Broccoli basket

How long does a basket of broccoli last and how many different ways can it be prepared?  Steamed, sauteed with garlic, quiche, casserole, and finally broccoli cheddar soup.

When my husband called me from the North Wales farm stand I remembered that there was one last head of broccoli in the fridge.  I truly haven't been in the mood to cook, largely because I haven't had a taste for anything, so soup seemed like the easiest solution.

I sauteed an onion in butter, added flour and seasonings to create a roux. I then added broth and a hodge podge of milk products (evaporated milk, heavy cream, and half & half) because I had a little bit of each. I threw in a diced potato and let that mixture simmer a bit while I chopped the broccoli (stems and florets).  I added the broccoli and additional seasonings and simmered until there was just a hint of life left in the broccoli...I decided against the stick blender because it seemed unnecessary to pulverize the limp veggie. I folded in the sharp cheddar my daughter grated, turned off the flame, and put the top on the pot while I baked a loaf of Simply Rustic French Bread.  

The soup was savory but the bread had that refrigerated dough aroma and taste.  Guess next time I'll have to pull out the bread machine.