Cheeseburger Soup

Shannon Dwyer & Hayley Arnold, 8th Graders at Barre Town School, Barre, Vermont

Ingredients
1 lb. hamburger
1 onion
1/2 cup carrots
1/2 cup celery
1 garlic clove
1 teaspoon basil
1 teaspoon dill
1 cup milk
4 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup flour
1/3 cup summer squash or zucchini, sliced
4 cups potato, diced
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
4 tablespoons butter, divided

Preparation
Brown the hamburger in a soup pot.

In a separate pan, sauté the vegetables (excluding potatoes) and spices in 2 tablespoons butter.

Add sautéed vegetables to hamburger in soup pot.

In a separate pot, combine potatoes and chicken broth, and begin boiling.

In a separate pan, make a paste with the flour and remaining butter.

Drain the chicken broth from the potatoes into the paste, and add the potatoes to the soup pot.

Thicken the flour, butter, and chicken broth combination, then add milk and cheese, stirring constantly.  When thoroughly mixed, add this sauce to the soup pot, and mix well.