Copycat Panera Broccoli & Cheese Soup

Soup.  It's a total comfort food.  However ... I'm going to let you in on a little secret.  For many, many years, making a homemade soup completely intimidated me.  I don't know why ... maybe it was trying to figure out how to get the right consistency, flavor and not make it so complicated!

Intimidation was strong with the soup.  I veered away from it every chance I could.  Finally ... I got brave one day.  I fell in love with a local restaurant soup: Chili's Chicken Enchilada Soup.  I scoured the internet looking for the recipe and I couldn't find it anywhere!  So frustrated, yet so inspired I set out to try it on my own.  I can't say that it didn't take a few tries to get it right, because ... well ... it took many tries.  But I did it.  And I perfected that soup!  I did it!  I had won.  I felt empowered.  I began sharing the soup at work pot luck's, at family holiday dinners ... before long I had people paying me to make them quarts of it.

I was in heaven.  Not only had I conquered my fear of soup, but I had totally knocked it out of the park.  Insert happy woman.  For many years I was happy with my 'signature soup' and I owned it.  But soon, the longing to try a new soup lingered in my mind.  If you read my blog, you know that inspiration has to hit me.  Without it, I might as well be cooking Ramen in the microwave.  

Years had passed since my infamous Chicken Enchilada Soup and I was still on the hunt to perfect a new one.  Enter Panera Bread.  

Step inside the doors of one of these amazing restaurants and you will immediately smell the yeasty bread, the sandwiches, and of course, the soups.  For a work meeting I had Panera catered in.  I have a favorite sandwich, but on this particular day it was cold and rainy and I wanted comfort food.  So I opted for a change.  I tried their Broccoli and Cheese Soup.

First bite and I was hooked.  How could I create such a masterpiece??  How did they get it so creamy?  So rich?  So delicious?  I was immediately drawn to finding a way to re-create it.  I tried just like I had done with my Chicken Enchilada Soup ... and I failed, just like with my Chicken Enchilada Soup.  Soon enough I felt that intimidation coming back and I walked away from the soup pot.  

Fast forward to tonight.  Tomorrow I am hosting a team luncheon with my fellow Supervisor and Manager and we are treating our team to a soup and salad holiday luncheon.  I volunteered to make Broccoli and Cheese Soup.  At first I didn't even think twice.  And then ... while I was at the store today after work getting the ingredients I had the doubt: would I really be able to pull this off?  I hadn't tried in forever.  What if I failed miserably?  But .... what if I didn't.  I had to try.  I mean, I really did ... what was I going to do for the luncheon tomorrow, buy a soup on the way to work??  No.  So I took the broccoli by the stalk and dug in.  Here is my success story.

Ingredients needed:

• 2 cups Chicken Stock
• 2 cups Half & Half
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/4 teaspoon Nutmeg
• Chopped broccoli (frozen works beautifully here)
• 3-4 thinly sliced carrots
• 2 cups cheese (I suggest a strong cheddar blend or sharp cheddar)
• 1 finely diced white onion
• 1/2 stick of butter
• 2-3 pieces cooked bacon, crumbled 

Begin by dicing up your white onion.  Finely dice and add about 1 tablespoon butter to a saucepot.

Melt the butter and then add in your onions.  Add a dash of salt for flavor and allow to cook until they are translucent.

So simple, but so yummy!!  Set these aside to rest.  Don't worry .. their goodness and flavor will come back soon enough.

Next, add 1/2 stick of butter to your saucepan.  (Soup pot as I fondly call it)  Allow to melt completely.

Add in 1/4 cup of flour and whisk together.  We are creating our base.  This is where the love comes from.

As your flour and butter are whisked together you want to continue to whisk for about 5 minutes.  The point of all this whisking is to cook out the raw taste of the flour.  This is an important step!  If you don't allow it to cook out the raw flavor, you will most certainly taste RAW FLOUR in your soup.  This will not have your guests coming back for more.

Once we have cooked out the raw flour, begin adding in your 2 cups of half & half.  Add in slowly and continue to whisk while doing this.  If you are aren't as talented, (like I am sometimes) I call in my second in command, (a.k.a. my husband) to help whisk while I slowly pour in the half & half.

Next, add in the 2 cups of Chicken Stock.  Continue to whisk it all together.  (This is great arm exercise!)  Once combined, allow this to simmer for 20 minutes.

This is the base after about 5 minutes of cooking.  Notice the color .... 

THIS is the base after simmering/cooking for 20 minutes.  It's rich, thick and creamy.  I like to call this perfection.

Thinly dice your carrots.  Don't like them round?  Chop into dices, or, julianne them.  Go bananas with your carrots.  I like the perfect round orange bites of joy so this is how I choose to do mine.

Begin adding in the veggies.  Add in your thawed chopped broccoli.

Next, add in your perfect carrots, those yummy onions and, just for kicks, add in about 2-3 pieces of cooked bacon, crumbled.  Optional of course, but why not add bacon?  It truly does make things better.  It's a proven fact.

Stir all of this yumminess together and allow to cook over low heat for about 25 minutes stirring occasionally.

Finally ... add in your 2 cups of cheese, Nutmeg and salt & pepper to taste.  Stir together.

Do you see this?  I did.  And the moment hit.  The moment of ... "I DID IT!"  I overcame that darn fear of soup-making and I was ecstatic!  

There is always, always, ALWAYS quality control, so a small bowl had to be pulled out to do the official taste test.  I called in the husband.  We each took a spoon.  We each sampled.  We each smiled.  Do you know how on The Grinch That Stole Christmas it shows how his heart grew 10 sizes when he felt the love of Christmas spirit?  Yep.  That was my heart at this moment.  Pure bliss.

My success story.  And, perfect timing too, since I'm taking it to work tomorrow.  My staff would not have been happy with me had I shown up without any delicious soup.  So, I think it's safe to say, I saved the Holiday Luncheon.  Yep.  I did.  I saved it with this delicious soup.  You can too.  Make this.  Don't let the fear get you like it did me!  You can do this!  Once you do, share it with me - I want to hear YOUR soup-er power story.  ;) 

Cheers!

~Jacqui