Broccoli Cheese Soup

Made Broccoli Cheese soup for the first time tonight. It was very good. We just had it with ham and turkey cheese croissant sandwiches. I will tell you what I did and what I might change next time. The flavor was great. I liked it just like it was. My husband thought more cheese would have been good. So you can decide for yourself and adjust it to your personal tastes.

This made a bunch. It filled a 6 1/2 quart cast iron dutch oven. But remember I feed a small army at my house.

Broccoli Cheese Soup

2 Sticks butter

2 onions, chopped 

1 Cup chicken stock, plus more if needed to thin out soup

2 quarts half and half

5 Cups whole milk

2 good size pinches of ground nutmeg

2-4 tsp. salt, to taste

1-2 tsp. pepper, to taste

4 (16oz.) bags frozen broccoli florets, semi thawed and chopped into small pieces

4 Cups shredded cheddar cheese

2 Cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1 Cup instant mash potato flakes

Melt butter in large dutch oven. Add onions and fry till tender. Pour chicken broth, milk, half and half into pan and bring to a simmer. Add nutmeg and chopped broccoli. Add half of the salt and pepper. Cook till broccoli is tender. Stir in potato flakes and shredded cheese a little at a time. Stir till cheese is melted and then add more cheese. Don't cook at too high a temperature so the cheese melts evenly. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper as needed.

Now here is the personalizing part of it. If it is too thin add more potato flakes. If it is not cheesey enough add more cheese. If it is to thick add more chicken broth. You can also put half in a blender and blend the broccoli up finer if you prefer.