Beef & Potato Soup

With the weather making a brief return to colder temperatures, I figured there was time to sneak in another soup recipe for the weekend.

And another bonus? This recipe is designed for the slow cooker. That makes it handy to get the ingredients going and then forget them for awhile, leaving you free to watch basketball, read a book, clean house or _____________ . (You fill in the blank!)

This recipe is from the Healthy and Delicious magazine December/January issue. The Taste of Home test kitchen pared down the original recipe from 445 calories per serving to 327 and also reduced the fat by more than half.

Jill and I were on the same page - literally. I made the soup and then found out that she'd tried it, too. It got good reviews all around.

Enjoy the soup and especially your weekend!

Makeover Beef & Potato Soup
A Slow Cooker Recipe

Prep: 30 minutes. Cook Time: 6 1/2 hours
Yield: 10 servings (3 quarts)

1 1/2 lbs. lean ground beef
3/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 cans (14.5 oz. each) reduced-sodium beef broth, divided
5 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
5 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
3 celery ribs, chopped
3 tsp. dried basil
2 tsp. dried parsley flakes
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. pepper
12 oz. reduced fat processed cheese (Velveeta), cubed
1 1/2 cups 2% milk
1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream

In a large skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Combine flour and 1 can broth until smooth. Add to beef mixture. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.

Transfer to a 5-quart slow cooker. Stir in potatoes, carrots, celery, seasonings and remaining broth. Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours or until vegetables are tender. Stir in cheese and milk. Cover, cook 30 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Just before serving, stir in sour cream.

If it's too thick to suit you, add a little more milk.

Nutrition Facts: 1 1/4 cups equals 327 calories: 11 g fat (5 g saturated); 61 mg. cholesterol, 832 mg sodium, 32 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 25 g protein.

Serve with crackers and fresh veggies.