Broccoli Cheddar Soup

I love this recipe! I have made it several times for friends and family and everyone has loved it. It is perfect for a cool fall or even cold winter evening. It takes a little while to make but oh so worth it. I have caught a cold and I thought soup would be perfect for dinner. When I heard that Melissa was sick as well, we invited her and Troy over to join us for dinner. Anyways, I don't make any variations on the recipe, except I do not blend the mixture as I like the broccoli to be chunky.

Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Source: Emeril Lagasse on the Foodnetwork.com
Serves: 4
Cooking Time: 1 hour
Weight Watchers: 10 points per serving

Ingredients:
3 tbls of unsalted butter and 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 cup of yellow onions or sliced leeks (use only the bottom white part)
1/2 tsp of salt
1/4 tsp of ground pepper
Pinch of nutmeg
1/2 tsp of chopped garlic
1/2 tsp of chopped fresh thyme or 1/8 tsp of dried
3 tbls of flour
3 cups of low-sodium chicken broth
1 (16-ounce) package frozen broccoli, thawed & separated or 2 to 3 cups of fresh
1/2 cup of heavy cream
1 1/4 cups of shredded medium Cheddar

In a medium pot, melt 3 tbls of butter over medium-high heat. Add the onions, salt, pepper, and nutmeg and cook until soft about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and thyme. Stir frequently for 20 seconds while it cooks. Add the flour and stir until throughly mixed for about 3 minutes. Slowly add chicken broth while whisking constantly. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until thickened for about 5 minutes. Add the broccoli and cook for 10 minutes until tender.

This next step I do not follow as I want the soup to be chunky. If you like yours more smoother follow this next step.

Remove the pot from heat and puree with a hand-held immersion blender or blend in blender.

Add the cream and barely bring to a simmer. Then add the cheese and lower heat till the cheese is melted. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons cold butter. Stir until it is mixed throughly.

I forgot to add that I use leeks instead of onion. I find it has a milder flavor then the onion and goes better in cream soups. Just my opinion though. Try it yourself.