June

Broccoli-Cheese Soup

1 tablespoon butter, melted
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1/4 cup melted butter
1/4 cup flour
2 cups half-and-half (or 1 cup milk and 1 cup half-and-half)
2 cups chicken stock or bouillon
1/2 pound fresh broccoli
1 cup carrots, julienned
salt and pepper, to taste
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
8 ounces grated sharp cheddar cheese

Saute onion in butter. Set aside.

Cook melted butter and flour using a whisk over medium heat for 3-5 minutes. Stir constantly and slowly add the half-and-half,then the chicken stock whisking all the time. Simmer for a few minutes.

Add the broccoli, carrots and onions. Cook over low heat until the veggies are tender for 20-25 minutes. Add salt and pepper.

The soup should be thickened by now. Pour in batches into blender and puree (or use an immersion blender).

Return to pot over low heat and add the grated cheese; stir until well blended. Stir in the nutmeg and serve.

One medium onion chopped
2 stalks celery chopped
Sautee in 2 T butter until soft but not brown ( I use my Enameled cast iron qt Dutch oven so I only use one pot)...sometimes I cut up 2 strips of bacon fry it in the pot and use that fat instead of butter to sautee the celery and onion....and I like the bits of bacon in the finished soup.
Add 2 cups chopped broccoli (peel the stems before chopping)
and 2 cups chicken broth. Simmer until the broccoli is fork tender....about 15 minutes.
With a whisk mix 1/3 cup flour with 1 cup of chicken broth until smooth and slowly add to the pot of simmering soup, stirring constantly so it doesn't form lumps. Simmer about 5 minutes after the soup returns to a boil so that the soup thickens and the flour cooks.
Then add 3 oz cream cheese, cut into bits and cook and stir until it melts, add 1 cup whole milk and heat to simmer.
Add 1 tsp worchestershire sauce and half a pound of a good sharp chedder cheese, grated.
Heat and stir until cheese melts....do NOT boil after adding the cheese or the cheese will clump.
I don't puree this soup....and sometimes I will add a cup of potatoes along with the broccoli, making it more chowder like.
Linda C

Broccoli-Cheddar Soup
Recipe courtesy Food Network Magazine
Ingredients
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 cups half-and-half
1 pound russet potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 bay leaf
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
2 cups chopped broccoli florets
1/3 pound sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (about 1 1/3 cups)
Croutons, for topping (optional)
Directions
Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and celery and cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken broth, half-and-half, both potatoes, bay leaf, 2 cups water, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, put the broccoli in a microwave-safe bowl; add 3 tablespoons water and season with salt. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave until crisp-tender, about 4 minutes; drain.
When the potatoes are tender, remove the bay leaf from the soup and transfer the soup to a blender. Puree until smooth, leaving the filler cap slightly open to let steam escape (or puree the soup in the pot with an immersion blender). Return the soup to the pot and thin with water, if necessary. Return to a simmer over medium-low heat; stir in the broccoli and season with salt and pepper.
Add the cheese and stir until melted. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with croutons, if desired.
I used 1 cup of half and half and one cup of skim and 1 cup of grated sharp cheddar and used more like 4 cups of broccoli. Didn�t bother with the croutons.
Made 6 generous servings although the following is based on 4 servings:
Per serving: Calories 589; Fat 34 g (Saturated 18 g); Cholesterol 97 mg; Sodium 931 mg; Carbohydrate 50 g; Fiber 8 g; Protein 22 g

june

Frankly in creamed soups, it's not the flour/carbs I worry about...it's the fat...particularly with a cheese soup, sauteeing vegetables in butter, adding cream and then cheese. Good stuff....but wowser!!

June

1 can Campbells Chunky Chicken Broccoli Cheese and Potato soup
1 can 2% milk
2 cups broccoli florets (steamed)
1 cup finely shredded Cheddar

Cook broccoli florets in steamer pan.
Mix soup and milk in pan, heat to simmering.
Add broccoli, and stir in cheese a handful at a time.

But several of the above recipes sound like they'd be both better and better for you.

Simmer until broccoli has desired doneness. Serve.

Elery didn't use the food processor, he hit it with the immersion blender. My mother loved it but I thought we should have reserved some of the broccoli to stir in at the end so it would have chunks of vegetable.

Annie