cheddar broccoli soup

I searched and searched for a good recipe for cheddar broccoli soup. This is because 1. i have a lot of broccoli, and 2. it just sounded so delicious. this is the one i settled on. Also, i've never been to Panera, so i can't speak to if this is a good copycat or not. sorry!

Broccoli Cheese Soup

source: www.food.com

ingredients:

1 T butter

1/2 medium onion, chopped

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup flour

2 cups half-and-half (1 pint)

2 cups chicken stock

1/2 lb fresh broccoli

1 cup carrots, julienned

1/4 tsp nutmeg

8 oz sharp cheddar cheese, grated (personally, i like to grate my own cheese because i think it has a better melt, but i'm sure pre-grated cheese would work great if you're on a time crunch or hate cheese graters)

salt and pepper, to taste

directions:

1. saute onion in 1 T butter. set aside

2. melt 1/4 cup butter over medium heat in a large sauce pan or stock pot. when melted, add flour and whisk over medium heat for 3-5 minutes. continue whisking and add half-and-half.

3. add chicken stock. simmer for 20 minutes.

4. in the mean-time, cut up your veggies and grate your cheese

5. add the broccoli, carrots, and onions. cook over low heat 20-25 minutes. this step is to cook the veggies, so cook it to your liking! i really like my veggies pretty crisp, so i kept it on the shorter side.

6. you can puree it in batches in a blender now, if you want. i don't have a blender, and i like it chunky, so i left it.

7. add cheese and melt over low heat. stir in nutmeg.

i wasn't sure if i'd like the nutmeg, but it's subtle, and i think it's a great addition!

also, forgive my lack of picture, i was so hungry that i dug into my bowl without a thought of a picture!