Panera's Broccoli Cheddar Soup Recipe

It's soup weather, y'all, and I'm not sure about you guys, but I live in a house with some picky eaters (Brad more so than Bella). They both hate onions and Brad doesn't like carrots, but guess what? They LOVE this soup and it has both. I'm pulling out all of the sneaky chef stops with this one and it's a surefire crowd pleaser that will have your family cheering for more!

Serves 4 people

What You'll Need:
Immersion blender or regular blender
Half of a chopped onion
1/4 cup of stick butter
1/4 cup of flour
2 cups of half and half
2 cups of chicken stock
2 large bunches of broccoli
2 carrots
1/4 tsp nutmeg (optional) I don't use because I don't have
8oz shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
1 sourdough bread boule per person

• Using a peeler, peel carrots and then chop into small pieces
• Dice onion
• Chop broccoli into small pieces
• Saute onion in 1 tbsp melted butter until transparent (salt, pepper, and garlic powder as you wish)
• Make a roux using the remainder of the butter (3 tbsp), let it melt in the pot with the onions, then add the 1/4 cup of flour and mix. Cook for 5 minutes over medium heat. 
• Add in the half and half and stir constantly
• Add in chicken stock and simmer for 20 mins stirring occasionally
• Preheat oven to 400 while soup is simmering
• Add vegetables and cook for 25 minutes over low heat stirring occasionally
• When the timer has 15 mins left, put bread boule in oven and bake for 14-16 minutes
• Remove pot from heat and using an immersion blender (or blender), blend until the soup is your choice of the perfect consistancy
• Stir in 8oz of cheese and 1/4 tsp nutmeg (optional)
• Add salt and pepper to taste
• Cut the top off of the bread boule and dig out the inside, leaving the perfect soup bowl 
• Do not through away the extra bread! Use it for dipping into your soup!
• Laddle soup into bread boule and serve--ENJOY!