Need Broccoli Soup Recipes for National Soup Month?

America has a true love affair with soup! Checking out some fun facts about soup reveals that 99 percent of all Americans buy soup for their household and that they consume over 100 billion bowls of soup annually. That’s a lot of soup!

Parents especially love cooking soup for their children. It’s easy to hide certain vegetables in the delicious liquid, curtailing dinner time objections quite effectively. While some children are enamored with broccoli and its tiny tree shape, not all of them are willing to eat this super healthy vegetable. Hidden in a creamy cheese soup, however, broccoli is sure to become one of their favorite foods!

Decadent Broccoli Cheese Soup

Ingredients:

2 packages frozen broccoli florets, lightly steamed
16 ounces chicken broth
1 package cream cheese, cut into cubes
1 package shredded cheddar cheese
dash of garlic salt

Instructions:

Using a food processor, whiz half of the steamed broccoli until smooth. You can purée both batches of broccoli this way if you prefer a thick, smooth soup. If you like your soup chunky with pieces to chew on, only put half the broccoli in the food processor. If you do not have a food processor, you can mimic this process using a hand mixer used on the highest speed setting. In a large stockpot, pour prepared chicken broth, and cook over medium heat. Allow it to come to a rolling boil. Gently drop cubes of cream cheese into the hot liquid, stirring often to combine. When cream cheese is fully incorporated into the liquid, add broccoli. Allow to simmer for approximately ten minutes. Dash with garlic salt, or regular salt to taste. Remove from heat and add 8 ounces shredded cheddar serve to the pot, mixing very well. Serve in individual bowls with garlic toast or crusty sour dough bread.

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