Broccoli and Cheese Soup

I can't tell you how many times I have attempted a broccoli and cheese soup recipe that ended as an epic failure. Either it tasted terrible or it clumped and wasn't a soup, but instead the garbage can's dinner. My favorite thing in the world to eat is Panera's broccoli and cheese soup in a bread bowl. It is SO good! No other place I've eaten broccoli and cheese soup at has come close. I found a few "copycat" recipes on Pinterest.. and those were my epic failures. I started playing around with my own recipe and finally have one I think is good enough to keep! It's definitely not Panera quality, but close enough for me to enjoy and share!

Ingredients:

broccoli florets (about 1 head will do)

1 large carrot, diced

1 small onion, diced

4 Tablespoons of butter

2 cups of heavy whipping cream

3 cups of chicken broth

1/4 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

salt and pepper to taste (I used about 1/2 teaspoon of each)

8 oz velveeta cheese, cubed (yes, I opted for processed cheese. sue me)

In a large pot, melt the butter. Add in flour and mix well. Add in the heavy whipping cream slowly, whisking until smooth. Add in the chicken broth, nutmeg, salt, pepper and garlic. Bring to a slight boil and then reduce heat to medium low. Simmer like this for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add in the broccoli, onion and carrots. Cook for an additional 20 minutes, until vegetables are tender. Using a ladle, scoop out the vegetables and put them in a blender with just a little bit of the soup. Puree the vegetables. It'll be a nice green color. Add back to the soup in the pot. Add in your cheese and stir until melted. Serve with an extra garnish of parsley and bread on the side. Delicious!