Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Oh, Broccoli! You are either liked or not. Oh, Broccoli! Even Presidents have declared they will not eat you. Don't worry little broccoli since you are welcome at our house. We don't always eat you raw. We refuse to eat you frozen. However, we will always eat you in this soup.

It is surprising that sometimes my husband will ask for a certain dish especially if the dish contains vegetables. I guess it helps when the dish calls for milk and cheese. It is creamy and a mild soup. It is a nice fall meal. When I made this dish, I think my son enjoyed the oyster crackers more since I could only see a little bit of the soup. He said he really liked the soup very much. My daughters and niece really liked it. I recommend making this soup any time of the week since it is pretty easy.

Broccoli Cheese Soup
6 oz. butter
1 yellow onion, diced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1/3 cup all purpose flour
4 cups milk (I used skim since it is what I keep in the house)
2 cups half and half
4 heads of broccoli, cut into tiny pieces
salt and pepper for taste
3 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated

Directions:

1. Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. 
2. Add the diced onion and garlic and saute for about 4 minutes.
3. Sprinkle the flour over the onions and stir to combine.
4. Cook for 1 minute before adding the milk.
5. Allow to cook for about 5 minutes.
6. Add the broccoli and a small dash of salt and pepper.
7. Cover and reduce the heat to low.
8. Allow the soup to simmer for about 20 minutes.
9. Stir in 2 cups of the cheese and allow the cheese to melt.
10. Add additional salt and pepper if needed.
11. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with additional cheese and oyster crackers if desired.

Recipe adapted from Ree Drummond.

Did you already know...
-California grows almost 90% of the nations broccoli.
-1/2 cup of broccoli counts as a serving of vegetables.
-Broccoli has only 15 calories per a serving.
-The Italian word for broccoli is broccoli.