I ask you, can there be a better night to try a new soup than an evening where the mercury didn’t even crack 20 degrees, where the windchill hovered around 0 all day long? (I recognize we have it much better than some of our friends and loved ones in the Midwest, who have spent the day in the negatives, both in temperature and likely in temperament.)
I came across this recipe over at The Frugal Girl last week and immediately added it to the menu plan. Believe you-me, I wasn’t disappointed! It was a cinch to make, and the end result was just fantastic.
When we got home, I chopped half an onion and heated it up on the bottom of my French oven (which always makes soup look extra pretty). Once it was translucent, I poured in a carton of veggie broth and let it boil up nicely. Then I added the macaroni, let it boil for 4-5 minutes, and then added a bag of frozen broccoli and some garlic powder. Once the broccoli had begun to cook, I lowered the heat and stirred in the Velveeta (though, given the recent Velveeta Shortage of 2014, we had to use Safeway brand), and once it was smooth I added some almond milk. A nice dash of pepper, and the soup was heated through before I knew it!
We hungrily ladled two heaping bowls’ worth of soup and lapped it right up. Wow! What a rich, hearty soup! The cheese added a nice punch without being too cheesy, and the broth filled the meal out with nice flavorful undertones. Also: I’ve enjoyed broccoli-cheese soup a million times, but how have I never thought to add noodles? What a wonderful accompaniment to the dish!
In short, this will definitely have a place in the standard rotation. And not just in the winter – it’s destined to be a year-round treat!
:)