Cheesy Garden Chowder

Soup is one of those lovely dishes that is so easy to sneak in veggies that my two-year old normally wouldn't eat. The fabulous thing about this particular recipe, beside the fact that its crazy delicious, is that you can include practically any vegetables you want and it will still taste wonderful. I'm eager to try this soup again with another variety of vegetables. Sweet potatoes? Sure. Corn? Oh yes. Zucchini? Yellow squash? Absolutely. Asparagus? You're reading my mind.

Cheesy Garden Chowder

(adapted from Passionate Homemaking)

Printable Recipe

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup chopped onion

1/4 chopped bell pepper, any color
1/2 cup each: diced celery, carrots, potatoes, cauliflower, broccoli
2 cups vegetable or chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup flour
1 cup whole milk

1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Directions

1) In a large pot, melt the butter and saute the garlic, onion and bell pepper until tender and fragrant.

2) Add remaining vegetables, broth, parsley, paprika, salt and pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.

3) In a medium-sized bowl, combine flour and milk until smooth; gradually stir into the soup. Allow to thicken several minutes at a low temperature.

4) Just before serving, gradually stir in the cheese until melted. Serve with additional cheese, if desired.  Enjoy!