RunAmok Mama's "Chuckwagon Charm"!

This is one of the BEST soups I have ever made!
(S for Trim Healthy Mama)

If you haven't clued in by now...

Our family likes to eat!  One meal I have always had a knack for is soup.  Yep.  Not so glamorous... but comfy and cozy -- like that favorite pair of fuzzy slippers!  

Winter and springtime, I make soup at least once per week, often more frequently... so, for me to say this is "ONE OF MY BEST SOUP RECIPES, EVER!!" is a pretty big deal. 

This received multiple, "Licked the bowl clean" ratings.  Make sure to use a "smoky" bacon, as it adds, tremendously, to the "charm".  This is not a particularly "quick" soup, but is well worth the effort!  Left-overs would be wonderful... I think... but this hasn't made it until the next day, so I could be wrong. 

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INGREDIENTS:

1 Pound Hamburger
1 Pound Bacon, diced
4 Small Onions, chopped
4 Large Garlic Cloves (or 6 smaller)
4-5 Celery Stalks, thicker slices
1 Red Bell Pepper, chopped
1 Yellow Bell Pepper, chopped
1/4 tsp Swanson Ultra Himalayan Pink Salt
1 TBS Ground Black Pepper
2 TBS McCormick Dried Garlic Slices
2 TBS McCormick Italian seasoning
1 TBS Curry Powder
1 tsp Turmeric
2 TBS Salted Butter
1/3 C Honeyville Almond Flour
1 TBS Swanson Oat Fiber (optional)

6 C “Organic Better Than Bouillon” Chicken broth, prepared
2 Pounds Broccoli Florets
4 C Shredded Cheese (I use Tillamook Cheddar)
1/4 C Heavy Whipping Cream
Tillamook Sour Cream (to top the soup with)

YIELD
12+ servings

DIRECTIONS:

1.  In a skillet, set to 300°, brown diced bacon.

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2.  Add hamburger, stir, and continue browning all meat.

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3.  Once meat is cooked through, turn skillet down to 250° and add onions, chopped garlic, salt and pepper.  Stir occasionally, while prepping other items.  Cook until onions are becoming translucent.

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4. Add Curry, Turmeric, and dried Garlic slices.  Stir.

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5.  Add peppers and celery and cook partially through.  Turn off skillet.

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6.  In medium stockpot, bring 6 cups of water, chicken bouillon, and broccoli florets to a low boil.

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7.  If you haven't already prepared your cheese, this is a great time to do so. 

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8.  Push meat mixture to one side of the skillet and turn skillet to 250°.  Add butter to empty side, then add almond flour and oat fiber to butter; stir together and brown the flour slightly.  (Make sure to stir the meat/vegetables on the other side of the skillet, to prevent burning.)

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9.  Scoop flour mixture out of skillet and add to the stockpot, stirring thoroughly.  Turn burner down to low.

10.  Stir meat mixture in skillet, then turn skillet off.  (We want the peppers and celery to remain somewhat firm.)

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11.  Add cheese to stockpot, and stir until well incorporated.

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12.  Ladle one cup of broth into a glass or metal container; set aside.

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13.  Add meat mixture to pot and stir.

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14.  To cup of retained broth, briskly stir in 1 tsp glucomannan (can substitute xanthan gum) until mixture is thickened.

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15.  *Stir while pouring the glucomannan, as it will clump…  Mixture will "scoop" at the right consistency.
 

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16.  Once mixture is thickened, pour into stockpot.  (You will need to scrape the sides, as this will not "pour" easily.)

17.  Stir soup thoroughly.

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18.  Stir in the heavy whipping cream. 

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Will look creamy, and smell HEAVENLY.  Serve hot, with a generous dollop of sour cream. 

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