broccoli and cheese soup

Who loves Panera? THIS GIRL! My favorite thing is the broccoli and cheese soup. So, I happened to stumble upon the Panera recipe *insert evil laugh*. And to spruce it up a bit, I added some grilled cheese sticks to the side. Delicious! Whoever had the idea to do that is a genius. Makes my soup nights much easier!

Ingredients (Soup):

1/4 cup melted butter

1/4 cup flour

2 cups half-and-half cream

2 cups chicken stock

1/2 lb fresh broccoli

1 cup carrot, finely shredded

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

8 ounces grated sharp cheddar cheese

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Cook melted butter and flour using a whisk over medium heat for 3 minutes. Stir constantly. Add in half and half until well blended. Add chicken stock and simmer on low for 20 minutes. Add in carrot and broccoli. Cook over low heat for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add salt and pepper. Add in cheese slowly until melted and well blended. Add in nutmeg. Remove from heat.

Ingredients (Grilled Cheese Sticks):

5 slices of bread

5 slices of cheese

Preheat oven to 350. Remove the crust from the bread. Flatten bread. Put the cheese on the bread (trust me, you only need 1 piece!). Roll tightly and place on an ungreased cookie sheet, seam side down. Bake for about 7 minutes, until cheese is melted and bread is slightly browned.