Step 1

Place the chicken broth, potatoes, onion, carrot and garlic in a 5 quart slow cooker. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set the temperature to low and cook for 3-4 hours, until the vegetables are all soft.

Step 2

Cook the ground beef over medium-high heat in a skillet, breaking it up as it cooks. Once it has cooked through, sprinkle the flour over the beef and stir to combine. Pour in the 1 cup of milk and stir. Let the mixture cook until it thickens slightly.

Step 3

Pour the ground beef mixture into the slow cooker. Cube the cheese, then add the cheese to the soup and stir to combine. Allow the soup to cook for another hour, stirring once or twice, until the cheese is melted.

Step 4

Serve the soup hot in a bread bowl, topped with diced pickles and ketchup and mustard, if desired.