Austrian Home-style Generic Vegetable Soup

Description
3 servings.

Ingredients

 * 4      tb           Butter or margarine (or oil,or lard)
 * 3      tb           All purpose flour
 * 1 1/2  pt           Water
 * 3 1/2  ts           Knorr Beef Flavor Consomme Mix (or similar bouillon Powder or cubes)
 * 2      tb           Chopped onion
 * 1      md           Carrot, diced
 * 2      c            (approx.) broccoli or cauliflower, cut into small pieces
 * 1      md           Potato, peeled and diced

Directions
Melt butter over medium heat. Add flour, stirring constantly, until the mixture becomes puffy. Add water, bouillon powder, onions, potatoes and carrots. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are almost done (about 5 to 6 minutes). Add broccoli and return to boil. Simmer for another minute. Makes 3 large servings (which with a chunk of French bread or the like would make a hearty meal, quantity-wise.) VARIATIONS: For thinner soup, use less flour. For vegetables with a more delicate flavor, use less bouillon powder. If using sliced mushrooms, asparagus and frozen or fresh green peas as vegetables, use slightly less flour, slightly less bouillon powder, and a dash of sugar. (Start with the asparagus, adding peas and mushrooms when asparagus is almost done. No onion in that one, BTW, it would overwhelm the other flavors.) If all you've got is potatoes and onions, add quarter teaspoon caraway seeds early on (when you reduce to simmering). What, not even potatoes? Throw in somewhat more chopped onion and add rice, and serve with fresh chopped parsley.