Broccoli Cheese Soup

Fall season means soup season my household. After I made loaded potato soup and chicken tortilla soup last week, I decided to branch out and make something cheesy. If you all don't know me, then you don't know that I don't eat cheese. Yes, you read that correctly. I. Don't. Eat. Cheese. But, there are stipulations to this statement. Once in a while I crave cheese. One day it will be a grilled cheese sandwich, and another day a cheese crisp. But any other day I am the girl that scrapes the cheese off of my pizza. I know. I'm crazy. But today, broccoli cheese soup with some warm bread sounded to die for. So you know what. I found my way to cheese section at the store and went on a cheesy journey.

Broccoli Cheese Soup.


Ingredients:

• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic
• 2 tbsp. butter
• 4 tbsp. flour
• 5 cups fat free broth (I used the homemade vegetable broth)
• 2 cups fat free milk
• 6 cups broccoli florets, chopped
• 3 cups 2% shredded sharp cheddar
• 2 slices 2% American cheese
• 2 tbsp. parmesan cheese

Chop the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic on a food processor

In a large soup pot, melt butter. Add the chopped vegeatbles and saute on low until soft, about 5 minutes.

Add broth, milk and set heat to high until soup comes to a boil.

Add broccoli florets, parmesan cheese, and stir well. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Cook uncovered and let simmer until broccoli is cooked, about 5 minutes.  Add cheddar and American cheese, stir well and remove from heat.

Using an immersion blender, or a regular blender, quickly blend part of the soup. This helps thicken it a bit. Serve with Butterly Cloverleaf Rolls.