For those of you that don’t know me – I love to cook! I make almost every meal from scratch and wouldn’t have it any other way! We use all of our pasture raised meats from chicken, pork, and bison as well as the vegetables from our garden. This is an amazing meal and a wonderful comfort food! I can make the soup in a crock pot and when the day is done we have this delicious meal ready to eat! When the day is done and you find a little extra time you can make these soft and fluffy bread bowls to put your soup in!
Cheddar Broccoli Soup
2 – 3 cups of chicken broth
2 heads of broccoli (just the tops sliced off)
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp. onion salt
1/2 tsp pepper
3 cups of milk
2/3 c. cornstarch
1/2 c. butter
1/2 c. flour mixed with some water and whisked until smooth
1 -2 pounds of velveeta cheese
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese
Put broth, broccoli, onion powder, onion salt, pepper, water, and milk into crock pot. Cook on high for 3 – 4 hours. Melt butter in a separate pan and add cornstarch. Whisk until smooth and then add to crock pot mixture. Cut velveeta cheese into chunks and put into crock pot. Whisk entire mixture until smooth. Cook for another 1 – 2 hours. Add flour mixture to crock pot and whisk until it is well blended. Let mixture thicken for about 20 minutes and then add cheddar cheese. Cook until cheese is melted. Serve!
Homemade French Bread Bowls
2 1/2 c. warm water
1/4 c. sugar
2 1/2 Tbs. Active Dry Yeast
1/4 c. canola oil
1 Tbsp salt
6 -7 c. flour
Dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water and let stand for about 5 minutes
Combine oil, salt, and flour with the water mixture. Knead for 10 minutes by hand or 5 minutes with a machine.
At this point I cut the dough into 11 separate chunks, folded them over into small balls and let them rise on a greased tray until they are doubled in size.
Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes.
Now: The recipe I was given tells me to knead the mixture for 10 minutes and then let it rise. At that point – the original recipe calls for this change. Every 15 minutes you are supposed to knead for 10 minutes. Then you let the dough rest for 30 minutes or until doubled. Knead the dough into a floured surface and divide into 11 separate sections. Fold them over into the small bowls and then let them rise on the greased tray until doubled. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes.