Broccoli and Cheese soup

Watch out Panera, I'm giving you some stiff competition, well at least in my house! Broccoli and Cheese soup, Mmm. This is another recipe from Debbie Macomber's cookbook Cedar Cove. I love it, it's so creamy and smooth, plus this one doesn't have pieces of broccoli, instead it's a broccoli puree. Although this said that it serves 4, It definitely served more, I don't know how big her servings were but man alive they must have been huge! I think that Panera's Cheddar and broccoli soup is kind of minty, I don't know what it is but I have a serious aversion to it!! Also I should let you know, Even though I always put in the salt and pepper to taste in the recipes, I don't salt any of my food, and I also used basil and cilantro instead of thyme..

Now without further Ado,

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 small onion, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
1 clove chopped Garlic
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme. or you can use 1 teaspoon Basil, 1 teaspoon Cilantro
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 cups sodium-reduced chicken broth
1 pound broccoli (about 3 heads), stems thinly sliced and florets cut small
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
4 small round bread loaves (4-5 ounces each) Okay I didn't have these so I just used a small dinner roll!
Olive oil

1. Melt the butter in a large sauce pan over medium heat. add onion; cook for 5 minutes, until softened,stirring often.Add garlic, thyme, salt and pepper; cook for 1 minute, stirring. Sprinkle in flour, stirring constantly until incorporated.Slowly pour in broth, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring to blend. Add broccoli; cook 10 minutes, until tender.

2. Using a blender, puree soup until smooth.

3. Return the soup to the pot; add cream and cheese and warm over low heat, stirring.
4. For Bread Bowl: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F, Using a serrated knife, slice a thin circle off the top of each round. Lift off the circle; using your fingers to pull out the soft insides of the bread, leaving at least a 1/2 inch of bread around the sides and bottom of the loaf.Set the loaves on a baking set and drizzle olive oil into each cavity; spread the oil to coat the insides. Bake rounds about 10 minutes, or until crusty and golden. Ladle warm soup into bowls and serve immediately.
ENJOY!