I have only one day left in Oregon, and my adoptive grandma made, for the second time, a delicious cream of broccoli soup. She fed this hearty soup to me the day we got here and is book-ending our week here by sending us off with this yummy stuff in our bellies. I got her an immersion blender as a thank-you for feeding this delicious soup to me–and hopefully it’ll help her in the future when she makes this stuff!

Grandma Gunn has not only a real talent for writing (she’s hilarious! Her parody of elite Christmas cards gave David Sedaris a run for his money), but she’s also really great at cooking. She loves to cook and was determined to make sure Max and I got the best food and the most food while we were here. All in all, she’s amazing.

I make a mean broccoli cheddar soup. It’s a lot of work and so worth it, but this soup is simpler with just as much flavor. It’s a great soup to make on a cold or rainy day and is a sure crowd-pleaser. I’ll add some variations at the end of the recipe to spice it up and make it your own. From Grandma Gunn’s kitchen to yours:

Ingredients:

• 4 Tbsp. butter
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 cups broccoli florets, roughly chopped
• 1/4 cup all purpose flour (you can substitute cornstarch)
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/8 tsp. pepper
• 1 can of chicken broth, either 13 3/4 or 14 1/2 ounces
• 1 cup half and half (you can use fat-free if you’re watching those calories)

The Process:

1. In a 3-quart saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and cook the onion until tender, stirring.
2. Add broccoli and cook for 1 minute
3. Stir in the flour, salt, and pepper until well mixed. Gradually stir in the broth; cook, stirring constantly until thickened. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer for 5-10 minutes, until broccoli is just tender.
4. Stir in half and half
5. Turn off heat and blend with an immersion blender until smooth. *Note: If you don’t have an immersion blender, though you really should, cool the soup and blend in batches in a blender until smooth. Reheat and serve

Variations and add-ons:

• Serve with shredded cheddar and scallions on top of the soup
• For the carnivores–sprinkle with chopped bacon
• If you’re not watching your weight, cook bacon in the saucepan first and then cook the onion in the bacon fat instead of butter.
• Spice it up with some cayenne pepper
• Add some chopped garlic after you soften the onions and cook for 2-4 minutes before you add the broccoli
• Top with Parmesan cheese
• Serve with homemade croutons on top