Confidence and Ignorance : Broccoli Cheddar Soup

“To feel safe and warm on a cold wet night, all you really need is soup.”- Laurie Colwin

It is finally starting to cool down back East. There is a chill in the air and the leaves are starting to fall from the trees. The weather has been inspiring me to be super domestic and home cook most of my meals. When it is dreary and cold out (which I actually love) there is something very comforting about fresh baked goods and home cooked meals.

The other day I found myself at work with a hankering for Panera's Broccoli Cheddar soup. I've been a fan of their version for a long time, but I didn't really want to go out to the nearest Panera. Instead I decided to try my hand at making my own Brocolli Cheddar from scratch. I found a couple different recipes and ended up combining a couple that I thought sounded best (and were the easiest to make without a full supply of cooking gear). I was absolutely thrilled with the end result. I think this version is excellent (and dare I say better than Paneras).

What you need:

6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 small onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, crushed and chopped
4 stalks celery, chopped
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups half-and-half
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 pumpkin pie spice
2 russet potatoes, cut into 1 inch cubes
4 cups broccoli florets
3 large carrots shredded
2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese

How to Make:

Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat.
Add the onion, celery, and garlic and cook until tender (5 minutes)

Whisk in the flour and cook (4 minutes)

Add the potatoes (1 min) then gradually whisk in the half-and-half until smooth

Add the chicken broth and pumpkin pie spice and simmer

Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, uncovered, until thickened (25 minutes)
Add the broccoli and carrot to the broth mixture and simmer (25 minutes)