How to Make Broccoli-Cheddar Soup: My Step-By-Step Recipe

Today's post, as I promised yesterday, is my recipe for Broccoli-Cheddar Soup:

Susan's Broccoli-Cheddar Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 or 1.5 lb. broccoli florets
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tsp. butter
• 3/4 cup chopped onion
• 2 cloves garlic
• 48 oz. chicken broth
• 4 or 5 potatoes, cubed (about 1.5 cups)
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
• 1/2 cup cream, half-and-half, or milk
• salt, pepper and celery salt to taste. (Optional: For more flavor, add a little thyme or tarragon.)

Directions:

• Mince garlic and chop onion.  Prep potatoes and broccoli.

This little chopper was a wedding present over
2 decades ago, and it has seen a lot of use!

• Heat oil and butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.  

• Add garlic and onion to pan; sauté over medium heat until soft.

• Stir in chicken broth.  Bring to a boil

Purchased chicken stock is fine - homemade is even better.

Add cubed potatoes to pan.

Add potatoes first, then broccoli.

• Cook about 5 minutes.  Then add broccoli and continue cooking, until potatoes are soft and broccoli is tender.

• Puree vegetables in broth until smooth.  This can be done using an immersion blender right in the pot.  If you use a regular blender, soup can be pureed in batches, but use caution with hot liquids, and cool it down before blending.  Return to pot.)

I love my immersion blender - making soups with it is so easy!

• Add 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, simmer and stir until well melted. 

• Stir in milk or cream to desired creaminess and texture.  Add seasonings to taste.

• Garnish with shredded cheese, and serve while hot, with some crusty bread or a roll.

Homemade Broccoli-Cheddar Soup!

So - there you have it.  I suggest you use this recipe as a guide.  I do something different each time I make it. Consider all quantities listed just as estimates, and feel free to adjust amounts and even ingredients as you prefer.

This is an easy recipe - it took me longer to prepare and publish this post than it did to make the soup!

(To print this recipe, click on the title and a “print button” will appear above the comments section.)

  

What is your favorite soup?  Do you have a favorite recipe?

Seven Ways to Make the Most of a Moment - Week 6

Life is made up of many moments.  
Getting the very most out of your life starts with how you use each one. 

Here are this week’s suggestions:

1. Mary Ann from A Joyful Chaos suggested in a comment onApril 15, 2014 : "There is always so much to be thankful for, and enjoy if we simply take time to slow down and take it all in."  I highly recommend checking out her interesting blog as well!

2. Don't forget to floss!

A couple of minutes of flossing can make a big difference in your health

3. On your way in to the grocery store, if you pass someone who if finished with their cart, return it to the store for them.  It won't be any extra steps for you - but will save them the few minutes it would take to return it.

4. I just learned this handy tip from my Dad: Stick a plastic tab from a bread bag to the end of a roll of tape when you finish using it, so the end of the tape isn't so frustrating to find the next time.  

This simple tape tab may save many moments of  frustration!

5. Movie:  I have been wanting to see War Horse ever since the movie came out in 2011, but just haven't had the right opportunity.  I  really want to see it.

6. Book:  Having just written a post about Harper Lee, it seems a good week to recommend reading or rereading To Kill a Mockingbird.  (And then watch the movie, released in 1962, starring Gregory Peck.)

7.  Recipe: There is nothing like your mom's cooking - no matter how old you are!  While staying with my parent's as my dad recovers from surgery this week, my mom made a delicious vegetable soup.  She doesn't follow a recipe, but gave me these general guidelines, amounts are all approximate. I am certainly going to try and replicate it when I go home!

Photo credits to my mom, for helping me stage this photo with her linens and dishes!

My Mom's Homemade Vegetable Soup

• Saute chopped carrots, celery, onion, snow peas and green pepper (2 cup volume total) with some crushed garlic (2 cloves) in 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp butter in a large stockpot.
• When soft, sprinkle with a small amount of flour (2 tbsp) and stir over low heat until absorbed, about 1 minute.
• add 32 oz can of diced tomatoes and an 11 oz can of creamed corn.
• Thin with chicken or vegetable broth to desired consistency.
• Add diced potato (1 cup) 
• Bring to a boil and then simmer until potatoes are tender.  Add cooked, cubed chicken or cooked shrimp and 1/2 cup milk  just before serving.  Season as desired with fresh, chopped or dried parsley (1 tsp), paprika (1/2 tsp), salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.

Yields about 6 cups of soup.

Do you have a favorite recipe of your mother's that you make?