Cheeseburger Chowder

I concocted this recipe several years ago when I went to a restaurant and ordered their soup of the day, which was called "Cheeseburger Chowder."  I was disappointed when they brought me a bowl of cheese-flavored broth with bits of ground beef in it.  When I hear "chowder" I expect a thick, creamy, chunky soup.  So I wrote my own recipe for it:

Cheeseburger Chowder

Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef

2 10 oz cans cheddar cheese soup

1 8 oz package cream cheese

3/4 cup chopped onions

1/3 cup ketchup

1 1/2 cups milk

1 15 oz can corn

pepper

Directions:

Step 1:  Cook ground beef on stove top.  Pour off grease.  Add onions and cream cheese and cook until the cream cheese is melted.  Add to a greased slow cooker.

Step 2:  Add all other ingredients to the slow cooker and stir.  Cook on low for 3-4 hours.

Since I wrote this recipe, I have come up with several ingredient swaps to make it healthier:

• Use "no sugar added" corn instead of regular corn
• Use sugar free ketchup instead of regular ketchup
• Use almond milk instead of regular milk
• Make your own cheese sauce instead of using cheddar cheese soup

To make your own cheese sauce, you will need 1 cup of almond milk and 1 1/2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese.  Heat the almond milk in a saucepan on medium heat.  Add the cheese about one tablespoon at a time and wait until it is melted to add more. 



There you have it.  This makes about 4 big bowls of chowder.  It's something that both kids and adults will enjoy!