Ms. Carol's Broccoli Cheese Soup

When I was little I wasn't much of a soup fan but once I realized the amazing-ness of broccoli cheese soup I was convinced. I love to have a nice bowl of soup when I am sick or when the weather is really cold. As you know I was sick last week and before I fully succumbed to the illness I was able to whip up a batch of this soup. This is the only version that I have ever tried, my friend Barrie has another version that I need to get and try someday.

I got this from my mom when I was in graduate school and I was so sick at one point and I started making it on Sunday afternoons and then eating the soup all week for lunch. My mom got this from my junior high best friend's mom, Ms. Carol. I will admit that after a few days I do not want the end of the soup, but it is wonderful for the first five days. I tend to think that most things are not that good after a whole week of eating it. I have wondered if I could freeze it and I may try the next time that I make it but I am afraid it would be nasty. I guess I should just try it right, if I do I will be sure to let you know if it is still good the second time.

Ms. Carol's Broccoli Cheese Soup

The best soup I have ever had

Ingredients

Small Onion, finely diced
3-4 garlic cloves, diced
Stick of butter
1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup
1 can Cream of Chicken Soup
1 can Cream of Broccoli Soup
2 cans of milk
1 can of water
8 oz. of velveeta cheese (1/2 of a small block), diced into small cubes
2-4 cups of broccoli, finely diced

Directions:

1- Melt butter and saute onion and garlic
2- Add the cans of soup, milk, and water
3- Once blended together add the velveeta
4- Once the cheese has melted add the broccoli and season the soup with Tony's, onion powder, and/or garlic powder.
5- Cook for a few minutes more (I give it about 5 minutes while I clean up all of the dishes)
6- I enjoy mine with soup crackers

As always I have a few helpful hints
-With the onion and broccoli, remember this is a soup so you don't want to leave big chunks. Once I chopped the broccoli up like I was going to eat it for dinner and I had to eat it with a fork and then eat the rest of the soup with a spoon. It was insane.
-I only use the very tops of the broccoli florets, I find that the stalks don't spend enough time cooking to really soften up so they were pretty tough the few times that I have used them. I know that I waste most of the broccoli but it is worth it in my opinion.
-If you can't find or don't realize that you grabbed the broccoli cheese soup can instead of cream of broccoli the soup is still pretty good just a little cheesier, yes I have done this several times.

Be sure and let me know if you try this or if you have a better recipe. I am loving that I have more time for me these days so I am into trying new recipes all of the time. I hope that you like this one I am sure that I will have more fun stuff to share again soon.