Monday, December 6, 2010

Broccoli and Cheddar Soup



A soup to brighten gray and foggy days.



From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...The hillside into which our house is built is no stranger to fog. Normally, it burns away and we can go about our business in an unhampered fashion. Occasionally, the fog refuses to lift and we are marooned, at least until our driveway, which was not designed for the feint of heart, is visible again. That happened last week. We were buried in a fog so thick you could cut it with a knife. Trite but true. Save for missing fog horns, I'd have sworn I was on the coast of Maine. The sheer grayness of the day demanded counter measures. With a fire lit and loaves on the rise, I decided to make a soup du jour. I played with the idea of making a pea soup, but our fog lacked the characteristic yellow color of a true pea souper, and I wasn't sure the Silver Fox, who was suffering from cabin fever, would appreciate my humor. I still had broccoli and, because we always have a ready supply of cheese, I knew where I was going. I had to be a bit inventive because a lack of cream precluded using my usual recipe for a broccoli and cheese soup. The soup I came up with was easy to make and surprisingly good. The recipe is straight forward and you can't go wrong unless you allow the soup to boil once the cheese has been added to the pot. The cheese will break and curdle and, while that won't affect taste, it's not a pretty sight. While the soup can be reheated, it's best eaten the day it's made. If it becomes too thick, use additional chicken broth to thin it out a bit. This is a very nice soup and I think you'll enjoy it. Here's the recipe.

Broccoli and Cheddar Soup...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
1 pound of fresh broccoli florets
4 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup finely chopped carrot
2/3 cup finely chopped onion
6 cups chicken broth, divided
1/2 cup flour
3 cups whole milk
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
8 ounces Colby cheese, shredded
4 ounces sharp Cheddar, shredded

Directions:

1) Melt butter in a large saucepan set over over medium heat. Add onions and carrots and saute for 5-6 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.
2) Add 2 cups chicken broth to pan and heat until boiling. Add broccoli and cook, covered, until broccoli is tender, about 5 to 6 minutes. Using a spoon, break broccoli into small pieces. Reduce heat to low. Add remaining 4 cups chicken broth to pot.
3) Mix flour and milk in a small bowl and whisk until smooth. Add mixture to pot. Add garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Continue cooking over low heat until soup thickens - about 5-6 minutes.
4) Add cheese, handfuls at a time, and stir constantly over low heat until smooth and creamy - about 10 minutes. If soup becomes too thick, add additional chicken stock. Do not let soup boil. Serve hot. Yield: 8 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Creamy Butternut Squash Soup - Taste and Tell
Creamy Mushroom Soup - Really Hungry
Spicy Southwestern Turkey Soup - A Spoonful of Thyme
Matzo Ball and Hanukkah Soup Recipes - Seriously Soupy
Italian Wedding Soup - Kalofagas
Minestra di Pasta e Fagioli, or Pasta and Bean Soup - La Bella Vita

56 comments :

Valerie Harrison (bellini) said...

This is one of the first soups I sould get my daughter to eat beyond Lipton Chicken Noodle.

From the Kitchen said...

A roaring fire, a good book and a bowl of this soup would make me welcome a foggy day. However, I could substitute snow for the fog. I'm making a grocery list and will add some additional broccoli and a few sharp cheeses. Oh, and some yeast.

Best,
Bonnie

Jenn @ Peas and Crayons said...

mmmm my mom used to make me a similar soup. comfort food to the MAX! The recipe looks perfect! =)

xoXOxo
Jenn @ Peas & Crayons

StephenC said...

Once again your chef skills leap out at us. By the way, does the Silver Fox have a pet name for you?

Priya Suresh said...

Wat a filling, delectable and comforting soup..

Umm Mymoonah said...

This is again perfect bowl of soup with broccoli.

Ushnish Ghosh said...

Dear Mary
How are you?
Wonderful soup. I can make it. I checked, all the ingredients are available in India, except Colby cheese. I shall try it soon.
Have a look at my Kerala ( India) trip blog. I am sure you will like it.
have a nice week

PeggyR said...

We love Broccoli and Chedder Soup. I've neve rhad it with carrot in it though.

Southerncook said...

Mary, I love a good Broccoli and Cheddar Soup but rarely prepare it since DH won't touch broccoli. I think I will have to make this recipe for just little ole' me. It looks and sound delicious.

Carolyn/A Southerners Notebook

Katerina said...

This soup Mary is ideal for the weather depicted in this picture. Nothing more comforting than that.

whozyerdanny said...

Heartwarming!!!

Pam said...

I love cheesy broccoli soup - it would be perfect for this cold and rainy day.

Sanyukta Gour(Bayes) said...

looks yum,delicious n amazing....lovely color...inviting me to have some...hearty n healthy

Cathy said...

Broccoli-cheese is one of my favorite soups. I've made my recipe for years and it's about time I tried something new. This looks delish, Mary.

Jeannie said...

I get the chill just looking at the fog in the photo! A great day for soup to warm up indeed! Looks delicious!

Tasha said...

A perfect, comforting soup for such dreary weather!

Jennifer said...

I have been loving the weather here in Oregon, makes me want to stay inside and cook! I love cheese and anything soup and this looks right up my alley!

teresa said...

even with as foggy as it is, that's such a beautiful picture! the soup looks just perfect for a day like that, i think broccoli is lovely in soups!

The Words Crafter said...

I've never made it from scratch *ducking head in shame* but I will try this. I love broccoli and cheddar soup.

It would be perfect here today...

Maria said...

Great soup for winter time.

aipi said...

Creme of broccoli soup is one of my favorite comfort soups. So creamy and yummy. Great recipe.Thanks for sharing!

US Masala

Monica said...

I'm making this one tonight! My son LOVES Broccoli and Cheddar soup!

Flavia Galasso said...

This is a perfect comfort food for these winter days...hugs, Flavia

Elin Chia said...

Mary, my gal would love this broccoli & cheddar soup.Thanks for sharing this lovely soup. Have bookmarked it:)
Have a nice day,
Elin

Ocean Breezes and Country Sneezes said...

Mmm, sounds delicious, I could go for a bowl now, especially with that Artic blast roaring down the East Coast!

Rachana said...

A delicious Soup for the winter time :-)

ann said...

My family loves the Broccoli Cheddar soup at panera. This looks so good. I'm going to have to try this.

The Blonde Duck said...

Ben would love this!

Cherine said...

It's soup season now and I would really like to try this tasty soup!

Diane said...

This is one of my favourites thanks for reminding me. I have not had it for ages. Diane

Carol said...

One of our most favorite soups! Looks delicious, can't wait to try this one, we have cold and windy weather tonight, and I have all the ingredients on hand! THANKS!

hobby baker Kelly said...

It is definitely soup weather, and we love broccoli cheddar soup. It's been too long since I made it last. Yours looks deliciously cheesy; serious comfort food!

Emily Z said...

Definitely a comforting soup for these colder days. Your photo of the outdoors chills me to the bone!

Ginny Hartzler said...

A wonderful fog picture! I'm glad you didn't have pea soup fog, because I don't like pea soup, but I adore broccoli-cheddar. I make my recipe almopst exactly like this. I make it low fat, and even with 2% or 1% milk, it still tastes good!

Karen said...

Okay, eating this right now. AWESOME! I'm vegetarian, so I subbed veggie stock for the chicken. My cheeses are Mo'Jack and NY Cheddar (what I had on hand) and the milk is 1% (what he had on hand). The soup came about because I had to get the broccoli out of the garden tonight before it froze.
To counteract that ugly gray/brown you get with with veggie stock, I sprinkled in my latest obsession, TURMERIC! Very yummy soup. With fresh-baked bread.
Thanks!

Mary Bergfeld said...

Karen, I'm so glad you liked the soup. It really is tast and I'm impressed with the changes you were able to make to it. Have a great evening. Blessings...Mary

SmilingSally said...

This is the perfect day for some hot soup, Mary.

Kim said...

I totally agree. This soup is perfect for these autumn days. But I'm perfectly sure that it's even better in these wintery days of ours!

Unknown said...

This combination is one of my all time favorites in a soup, I could eat this every week! Thanks for sharing your recipe, you never know when the fog will bring out the creativity;)

What's next said...

I'm excited to try this, LOVE broccoli cheese soup!

♥ Kathy said...

Oh, I love that first picture Mary! As for the soup, everything's better with cheddar :D

Julie said...

This sounds like a fabulous soup to warm you up on a cold day. And possibly sneak some broccoli into some people who might not ordinarily eat it :)

Vittle me this... said...

that looks so tasty and warm! I need something warm like that in the city right now!

penny aka jeroxie said...

What a heavy fog! How do you cope with it.

Foley said...

My fav soup - I've always made Panera's recipe but will have to give yours a try! Looks wonderful.. the fog photo is beautiful!

Pondside said...

We love a good cheesy broccoli soup - I must try this one.

Amy at TheSceneFromMe said...

Yummy! A great hearty soup for a very chilly day!

Nina Timm said...

I love winter so that first image is making me yearn for a ice cold nose from walking outside and this delicious soup!!!

Krista said...

My family adores broccoli and cheese soup. It's a winter staple here. Your's looks absolutely delicious!

Happy Holidays!

Bakericious said...

I felt freezed when look at your 1st photo and feel immediately warm imagine I am drinking your broccoli and cheddar soup :)

Juliana said...

Mary, the soup sure will brighten the day...looks so tasty and comforting :-) Great photots!

Banana Wonder said...

Love the foggy picture. It actually makes me love Oregon even more! Love broccoli soup too. Yum!

Sanjeeta kk said...

Love the first click, Mary. The soup is just perfect for the winter.

Claudia said...

I love this soup in all it's different formations and will definitely add this to my rotation. My family dances in the hallway upon arrival wehn I tell them broccoli-cheddar soup will soon be served.

Really Hungry said...

My husband's favourite soup is brocolli and stilton so I must try this one out. Thank you so much for the link, btw!

Carol said...

I made your soup a few days ago and we loved it! Thanks for another great recipe!

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