One of my favorite stories growing up was "Button Soup" ( sometimes called Stone Soup... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stone_Soup). In a nutshell, it's about a community coming together to make a meal for everyone when they all thought they had nothing... probably thinly veiled Communist propaganda, but I digress. The story is really sweet, and I think of it whenever I make this soup. The basic recipe is the same each time, but the outcome varies depending on what I have on hand.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1/2 cup flour
about 3 cups diced vegetables (I throw mine in the food processor)
3 cups strong chicken broth (see post from the other day if you want to make your own from scratch)
2 cups shredded cheese
2 cups milk (or a can of evaporated milk)
Directions:
In a large pot (at least 2 quart), melt butter over medium heat. Add diced vegetables and saute until tender; about 15 minutes.
Add flour and continue to cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, for 5 more minutes.
Add broth and stir or whisk to combine. Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce to a simmer. Continue to simmer for 30 minutes or so to combine the flavors.
Remove from heat. Stir in shredded cheese until melted. Add milk and stir until combined. You can serve immediately, but soup is better the second day, in my opinion.
The original recipe (and my favorite) uses these ingredients:
Celery, onion, carrot, broccoli, cauliflower mixture with Sharp Cheddar Cheese
Another good combination (my BF's favorite):
Celery, onion, carrot, sliced mushrooms, cubed potatoes (add along with chicken broth), white cheese blend... add crumbled bacon
Italian:
Celery, onion, bell peppers, ground sausage, basil, oregano, diced tomatoes (add along with chicken broth), Italian cheese blend
Tortilla Style:
Celery, onion, bell peppers, diced jalapeno, shredded chicken, diced tomatoes and canned or frozen corn (add along with chicken broth), Monterey Jack cheese
You can pretty much add whatever you have on hand. Enjoy!!
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