, diced
1 cup carrots, shredded
1 cup celery, diced
1 tsp. dried parsley flakes
1 tsp. dried basil
4 Tbsp. butter or margarine, divided
3 cups chicken broth
3 cups potatoes, peeled and diced
1/4 cup flour
8 oz. American cheese, cubed
4 oz. shredded cheddar cheese
1-3/4 cups milk
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/4 cup sour cream

In a large saucepan, brown ground beef with the onion over medium heat. Drain and set aside. in a Dutch oven, saute the carrots, celery, basil and parsley in 1 Tbsp. of butter until veggies are tender (about 10 minutes). Add the broth, potatoes and beef with onions and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Meanwhile, in a small skillet, melt the remaining butter. Add the flour; cook and stir for 3 to 5 minutes or until thick and bubbly. Add to soup. Bring to a boil and cook for a few minutes. Reduce heat to low. Add cheeses, milk, salt and pepper. Cook and stir until cheeses are melted. You may add more cheese if you want to make the soup thicker or make it a more golden yellow color. Remove from heat and blend in the sour cream before serving.