It's April.  Are you sick of soup yet?  I hope not because this one is really good.  It is based on the broccoli cheddar soup that is sold at Panera, and let me tell you, I'd eat their soup on a 110 degree day.  Not that we have 110 degree days in Boston. 

On a side note, when I was in college playing volleyball in an un-air conditioned gym it would be 75 degrees every single day until the first day of preseason training in August when all of a sudden it would be 95 and humid.  Did I do something really awful in my past lives?

Side note: by popular demand, here's another picture of Lily from last week

Broccoli Cheddar Soup Printer-friendly version

1 tablespoon butter, melted 1/2 medium onion, chopped 1/4 cup melted butter 1/4 cup flour 2 cups half-and-half 2 cups chicken stock (or vegetable to make the soup vegetarian) 1/2 pound fresh broccoli 1 cup carrots, julienned salt and pepper, to taste 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg 8 ounces grated sharp cheddar cheese

Saute onion in the 1 Tbsp. butter. Set aside. Cook 1/4 cup melted butter and flour using a whisk over medium heat for 3-5 minutes. Stir constantly and slowly add the half-and-half. Add the chicken stock whisking all the time. Simmer for 20 minutes.

Add the broccoli, carrots and onions. Cook over low heat until the veggies are tender for 20-25 minutes. Add salt and pepper. The soup should be thickened by now. Pour in batches into blender and puree (I just used an immersion blender right in the pot). Return to pot over low heat and add the grated cheese; stir until well blended. Stir in the nutmeg and serve.

Source: CD Kitchen, who copied it from Panera Bread