Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Broccoli and cheddar soup is one of my favourites, so I'm not sure why it took so long to finally make it! A lot of recipes I found required "processed cheese food," which probably melts better, but I used real cheddar and found this soup to be a thick, creamy, cheesy treat. 

The thing to watch with this soup is the addition of the cornstarch. If you add it too quickly without letting it dissolve properly, it will seize up and create blobs of gel in your soup (trust me; I speak from experience!). So be patient, and let it dissolve slowly into the hot soup. Your guests will be thankful you did!

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp butter
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 head broccoli, chopped
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 2 cups cheddar cheese, cubed
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1/2 cup cream
• 1/3 cup cornstarch

Directions

• In a large pot, melt butter over medium heat and cook onion and garlic for about three minutes.
• Stir in broccoli and cover with chicken broth. Simmer until broccoli is tender, about 10 minutes.
• In a small bowl, mix together the milk and the cornstarch until dissolved. 
• Reduce heat and slowly stir in milk and cornstarch mixture, stirring well. Add in cream, stirring frequently until thick.
• Add the cheddar cheese and stir slowly until melted. 
• Add salt and pepper to taste.

Recipe adapted from allrecipes.com