Groundhog Soup

Hah! Did I get your attention with that title? Tee-hee! Well the fact of the matter is that this is arguably one of my most favorite of all time soups. And yes, the first time I had it (I believe around the tender young age of 9 or 10) served up by my dear friends the Wilkeys, I was taken aback at the name. Are you kidding? Poor Mr. Punxsutawney Phil's cousin gave up his life for my bowl of soup?!?!!? I mean, those things are perhaps a bit obnoxious, but come on, must we make soup out of him? Then it was s-l-o-w-l-y explained to me--this is ground HOG soup, Miriam! Oh! Well I was still skeptical, because to date the only soup I'd encountered sported either chicken or beef as its main ingredient, not pork. Is pork even allowed to be in soup? Shouldn't it be cooked into submission and smothered in gravy or something? So I tasted it and I was hooked. Trust me, try it, you'll like it. A lot. Here it is.

Groundhog Soup

1/2 pound ground pork
1/2 pound pork sausage (breakfast type)
1 cup sliced celery (2 or so ribs)
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 tablespoons flour
1 (14 oz.) can chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 medium potatoes
1 can "french cut" green beans
1 cup milk

Brown meat in medium stock pot. Remove from pan, reserving drippings. Add celery and onion to drippings and cook until tender. Add flour, cooking one minute. Gradually add broth, along with 1/2 cup water. Peel and chop the potatoes (bite sized pieces are good). Add to broth with thyme and salt, simmer until potatoes are tender. Add the undrained green beans and return the sausage back to the pan. Heat through. Add milk. Simmer. Do not boil once milk is added.