Mr. Campbell, over the years, has played with this recipe, and finally, in 2012, he got it right! Never been tweaked since, and that’s saying a lot. This recipe even made it into our first Cookbook. It’s one of my favorite wintertime soups. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
1 pound lean ground beef
1 pound of bacon
1/4 cup Campbell Gardens candied jalapenos, chopped
One medium white onion, chopped
1 cup of carrots, shredded
Two stalks of celery, chopped
One teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of black pepper
4 cups of chicken broth
4 cups of potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes, store in a pan of water until ready to add
Four tablespoons of butter
1/4 cup of flour
1 1/2 cups of milk
1 pound of Velveeta Cheese, cubed - or a pound of home-shredded mild cheddar cheese
1/2 cup of sour cream
Directions:
Cut bacon into small pieces and brown in a skillet until crisp. Drain on a paper towel. Brown the hamburger in a large skillet, breaking it into small pieces. Drain off any grease. Add candied jalapenos, onion, carrots, and celery. On low heat, sauté until onions are soft. Stir in the potatoes, salt, pepper, and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer until potatoes are fork-tender. In a medium saucepan, melt butter, whisk in the flour, and cook until the flour starts to brown. Slowly add the milk with a whisk, constantly stirring until the mixture is hot and bubbly. Remove from heat and slowly add the cubed cheese, stirring until all the cheese is melted. Add the melted cheese slowly into the hamburger mixture and blend. Stir in the sour cream and heat until the soup is ready to serve.
Add the crispy bacon pieces and a spoonful of finely chopped candied jalapenos to top the bowl off. Serve with warm crusty bread.
