2½cupssharp cheddar cheesebuy a block; shred it yourself
2cupsmilk
¼cupolive oil or butter
¼cupflour
2cupschicken or vegetable broth
1bay leaf
salt & pepper
Instructions
Prep
Shred cheese from cheese block and set aside (pre-shredded cheese is not recommended)
2½ cups sharp cheddar cheese
Chop onions, broccoli and carrots; set aside
2 cups chopped broccoli florets, 1 cup chopped yellow onion, 3 medium shredded carrots
Make the Soup
In a Dutch oven, or large pot, add oil/butter and bring to medium high heat
¼ cup olive oil or butter
Add chopped onions and carrots and cook 5 minutes or until onions are translucent
1 cup chopped yellow onion, 3 medium shredded carrots
Stirring constantly, add flour to onions and combine; allow to cook for 3 minutes
¼ cup flour
Gradually add milk to onions; stirring constantly
2 cups milk
Add broth; use whisk to remove any flour lumps; once mixture is smooth add broccoli, and bay leaf
2 cups chicken or vegetable broth, 1 bay leaf, 2 cups chopped broccoli florets
Bring mixture to boil; once mixture is at boiling point, reduce heat to medium
Add cheese; stir and combine well
2½ cups sharp cheddar cheese
Allow combination to cook on low or simmer for 15- 20 minutes, covered
Remove bay leaf; taste for salt and pepper
salt & pepper
Notes
Milk: make sure it's a little bit room temperature; not real coldCheese: for best results, use a block of full fat sharp cheddar; pre-shredded cheese doesn't melt well