Sausage Potato Cheese Soup

This is my husband's favorite soup. This recipe is from his mom. I am going to attempt to make it next week without some of the preservatives by using homemade sausage, natural chicken broth, and real cheddar cheese. Hopefully I won't mess it up too much!

Ingredients:

4 c. water
4 c. chicken broth

1 T. dried onion
1 c. chopped celery
5-6 medium potatoes (peeled, quartered, and cubed)
2 carrots, shredded

1 lb. bulk country sausage
1 T. dried onion
2 T. chopped celery

1/4 c. flour
1/4 t. pepper
1 cup milk

24 slices processed American cheese

Directions:

1. Bring water and broth to a boil.

2. Add 1 T. onion, 1 c. celery, potatoes, and carrots. Simmer until vegetables are tender.

3. Brown sausage, 1 T. onion, and 2 T. celery until vegetables are tender. Do not drain grease.

4. Sprinkle flour and pepper over sausage mixture. Stir to combine, and add milk while continuing to stir until smooth.

5. Add sausage mixture to the liquid vegetable mixture. Gradually add cheese slices.

6. Stir and simmer until ready to serve.

Makes about 4 and 1/2 quarts.