Soup de jour

My eight year-old loves the Broccoli Cheese soup at Panera, so she lucked out when I came across this recipe. She confirms that it is just like theirs.

Panera Broccoli Cheese Soup
1 tablespoon melted butter
1/2 medium chopped onion
1/4 cup melted butter
1/4 cup flour
2 cups half-and-half cream

2 cups chicken stock
1/2 lb fresh broccoli (which is about 1 cup)
1 cup carrot, julienned
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
8 ounces grated sharp cheddar cheese
salt and pepper

1) Sauté onion in butter. Set aside.

2) Cook melted butter and flour using a whisk over medium heat for 3-5 minutes. Stir constantly and add the half & half (keep whisking, it'll be lumpy at first).

3) Add the chicken stock. Simmer for 20 minutes.

4) Add the broccoli, carrots and onions. Cook over low heat 20-25 minutes. 

5) Add salt and pepper to taste. At this point, you can blend it if you like your soup if you like it less chunky and more of a smooth constistency. Add cheese. Stir in nutmeg. Yields about 6 servings.

(Not my picture, but that is what it looked like)

And here is a fabulous tip if you like hot rolls, but don't have time to do them from scratch...

Sister Schubert's Diner Rolls!!

I've always used Rhode's Rolls but was introduced to this delightful roll by my mom. Get this-- you take however many you need out of the bag (kept in the freezer), set it out on your baking sheet while your oven preheats, then bake them for about 5-8 minutes. NO forgetting about defrosting Rhode's Rolls and trying to do the quick method for odd-shaped rolls. These are light and taste home-made! AND, they are about $3 for a pack of 10. Try them!