Recipe Carrot and Broccoli Cheddar Soup

[The Late Night Gourmet]

As I mentioned in the recipe challenge thread, I reused items that I also use for my chicken pot pie recipe:

Carrots
Onions
Celery
Garlic
Stock
Milk
Flour

This is what I love about cooking: common ingredients can be mixed and matched to create different results.

Ingredients

4 tablespoons butter
4 carrots (3 sliced, 1 shredded; divided)
1/2 onion, diced
1 celery stalk, sliced
4 cloves garlic, diced
4 cups broccoli, chopped
1 teaspoon herbs de province
3 tablespoons flour
2 cups chicken stock
1 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, to taste
1 teaspoon salt, to taste
8 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded

Directions

1. Melt butter in a large pot. Add sliced carrots, onions, and celery. Heat, stirring occasionally, until onions are softened. Add garlic, stirring frequently, until browned.

2. Add broccoli, stirring to coat. Stir occasionally for a few minutes, then add flour, stirring to coat. Continue heating, stirring occasionally for a few minutes.

3. Add stock and milk, scraping the bottom of the pan, and lower heat. Cook for 15-20 minutes, to desired thickness.

4. Pour half of pan contents into a blender. Pulse a few times, then stir back into the pot. Add cheese, stirring to combine. Heat for another minute or two. Serve, sprinkling shredded carrot on top.