Deep South Eats: Broccoli Cheese Soup

Everyone raise your hands if you lived in the South (a little bit more towards the West) and ate at a Black Eyed Pea on Sundays after church. This girl did and as a child I always ordered the Broccoli Cheese Soup or the Kids Pot Roast. Living large folks...really...that kid had some extreme taste buds... Well this soup stuck with me, probably more on my hips as I grew older than on my brain, and I have scoured the internet to find the closest replica. It is quick. It is easy. It is super duper awesome.

Please excuse the picture of soup in Tupperware, but I took it as I was packing my dinner for work - just keeping it real folks!

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 pounds of fresh broccoli
• 1 pint half-and-half
• 2 cups water
• 1 lb. Velveeta (I used the 2% milk version and it was just as good)
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1/2 cup cornstarch
• 1 cup cold water

Directions:

• Steam broccoli until tender. I prefer mine crispier.
• Mix half-and-half and 2 cups of water in double boiler in top of double boiler. Okay lets be serious...my double boiler will in no way handle all this soup...so I rocked an old stock pot and stirred VERY frequently to prevent sticking.
• Add cheese, salt, and pepper and allow cheese to melt. Cutting your cheese into cubes will provide quicker even melting.
• Add the broccoli.
• Mix cornstarch and cold water in small bowl, and stir into cheese mixture.
• Heat through stirring super frequently until soup thickens. Watch closely because it will quicken...quickly.

This is great served with crusty french rolls and apple slices. Even the little nut loves this soup! 

Recipe adapted from: http://www.recipesource.com/soups/soups/03/rec0376.html