Recipe #235: Cream of Broccoli Soup

It's autumn!  Time for soups and stews.  Here's the first of the season.  Credit to allrecipes.com

INGREDIENTS:

4 cups water (I used chicken broth) 4 cups broccoli florets 2 tablespoons margarine (I used butter) 1 onion, chopped 1 large stalk celery, chopped 1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1 chicken bouillon cube 2 1/2 cups whole milk 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 1/2 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

DIRECTIONS:

1.	In a medium-sized cooking pot, add water and broccoli florets and bring to boil; reduce heat and cook for about 3 minutes. Drain, reserving all of the water.
2.	In a food processor or blender, process half the cooked broccoli until fairly smooth. Chop remaining broccoli and set aside.
3.	In a heavy-bottomed cooking pot, melt butter or margarine, add onion and celery and cook for about 3 to 4 minutes until soft. Stir in flour; cook, stirring constantly for about 1 to 2 minutes. Add reserved water and chicken bouillon granules, and bring to boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to medium; simmer, stirring constantly until thickened.
4.	Stir in milk, nutmeg, pepper, and processed and chopped broccoli, and heat through. Adjust seasonings to taste. Serve garnished with grated cheddar cheese.