Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Broccoli Cheddar Soup


So we made vegetable stock last post.  Now what do we do with it?!

The most obvious and cliche choice would be soup, right?  Right.  And it just so happened that I was really in the mood for some. 

A friend of mine had given me some broccoli from her garden in exchange for some pizza dough and gluten free banana bread (hooray for trades!) a little while back and it had just been sitting in the freezer all this time.  I noticed I had a bunch of cheese in the fridge too.  So it looks like my soup was picked out! 

Broccoli cheddar is just one of those soups that goes so well with a fresh baguette or a sandwich.  It screams comfort to me, and is perfect for a quick lunch.  So let's get to it!


Ingredients:


2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 small onion, julienned
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup milk
2 cups vegetable stock
1 large crown of broccoli, chopped
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
pinch of nutmeg
1/8 cup basil, chopped
1/2 cup Velveeta (I'm not ashamed)
1/2 cup Colby Jack cheese, shredded
Salt and pepper, to taste

It may seem like a lot of ingredients, but most of these items I have on hand on a regular basis, so I'd assume the same might be said for you all, too!

Melt the butter in a medium sized stock pot under medium high heat.  Add onion and garlic.  Cook until the onions are just translucent, about 3-4 minutes.

Add flour and stir until a light paste is formed.

Add heavy cream, milk, and vegetable stock.  Bring to a boil.

Add broccoli, carrot, nutmeg, and basil.  Simmer mixture for about 20 minutes.

Turn off heat and stir in cheeses.  Stir until melted and season to taste.

You can leave your soup chunky at this point, or if you like a creamier soup, you can puree the mix for a silkier texture.  I chose to puree mine a bit, leaving some chunks for texture.

Serve with cracked black pepper as a garnish and toasty baguette!

See, what did I say?  Lunch (or dinner) in less than 30 minutes!


Enjoy guys!

19 comments:

  1. Oh this looks so good :)
    Broccoli is not the most favourite vegetable, as you can imagine, so new ideas are always welcome :)

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  2. I love it when recipes fall into place. Alas, my fridge never seems to have that one key ingredient that makes or breaks a dish! If only I had some broccoli at home now...

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  3. What else can I use in place of Velveeta? Heavy cream? Great photos!

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  4. Im guilty of putting soups on the back burner for the warmer months - which is a shame because I really love them all of the time. Your broccoli cheddar has me really really craving a huge bowl right now. ><

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  5. Very cool. My hubby would love this.

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  6. Delicious broocoli cheddar soup. I usually makes soups in winter. Need to have some taste test now.

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  7. All it takes sometimes is one ingredient that can inspire a delicious meal! This looks so creamy, I will need to try this version-one of my favorite soups. Great post!

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  8. I have made soup from broccoli but this will be a great change esp for my other half. He loves soups like and yes, to the bread to be dipped inside.

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  9. The soup looks so creamy and rich of flavored,,,,perfect dip with baguette,Yum

    Ridwan

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  10. What a comforting soup!
    Glad to finally be able to visit your new blog, Peggy! Love the new name...and the header too! I know it's a bit late, but let me say congratulations and best wishes to you and Andy!

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  11. Great bartering skills and great soup :-)

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  12. My mom and her friends trade food all the time. I wish had more friends nearby to barter with. Soup sounds delicious - I enjoy it all year, even in the heat! :) Yours looks delicious. Broccoli soup is one of my favorites. Cheers!

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  13. Broccoli and cheddar soup might be one of my faves! This recipe sounds perfect!

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  14. What a terrific idea to trade like that. How lucky are you to get garden fresh broccoli. I'll be the fresh flavor in your soup is fantastic!

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  15. I could eat soup pretty much every day of the year, love it that much. Come on over and pick up something that is waiting for you!

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  16. My friends would LOVE this soup! Broccoli cheddar is seriously hard to beat. Same with velveeta. Haha omg no shame! So good! (at the right time:) ) Looks delicious!

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