Almost-Famous Broccoli Cheese Soup

As is obvious, I am a sucker for recipes, cooking, magazines with recipes, cookbooks....you name it! Well, I just had to share this recipe with you. I got it from the Foo Network Magazine's "Copy That" section. It tastes exactly as it should--the broccoli cheese soup at Panera Bread. Give it a try yourself on some cold winter evening.


6 TBSP butter
1 small onion, chopped
1/4 cup flour
2 cups half-and-half
3 cups chicken broth
2 bay leaves
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
4 cups broccoli florets
1 large carrot, diced
2 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese


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 cook until golden, then gradually whisk in the broth, bay leaves, and nutmeg. 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 borth mixture and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Discard the bay leaves. Puree the soup in batches until smooth (or you can use an immersion blender.....or a potato masher works just as well)

Add the cheese to the soup and whisk over medium heat until. (Add up to 3/4 cup water if the soup is too thick, but my family found that we liked the consistency without it)