One of the reasons I flew home last Saturday night, instead of spending the entire weekend with the girl, was the mister was extremely worried...oh, not about the girl...but about his SUPER BOWL FOOD! If I wasn't home to prepare his game day assortment of goodies, how was he going to enjoy the game?!? I kid you not. I had been gone from home for 5 days...which coincidently is the exact amount of time it takes the mister and the boy to eat every edible morsel in the house. We got home from the airport at 8:30 pm so when the mister asked if I wanted to stop at the grocery store on the way home I quickly said no...knowing there WAS food at home...I do hate it when I'm wrong. Sunday morning I tried to get back to the routine...I went to church, if only to pray for the mister's soul, and when I got home and set about making lunch I had a surprise...allow me to quote Mother Hubbard..."The cupboard was bare." So much for Sunday being a day of rest...well actually I suppose it is for everyone EXCEPT Moms/Wives!
The grocery store was packed with frenzied fans...every cart was loaded with chips, frozen pizzas and beer...yum-yum...NOT! I had something else in mind for the mister - although he would have loved that crappola...what could be better for the big game than cheeseburgers and fries? All-American food for the All-American sport! Imagine if you took a McDonald's cheeseburger and a small fry and put it in the blender...that's what this soup tastes like...yes, kind of a gross visual I know but this soup truly tastes like a cheeseburger...it's loaded with hamburger, onions, ketchup, mustard, potatoes and cheese...if I had put in some special sauce, pickles and a sesame seed bun I could have made Big Mac Soup!
One of the things that made me want to make this soup is it's different and I had never had anything like it before which is always fun...folks, this is dang good...hearty, thick, full of flavor and fits the bill for All-American comfort food - give it a try, you'll lap it up!
All-American Cheeseburger Soup - Adapted From Better Homes And Gardens Magazine, February 2009
1 lb. ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 (14 oz.) cans beef broth
2 medium potatoes, scrubbed and coarsely chopped
1 (14 1/2 oz.) can diced tomatoes, drained
1 (8 oz.) package shredded cheddar cheese (2 cups)
1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste
1/4 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons Dijon-style mustard
1 cup whole milk
Optional: Serve with toasted buns or rolls, pickles and more onion
In a 4-quart Dutch oven cook beef, onion, celery and garlic over medium heat until meat is browned and vegetables are tender; drain off fat. Sprinkle flour on beef mixture, cook and stir 2 minutes. Stir in broth and potatoes. Bring to boiling, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat. Simmer, covered, 10 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Stir in tomatoes, cheese, tomato paste, ketchup and mustard. Cook and stir until cheese is melted and smooth and soup just comes to gentle boiling. Stir in milk, heat through. Sevve with toasted buns and cheeseburger toppings. Makes 6 main-dish servings.
"Integrate what you believe in every single area of your life. Take your heart to work and ask the most and best of everybody else, too." ~ Meryl Streep
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One year ago today: Valentine Pillow