Cheeseburger Soup

     Are you one of the many states that has been hit by all the snow? Are you longing for summer? Do you miss those wonderful cheeseburgers made on a charcoal grill out in the park? Well your in luck my friend! No sadly I cannot bring back the sun or the summertime fun, but I can give you a little taste of it in your kitchen for your family to enjoy!

Ingredients

• 1lb hamburger
• cheddar cheese
• can fire roasted diced tomatoes
• mozerella cheese (optional)
• chopped bacon or bacon bits (optional)
• pinch of chili powder
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 cloves garlic 
• small can evaporated milk
• 2 1/2 tblsp. flour
• 3 cups chicken stock (divided) 
• 3 potatoes

     Place your pot on stove burner and warm over medium-high heat. Add your hamburger and dice or grate garlic and add a pinch of salt (optional) Stir and cook until hamburger is no longer pink, then drain. While hamburger is draining place your pot back onto the stove and add your flour & 1/2 C of chicken broth, whisk together. When mixed add your cheese (2 C cheddar OR 1 C cheddar 1 C Mozerella) and whisk, when cheese is slightly melted add in the rest of the chicken broth, evaporated milk, tomatoes, chopped bacon, salt, pepper, chili powder and drained hamburger. Turn heat to low and stir occasionally. Wash, peel, and dice your potatoes (this is my soup version of the french fry!) add them to your soup turn heat up slightly and cook until potatoes are tender, making sure to stir here and there. 

     I have been making this soup of the past couple of months and I have finally tweaked it until it gives me a feeling of summertime on my insides ~sigh~ I am also proud to say this is my own original recipe , I am usually and epic fail at making my own but this turned out really good with a couple of test runs and my family as guinea pigs willing participants. I really hope you enjoy it and it puts a little summer into the rest of your winter!