Cheeseburger Soup (Kierstin's variation)

I love this soup. I think this soup is why I married Jason. The first time Jason took me to Idaho, this soup was sitting on the stove when we arrived late at night. Jason's mom offered us some and Jason said, "No thanks." I jumped in, the starving college student, and said, "I'd like some!" It is probably my favorite soup. However, I do not buy processed cheese. It just sounds disgusting and unhealthy. So when I got the recipe I made a slight change to accommodate the regular block cheddar cheese that I keep on hand. Here is my variation for others out there who might be opposed to "processed cheese."

Ingredients

½ lb ground beef

3/4 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup shredded carrots
3/4 cup diced celery
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried parsley
4 Tbsp butter (always use the real thing!), divided
3 cups chicken broth
4 cups diced peeled potatoes (1-3/4 lb)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 tsp salt
8 oz (about 2 c.) grated cheddar cheese
1-1/2 cups milk
1/4 to 1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 cup sour cream

Instructions

In a 3 qt. saucepan, brown beef; drain and set aside. In the same saucepan, saute onion, carrots, celery, basil and parsley in 1 Tbsp butter until vegetables are tender, about 5 min. Add broth, potatoes and beef; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 5 min or until potatoes are tender.

***Meanwhile, I make a cheese sauce in a small skillet by melting remaining butter. Stir in flour, salt, and pepper. Slowly added milk stirring constantly until thickened and bubbly. Over low heat stir in grated cheese until melted.****

Add cheese sauce to soup, stirring until combined. Remove from heat and blend in sour cream.