Soup's On, Part V: Vegetable-Cheese Soup

There are a few different basic methods I use for creating cheese soup, but one of them is my own version of the cheese soup my mom used to make us when I was younger.  It is yummy, and it also has (for me anyway) that nostalgic, remembered-taste aspect to it.  It just uses Velveeta without any other cheeses, which you may think sounds silly, but it is really very good.  It's the type of soup I make most often, which is really saying something.  I like me some soup.

One key aspect to this soup is celery.  I mix and match the veggies that go into this soup, but I never ever make it without celery.  Celery, Velveeta, and a good-quality stock are essentials.  Other veggies that go into the soup can be mixed and matched according to what is on hand.

The following amounts are approximate, and can be widely altered to suit your tastes or what is available:

3 stalks celery, thinly sliced
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1 cup veggies:  thinly sliced or shredded carrot, minced or chopped potato, chopped frozen broccoli, etc.
1 cup milk mixed well with 2 tbsp flour
4 tbsp butter
4-6 cups good veggie stock (or other flavor stock you like)
10-12 oz. Velveeta, cubed
Salt, pepper, parsley

If using potatoes, I often par-boil them in a separate pot first while I'm chopping the other veggies.  Melt the butter in a large pot and add the fresh veggies according to cook time.  Celery first, then onions, then carrots.  When they are softened, add any frozen veggies and milk/flour mixture.  Let that cook for a minute or two until it thickens.  Add in stock, parsley, and par-boiled potatoes if using those.  Let the stock simmer until all the veggies are cooked; that may be a minute or several.  Once the veggies are where you want them, start adding the Velveeta a little at a time, with the soup over medium-low heat and stirring often.  If you let a Velveeta sauce stand over heat for too long, you'll get burned brown pieces on the bottom of the pot.  It's not the end of the world, but it's not very appetizing-looking, so just stir often as you add the cheese.  Once the cheese is all melted into the soup, taste for seasoning and thickness; add more cheese, stock, or seasoning as necessary.

My mom would use chicken stock for this soup, but I obviously always use veggie stock.  Another difference is that my mom used both grated potatoes and grated carrots.  That's works fine, too, you just want to add anything grated in later, with the frozen veggies, and not cook the hell out of them, or they'll turn to mush pretty quickly. 

One trick of mine is to either make the stock right before making the soup or to heat up the stock I'm using in another pot.  Either way the stock is warmed when I add it to the soup, so it won't take the temperature down dramatically. 

I'm hungry.

Happy Holiday eating!