Vegetable Cheese Chowder

Menu change!! I'm just plain not satisfied with my ramen pictures. I'll have to make it again. Oh darn. Not really, because its basically my new favorite food, but that also means I need to do it justice with perfect pictures! I think you'll forgive me, because I've got an old favorite for you that I hope you'll love!

Vegetable Cheese Chowder
Printable Recipe

4 cups cubed red potatoes (peels on or off, I leave them on)
2 cups diced carrots
1 cup chopped celery
1/2-1 cup minced onion
5-6 cups chicken broth
10 oz frozen broccoli (or 2 crowns fresh)
3 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp dry mustard
1 lb (16 oz) processed cheese (Velveeta)
salt and pepper

Saute veggies (except broccoli) in a few tablespoons of butter in a large saucepan until softened and browned a bit. Add the broth and potatoes, bring to a boil, then lower to medium-low to simmer for 20 minutes. Add broccoli and milk, raise heat to BARELY medium.

In separate pan, melt butter, and add flour. Stir over medium-high heat until it darkens a bit and smells toasty. Slowly add this (roux) to the soup, whisking LOTS while you drizzle it in. Stir for a few minutes while it thickens. Do not raise the heat, do not let it boil!! Patience is important, otherwise your soup will turn grainy.

Once the soup has thickened a bit, cut the cheese into cubes and add it to the soup. Stir until cheese has melted. Salt and pepper to taste and serve warm. (When you reheat leftovers, again, no boiling!!)

This soup has been my most favoritest soup ever since I was a kid! It's the perfect soup to come home to after a chilly Fall day, an evening of trick-or-treating, raking leaves, shoveling snow, anything. Hearty and warming, creamy and stuffed with veggies, if you ignore the cheese it's totally healthy!

Speaking of cheese, yes, I realize lots of people are totally grossed out by Velveeta. I get it, really. I never have fake cheese stocked up in my pantry, this is literally the only time I ever use it. For those of you who have no problem whatsoever with fake cheese, proceed!! For those of you who do, just give it a shot. Really. I promise it doesn't taste like soup full of squeeze cheese, and I have yet to find a soup recipe as silky smooth and creamy as this one with real cheese in it. It just doesn't work well.

I mean look at that bowl, and tell me you don't want to try it! Stop in for dinner and I'll make you some. It'll win you over!

Shared at The Scoop and Party in Your PJ's