My friend Amanda introduced me to this delicious recipe and I’m so glad I finally made it. If you want the ultimate comfort food, perfect weeknight dinner, or just something to warm you up on a rainy day – this is the perfect thing and you’ll be amazed how easy it is to whip up.

Most of the ingredients you need are things I normally keep on hand (in fact, the only thing I had to make a special trip to the store for was the celery). The one thing I should note is that this recipe doesn’t make a whole lot (and if you’re cooking for more than two adults or want to have leftovers the next day, I would definitely recommend doubling the recipe).

Ingredients:

• 1-2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 medium sized onion, chopped
• 1 celery rib, chopped
• 1 pound of ground beef
• 2 tablespoons of all purpose flour
• 3 cups of chicken broth, divided (see instructions)
• 1 cup evaporated milk
• 8 ounces of Velveeta cheese product, cubed
• Paprika to taste
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

• In a large frying pan, saute garlic, onion, and celery until tender. Transfer vegetables to crockpot.
• In the same frying pan, brown ground beef. Drain off grease and add meat to crock pot.
• In a small dish, whisk together flour and 1/2 cup chicken broth until completely lump-free. Pour into frying pan and stir continuously until thickened over medium-low heat.
• Add remaining 2 1/2 cups of chicken broth to frying pan and allow to simmer on low heat for about 5 minutes. Then, pour into crock pot.
• Stir in evaporated milk, cheese, paprika, salt, and pepper.
• Cook on low for two hours (stirring from time to time) and serve topped with shredded cheese, crumbled chips, or whatever your little heart desires.

*If you leave soup in the crock pot for too long, the cheese may begin to separate. It’s really only necessary to cook for two hours to allow all the flavors to blend together and slightly thicken.