Broccoli Cheese Soup

Made this for the very first time last night. Worked out quite well and needs only a little tweaking.

1 cup of chicken broth (99% fatfree from Walmart)
4 oz Velveeta cheese, cubed
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup half-n-half

1/4 cup flour (white, anything grainy will NOT work)
1/8 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp minced onion flakes

2 cups broccoli (crowns only, no chunks, chop it up nice and fine)


Pour broth, half-n-half and water into saucepan and bring to temperature, not boiling but enough to throw some mist. Add cheese and stir until mostly melted. Add flour, pepper and onion and stir until combined and smooth.

I used an electric mixed in the hot mixture to ensure a very consistant and "lump-free" result.

Bring the mixture to boiling, stirring often. Mix in broccoli and reduce to low. Cover and let simmer for 20 minutes. Stir every couple minutes.


Once done, ladel into bowls and garnish as desired (I used a few whole fresh parsley leaves and a dash of yellow cheddar cheese). This batched served three, though could be stretched to four with smaller portions.


I don't normally eat this since it will challenge my thus successful diet, however "broc-o-cheese" soup is one of my wife's all-time favorites. According to her and my son, the broccoli pieces could have been cooked more (they were a little too firm). The taste was reportedly "awesome" (yes, those words were used).


Next, time I will try one of the two following approaches:

• Steam the broccoli (whole) for 10 minutes before the crowns are chopped and placed into the soup
• Use frozen broccoli crowns in the hot soup and only simmer for 5-10 minutes. Though I am unsure how this would react with the cheese and the resulting flavor. In a pinch it might be easier.