SOUP

The chowder is easy, ready in about a half hour, and the ultimate comfort food. The smaller you dice the vegetables, the faster it'll be ready. I recommend 1/4-inch dice. It's loaded with tender potatoes, juicy chicken, sweet Vidalia onions, carrots, celery, and corn which all add texture and flavor. Even with chowder I need texture and a variety of vegetables to keep me interested and this does the trick. It's thick, creamy, rich, and wonderfully cheesy. Grate your own cheese because pre-grated convenience bags of cheese are resistant to melting. We couldn't get enough of the chowder. The savory, cheesy broth is my ultimate weakness . YIELD : about 10 cups PREP TIME: 10 minutes COOK TIME: about 30 minutes TOTAL TIME: about 40 minutes INGREDIENTS : 3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil 2 cups sweet Vidalia or yellow onions, peeled and diced small (about 1 medium/large onion) 1 cup carrots, peeled and diced small (about 2 large carrots) 1 cup celery, diced small (abou

This is the best broccoli cheese soup. Not only that, it’s some of the best soup I’ve ever tasted, period. If you like Panera’s broccoli cheddar soup, this blows the pants off it. It’s an easy soup to make and is ready in 1 hour. I kept the soup vegetarian by using low-sodium vegetable stock rather than chicken stock, and made it healthier by using fat-free half-and-half. I love broccoli and used plenty because I prefer big chunks of broccoli in every bite but you can use less. I also used some stalks to make use of the entire head and not waste any, but you can use florets only if preferred. There’s a few optional spices like smoked paprika, mustard powder, and cayenne pepper. They’re not mandatory if you don’t keep them on hand, but they do add extra depth of flavor. Use a high-quality cheddar cheese that you grate yourself. Read the recipe at least twice before beginning. You’ll be rewarded with the best, creamiest, richest, and most amazing soup . YIELD: about 6 cups, serves 4