Broccoli Cheese Soup

Today started out to be a cloudy, gray, and rainy morning and I had a taste for a nice thick and creamy Broccoli Cheese Soup.

This recipe was actually a copy-cat recipe I found on the web for fast food restaurant, Panera Bread.  

This soup is VERY VERY GOOD!  5 Spoons out of 5!

The only modification to this recipe was adding 1 1/2 teaspoons of Super Veg Vegeta Soup Mix and Seasoning.  It is a product of Hungary and is used in a lot of Polish recipes.  That is how our family discovered it.  It has a chicken bouillon base and includes dehydrated vegetable flakes.  

You can find it at any international food market or Cost Plus World Market (God love that store!)

 

 Broccoli Cheese Soup

• 1 tablespoon melted butter
• 1/2 medium chopped onion
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 1/4 cup flour
• 2 cups half-and-half cream
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1/2 lb fresh broccoli (about 1 cup)
• 1 cup carrot, julienned
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 8 ounces grated sharp cheddar cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
• 1 1/2 teaspoon Vegeta blend seasoning 

1.    Saute the onion in 1 tablespoon melted butter and set aside. In a large pot whisk   
       together the melted butter and flour over medium heat for about 3-4 minutes.

2.    Slowly whisk in the half and half and chicken stock. Let it simmer for about 20 
       minutes.

3.    Add the broccoli, carrots, and onions. Let them simmer on medium low for about 25 
       minutes until the broccoli and carrots are tender.

4.    Add nutmeg, salt and pepper and sharp cheddar cheese. Let the cheese melt and 
       then serve. For a smoother soup puree it in a blender... but I love the chunks!
 

Bacon Cheddar Chive Muffins

A nice pot of thick, creamy broccoli soup on a rainy day just screams for a bread or muffin.  How could it be wrong with bacon and cheddar cheese in them.  

 

I chose these muffins because the cheddar cheese and bacon in them paired perfectly with the bacon and cheddar cheese soup in the Cream of Broccoli Soup made today.   

Bacon Cheddar Chive Muffins

• 6 thick slices bacon
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 Tbs white sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 4 tsp dried chives
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup cream of mushroom soup
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil

1. Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble and set aside.

2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Lightly grease muffin pan.

3. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, garlic powder, chives, parmesan cheese, cheddar cheese and crumbled bacon. Combine the egg, milk, cream of mushroom soup and vegetable oil. Mix into the dry ingredients and stir together just to moisten.

4. Spoon the batter into prepared muffin pans and bake at 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into a muffin comes out clean.

 

Yields: 12 muffins