cream of broccoli soup

Fall means it's time for soup, and I'm on a roll trying out new recipes... We are two for two so far! Soup is one of my favorite fall meals because it is so easy to make, and the whole family enjoys it (usually anyway). Today I'm sharing another new recipe I recently tried (adapted from Simply Classic, the Junior League of Seattle cookbook). This Cream of Broccoli soup was so yummy. I actually liked it better than the Butternut Squash Soup I made last week, but Chris liked the squash one a little but more, so go figure. They are both delicious. And perfect for fall. Now that it gets dark by 4:30.

What you'll need:
1 T vegetable oil
1 small onion, chopped
4 cups chicken broth
5 cups broccoli florets (buy the Costco bag, and also? Costco should sponsor me)
1 t thyme
1/4 c butter
1/4 c flour
1/2 t salt
1/4 t pepper
3 cups milk or half and half (I used about 1 cup of half and half and 2 cups of nonfat milk)
1/2 c cheese, grated (the recipe called for Gruyere, but I wanted my kids and hubby to eat it, so I used cheddar)

Saute onion in oil over medium-low heat until soft but not brown, about 5 minutes. Add chicken broth, broccoli, and thyme. Simmer over medium heat until broccoli is tender. Then puree using your immersion blender (or in small batches in your regular blender) to desired consistency. Stir in cheese. Cover and set aside.

Melt butter in a heavy pot over medium-low heat. Slowly blend in flour, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring to form a smooth paste, just until mixture starts to turn golden. Add milk slowly, stirring constantly, and cook until mixture thickens. Add broccoli puree and cook, stirring, until heated through.

That's it. Serve with a yummy bread and your favorite fall beverage (have you tried Angry Orchard hard apple cider? It's my new favorite).

I'm posting every day this month for NaBloPoMo!