Nancy's Cheeseburger Soup

• Nancy's Cheeseburger Soup
• 1/2 lb. ground beef  (use 1 lb.)
• Clove of garlic, minced
• 3/4 c. chopped onion
• 3/4 c. shredded carrots
• 3/4 c. diced celery
• 1 tsp. dried basil
• 1 tsp. dried parsley flakes
• 4 TBSP. butter (divided)
• 3 cups chicken broth (stock is richer, tastes better)
• 4 cups diced peeled potatoes
• 1/4 c. all purpose flour
• 8 ounces American cheese, cubed
• 1-1/2 cups whole milk
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1/4 sour cream
• Parmesan cheese rind (see instructions below)
  In a 3-quart saucepan, brown beef/ drain and set aside. In the same pan, sauté onion, carrots, celery, basil and parsley in 1 TBSP butter until veggies are tender, about 10 minutes. Add broth, potatoes and beef. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10-12 min. or until potatoes are tender. Meanwhile, in a small skillet, melt remaining 3 TBSP. butter. Add flour and cook for 3-4 minutes. Add to soup. Reduce heat to low and add cheese, milk, salt and pepper and cook and stir until cheese melts. Blend in the sour cream before serving.
  This is the original recipe. I've changed a few things to suit our tastes. I use a pound of hamburger. I like the meat in there. I brown some bacon and set it aside first. Then I brown the meat in the bacon drippings. I add the crumbled bacon before serving. I add some minced fresh garlic to the sautéed veggies for a minute or two before adding the rest of the stuff. I use chicken stock rather than chicken broth. I find it to be richer. I use whole milk. Skim or low fat works but it takes some of the richness out of the soup. Once in awhile you just gotta have the fat. I also like to add a rind of parmesan cheese (the good, expensive stuff) and let it work its magic at the end. The entire rind won't dissolve, but it sure gives a flavor boost.
  My daughter-in-law likes to add white wine in place of some of the liquid but I've never cooked with wine so I've never tried it.
  Enjoy! Play with it a bit. Everyone I've ever given the recipe to seem to love it and it's become our "traditional" Christmas Eve supper. (Growing up my Mom would always have oyster stew. I loved the broth but couldn't choke down an oyster!)