Yummiest Cheddar Broccoli Soup

Ingredients

• 6 tablespoons butter
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1/4 cup flour
• a good sprinkling of dry mustard
• 2 cups half-and-half
• 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 4 cups broccoli florets (about 1 head or I used the majority of a frozen bag of florets)
• 1 large carrot, diced
• 2 1/2 cups ( 10-12 ounces) grated sharp white and yellow cheddar cheese, plus more for garnish

Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the flour and mustard and cook until golden, 3 to 4 minutes, then gradually whisk in the half-and-half (yep, the whole pint) until smooth. Add the chicken broth, then season with salt and pepper and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, uncovered, until thickened, about 20 minutes.

Add the broccoli and carrot to the broth mixture and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes.  At this point, you can either puree the soup in batches in a blender until smooth; you’ll still have flecks of carrot and broccoli. Then return to the pot.  Or, leave the broccoli and carrot bits in your soup to eat. (We preferred having it this way.)

Add the cheese to the soup and whisk over medium heat until melted. Add up to 3/4 cup water if the soup is too thick. Ladle into bowls and garnish with cheese.

I adapted this from a food network recipe.  We really enjoyed it and I hope you will too!