Cheesy Cowboy Soup

         Soup has gotten the short end of the stick for far too long. For so long, during the depression, soup was cherished. Then the time came where soup was not considered to be a meal. However, it was more of an appetizer, or a first course, if you were part of the elite. Soup was not considered to be a filling meal, after the depression.

We were wrong then and now we are learning how much we should appreciate a good soup.

            Today, we make soups that contain everything needed for a meal. It is everything that we would normally have put on a plate for dinner. Or you could consider it to be a casserole with more broth.

This Cheesy Cowboy soup is the perfect soup to have as the main meal. It is thick and it is hearty. It has loads of everything you need.

Frequently Asked Questions:

            Can I add more vegetables?

Yes, you could add green beans, carrots or even broccoli and cauliflower.

            This seems like a lot of heat, can I eliminate some?

If there is too much heat for you or your family, remove the cayenne pepper or even the green chilis.

            Can I take out some of the cheese?

Yes, if this is too much cheese for your taste, cut it in half. Just remember your soup will be more liquidy if you remove some of the cheese.

            Can I use Chicken instead?

Ground beef is just the basic meat. You can definitely switch it up to chicken or pork, veal or venison.

What do you need to make Cheesy Cowboy Soup

            1 pound ground beef, or ground meat of your choice

            4 small potatoes, chopped into pieces

            1 yellow onion, chopped

            1 red bell pepper, seeds removed and pepper chopped

            1 can black beans, drained then rinsed

            1 can whole kernel corn, drained

            1 can of green chilis

            2 ½ cups milk

            3 cups beef broth

            ¼ cup butter, unsalted

            ¼ cup flour

            1 tsp cumin

            1 tsp garlic powder

            ½ tsp cayenne pepper

            Salt and pepper to taste

            ¼ cup bacon bits

            1 pound Velveeta cheese, cut into cubes

            1 cup Sharp Cheddar, grated

How to make Cheesy Cowboy Soup

FIRST STEP:

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter and add in the flour.

a)

b)

Cook this Roux for 2 to 3 minutes, until it begins to brown

SECOND STEP:

Add in the milk using a whisk

Season with the salt and pepper.

THIRD STEP:

Remove from the heat and put in the refrigerator until later

In a large skillet, brown the ground beef.

FOURTH STEP:

Season the beef with garlic powder and salt and pepper while cooking.

Drain all except 2 tbsp of the grease

Set the beef mix to the side

FIFTH STEP:

In the same pan with remaining grease, add in the bell pepper, onion and potato

Cook until fork tender, about 10 minutes

Season with cumin, salt, pepper and cayenne

a)

b)

SIXTH STEP:

Add in the corn, black beans and green chilis

a)

b)

Return the beef back to the stockpot and stir to combine

SEVENTH STEP:

Add in the beef broth, and bring to a boil

Reduce the heat and let simmer for 15 minutes

EIGHTH STEP:

Stir in the Roux mix from the refrigerator

Add in the cubed cheese

NINTH STEP:

Cover and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally

Remove from heat when the soup is thick and smooth, and cheese is melted

Serve hot with sprinkles of bacon bits and grated cheese.

Enjoy!

YUM!