Monday, March 11, 2013

Cheesy Vegetable Chowder

Cheesy Vegetable Chowder (crock pot) - like broccoli cheese but with more veggies. Awesome and more healthy!

Cheesy Vegetable Chowder (original recipe and picture found here)
2 Tablespoons butter
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 cup finely chopped carrot
1 celery stick, finely chopped (feel free to add more celery if you like celery; I don't, so I don't add much)
1 Tablespoon minced garlic
4 cups chicken broth (I usually use a mixture of low-sodium chicken broth and broth made with chicken soup base because it gives it such nice flavor)
2 large baking potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 Tablespoon flour
1/2 cup water
2/3 cup milk
2 cups chopped broccoli
2 heaping cups shredded cheddar cheese

Melt the butter in a large soup pot.  Add onions, carrots, and celery and saute over medium heat until tender.  Add garlic and cook 1 or 2 additional minutes.  Add chicken broth and potatoes, bring to a boil, and cook until potatoes are tender.  Mix flour with water, add, and simmer until soup is slightly thickened.  Add milk and broccoli and cook until broccoli is just tender and soup is heated through.  Stir in cheese, allow to melt, and serve.

Crock Pot Directions:
After you have sauteed the onions, carrots, and celery add to the crock pot with everything but the flour, water, milk and cheese. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. After it has cooked do the steps with the flour, water, milk and cheese  (about 15 minutes total).