Broccoli Cheese Soup

So far in 2014 I've been a pretty lazy blogger. I like to tell people that that's because I've had a lot of things going on in other areas. Yes, that's what I like to tell people. 

But maybe now it's time to get out of my lazy pants and actually blog about some of the many food pictures I've got sitting there on my computer (much to my husband's annoyance). I think that my 2014 blog goal will be to get all my favorite recipes on this blog. There are actually still some that I haven't blogged and that is just wrong. Here's the first. 

Kip and I loooove broccoli cheese soup. It is our Christmas Eve tradition to put the kids to bed and then eat this together (ah; blessed tradition). But we like it plenty of other times too. 

Because we like it so much (Kip isn't normally much of a soup man, but he goes for this), I've tried several different recipes. This is our favorite. This recipe is from Pioneer Woman. It's tough to go wrong with her--it's a delicious recipe and I love how creamy it is, but I found that I did have some trouble with this milk-based soup getting stuck to the pot bottom. To avoid this I felt like I had to stand there and stir the soup constantly and I didn't love that. This year I realized that I could nuke the broccoli before adding it to the soup, which keeps the soup from sticking (because it's not simmering as long) and actually gets dinner on your table a little faster too. 

Broccoli Cheese Soup

adapted from Pioneer Woman

serves 6-8

prep time: 5-10 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes

Cost: $3.20

onion: .15, butter: .25, flour: .05, milk: .50, half and half: 1.25, 1.00

1 whole onion, diced (or shredded if you've got onion averse people in your house)

1 stick (1/2 C) butter

1/3 C flour

4 C milk (PW recommends whole milk; I use it if we've got it, but it works with 2% also)

2 C half and half

4 heads broccoli, cut into florets

1 pinch nutmeg

3 C grated cheese (I use milk cheddar, but mixing that with Gouda would be wicked good too)

salt and pepper to taste

chicken broth for thinning

Note on cheese: I grate mine. If you buy it pre-grated, they put something on it to keep it from sticking together. This may make it less easy to stir in and melt. I don't know because I haven't used it, but be warned that it might make the cheese harder to incorporate if you use pre-grated. 

Melt butter, add onions. Cook for 3-4 minutes, then sprinkle flour over top. Stir to combine and cook 1 minute. Whisk in milk and then half and half. Add nutmeg, salt, and pepper. 

Make the broccoli. {Note: You can do this while your onion is cooking if you've got a lot of kitchen coordination going on. Or you can make it before you start the onion/roux/white sauce. Or you can take the white sauce off the heat when you've made it and make the broccoli.} Here's how you nuke your broccoli. Put your broccoli florets into a microwave safe bowl, add some water (let's say 1/2-1 C--you don't need a whole lot) and cover it with plastic wrap or a microwave safe lid. Microwave for 3 minutes. Stir (watch out--steam will pour out of it when you remove the plastic wrap; don't get burned). Put the plastic wrap/lip back on, then microwave for 1-2 more minutes if needed to soften your broccoli. When it's done pour off the water. 

Now add the cooked broccoli to the white sauce you've created from the milk/half and half. Cook, stirring, for several minutes. Stir in cheese and allow to melt. 

Taste for seasonings. Add a bit of chicken broth if you feel it needs it (we never do). Pioneer Woman purees hers, but I like the chunks, although I do mash up/chop up the broccoli so that they're smaller chunks. 

We serve it in soup bowls for special occasions, but any old bowl will do. 

PRINTABLE RECIPE