Roasted Broccoli, Potato, & Cheese Soup

Last week, I was looking for a new soup recipe that everyone would enjoy.  Normally, my youngest son, doesn’t eat dinner with us when I make chicken soup, so I was determined to find a recipe that all 7 of us loved as well as one that was cheap to make.  After numerous days of looking at numerous recipes, I can across a recipe that I tweaked and it has turned into our favorite soup recipe.  The kids have asked for it every other day, so I plan on making this soup at least once a week since it’s cheap to make, makes a lot,  & simply delicious.
Feel free to tweak the ingredients to your family’s tastes.  Just be sure to not add to much cheese, so you don’t get any clumping in the soup, it doesn’t look so great.  But still taste the same.  😉

Roasted Broccoli, Potato, & Cheese Soup

**adapted from The Wicked Noodle**
total cost $18.85 with 20 servings $.94/serving

Ingredients:

• 3-4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1lbs. frozen broccoli or 3 heads fresh broccoli, cut
• 1 medium sweet onion, chopped
• 1 large  potatoes, diced
• 2 32oz. carton chicken broth
• 1 12oz. evaporated milk (any milk should work)
• .5-1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• salt, ground pepper, & crushed red pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400F.
2. Drizzle broccoli florets with 2 tablespoons olive oil, season with  salt.  Roast for 20-30 minutes. Set aside.
3. Meanwhile, heat remaining olive oil in a large soup pot. Add onions and saute until soft and translucent.  Add potatoes and chicken broth.  Simmer until potato is soft, about 15-20 minutes (depending on size of your potato pieces).
4. Add milk and broccoli.  For the broccoli, I blended 3/4 & left  the rest whole for different textures.  FYI- if you want thicker soup, blend all the broccoli and mix it into the soup.  Heat mixture just until very hot (do not boil). Stir in cheese until melted and fully incorporated. Season to taste with salt, pepper, & crushed red pepper.

Serve with warm homemade bread & enjoy!!