Ingredients: – 1 lb lean ground beef – 1 large onion, chopped – ½ cup chopped carrots – ½ cup chopped celery – 2 large russet potatoes – 1 t. each dried parsley & basil – 1¾ teaspoon salt – 3 cups chicken broth – ¼ cup flour – 1½ cups milk – 2 tablespoons butter – 2 cups shredded cheddar

Cook the ground beef in a large skillet until cooked through, crumbling it with a spoon as it cooks. Cut the potatoes into  half-inch cubes.

Place the cooked beef, potatoes, onion, carrots, celery, potatoes, basil, parsley, salt, and broth in a crockpot.  Cover and cook on low for 4 hours or on high for 2 hours.

Whisk the milk and flour in a bowl until smooth.  Add to the crockpot, along with the cheese and butter. Cook for an additional 1 hour on high. 

Uncover and stir  until smooth.  Tip: you can use 80%, 85% or 90% lean beef for this recipe.

Serve topped with  sour cream and chives.  Add crumbled bacon  on top to make it a  Bacon Cheeseburger Soup!