This has always been my favorite soup! So creamy and "healthy", okay maybe not so healthy but it sure is creamy and cheesy. It is starting to look like Spring on Beaty's Creek but I still think old man Winter is going to come a knocking. I made this soup on the last cold spell that we had and everyone thought I was a boss, yes, a Boss! Email me and I can tell you why this is funny. Raine liked dipping her bread and Raven ate her bread bowl up before her second bowl. Give this a try before Spring has sprung and soup will be the last thing you want until next Fall. This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek!
Needed:
1 stick butter
2 cloves garlic-smashed
1 small onion-chopped
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups half-and-half
6 cups chicken broth
2 bay leaves
salt and pepper to taste
8 cups broccoli florets (about 2 heads)
2 large carrots-diced
4 cups cheddar cheese-grated
Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Now add the onion and garlic and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the flour and cook until just golden, then gradually whisk in the chicken broth until smooth. Now add bay leaves , salt and pepper. Add the broccoli and carrot to the broth mixture and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, uncovered, until thickened, about 20 minutes. Take out the bay leaves. Puree the soup in the pot with a immersion blender until smooth, you'll still have flecks of carrot and broccoli. Now add the cheese and half and half to the soup and whisk over medium heat until melted and the consistency you want . Add up to 3/4 cup water if the soup is too thick. Serve in bread bowls. Recipe for bread bowls follows.
Bread Bowls
Needed:
2 T yeast
2 1/2 cups warm water
2 t salt
2 T canola oil
7 cups flour
Mix yeast, salt, and warm water together in your Kitchen Aid Mixer. Let sit for 3 minutes. Now add in your oil and begin adding in your flour a cup at a time. Now knead in your mixer for 10 minutes. Cover and let rise for 1 hour. Once double in size cut dough in to 8 equal pieces of dough. Roll into balls and place in a parchment lined baking sheet. Let them rise for 30 minutes. Place in a 400' oven and bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool slightly and then cut top off and scoop out some of the bread so you can fill with soup. Enjoy!
