Cheeseburger Soup

Last chance recipe for February!! Its been a slow month on my blog! One thing thats pretty cool about food blogging is that I can just search my own blog for a recipe! However, I found out that I never did blog about this Cheeseburger Soup that I've made a few times! Which is good, because I am always needing new recipes to put on my blog. I have been really trying to avoid white carbs: bread, rice, pasta, etc. Its been extremely difficult. I of course have been craving cheeseburgers and sandwiches like crazy! Luckily, I remembered this soup just in time for it still to be winter and chilly enough to enjoy a nice, hearty soup as opposed to caving in to bread. Not that this soup is healthy, because its super high in fat and calories! ;) I know it might sound like the weirdest soup ever, but it is so, so good! And it couldn't be easier, or more economical, to make.

Ingredients:
1 lb lean ground beef*
2 qts chicken stock*
1/4 cup half and half*
16 oz Velveeta
8 oz shredded cheddar*
1 10 oz can HOT Rotel (diced tomatoes & habaneros)
1 tsp Italian seasoning
salt & pepper, to taste (I'm still obsessed with Pink Himalayan salt)
chopped romaine lettuce, diced red onion, & Sriracha for garnish* (you could even top with sautee'd mushrooms or diced pickles...whatever you normally enjoy on your cheeseburger! Bacon? Go for it!)

Directions:
Brown the ground beef in a soup pot over med-hi heat until pink is gone. Drain. Set aside for a minute while it keeps draining. Add the chicken stock to the pot, stir to pick up any meat particles stuck on the bottom of the pan. Add the half and half. Bring to a simmer. Cut the Velveeta into chunks, add to soup pot, along with the cheddar cheese. Add the cooked ground beef back in the pot, as well as the Rotel, Italian seasonings, salt & fresh ground pepper. Keep on a low simmer until all the cheese is melted, anywhere from 5 to 20 minutes. If it doesn't seem thick enough, you can add about a teaspoon of flour to about a quarter cup of milk and whisk together into a "slurry", then add to the soup. Simmer until its thick enough to resemble a cheese sauce. Garnish with the lettuce, onions, & Sriracha. Enjoy! Serves about 6.

Enjoy this soup!!


*I always try to use organic meat, veg, dairy, etc, and I use organic, low sodium broth. This should always go without saying when it comes to my recipes. BTW, Paradise Foods (Novato & Corte Madera) has the absolute best variety of organic meat!! I buy 99% of my meat at the Novato location. I do my shopping primarily there and at Marinwood Market, but I do like to shop at Trader Joes once in awhile. They have a great, inexpensive wine selection, but I don't buy my meat there. Cheap spices & olive oil, too! But great quality!!