Broccoli, rice, and cheddar soup

The other day I got a craving for broccoli cheese soup like you wouldn't believe. It must have been the baby talking, but I just had to have some! Couple that with the fact that I had forgotten to take any meat out to thaw that afternoon and that broccoli was one of the only vegetables I had in my fridge and you had the perfect what-in-the-world-shall-we-eat-for-dinner storm.

I did a quick google search (love google!) for broccoli cheese soup, quickly weeded through the ones that called for a "processed cheese food" (yuck!) and found a yummy sounding one. Of course I couldn't quite leave it alone, so here is my version of broccoli cheese soup.

Broccoli, rice, and cheddar soup

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 1/2 of a lg. sweet onion
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 3 cloves garlic, pressed
• 1/2 teaspoon thyme leaves
• 3 tablespoons flour( I used w.w. since that was all I had)
  
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 1 package fresh broccoli, (4 whole heads or "stalks") chopped into individual florets
  
• 1/2 cup half and half or heavy cream
• 1 1/4 cups shredded medium Cheddar
• 1 recipe of cooked white rice (recipe follows)
  

Directions

In a medium pot, melt the 3 tablespoons butter over medium-high heat. Add the onions, salt, pepper, and nutmeg and cook, stirring, until soft, 3 minutes. Add the garlic and thyme cook, stirring, until fragrant, for 20 seconds. Add the flour and cook, stirring until the mixture is well blended and smells fragrant, 2 minutes. Slowly add the chicken stock, whisking constantly, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes. Add the broccoli and cook, stirring, until tender, for 10 minutes.

Turn off the heat and with a large spoon scoop 1/2 of cooked broccoli florets into a blender and process lightly, then return to the pot.

Add the cream and bring to bare simmer to heat through. Add the cheese and stir until melted. Add the 2 huge spoon-fulls of rice, stirring to blend (until you have the desired amount.)

Remove from the heat and ladle the soup into bowls. Sprinkle more shredded cheese over the top of the soup and serve immediately.

Rice:
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup regular white rice
1 teaspoon salt

Put all three ingredients in 3 qt. saucepan and heat to a boil over medium heat. Once rice begins to boil, stir once, cover and lower heat as low as possible. Cook for 15 minutes and do not remove lid during cooking time. After 15 minutes, remove from heat, fluff with fork and set aside without lid for 5 minutes. Add to soup when directed.


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All of my family loved how this turned out (a difficulty these days) and Mike didn't stop talking about it the entire time he was enjoying his 2 bowlfuls. :) It will definitely become one of my go-to recipes. It's very quick, easy, and meatless which is so nice sometimes.
It quite perfect for a cool fall evening meal.
Enjoy!