Cheddar Broccoli Soup

Fall weather has FINALLY arrived in Santa Barbara! Of course, fall weather here is not quite the fall weather that most of the nation knows. Fall here is marked by a little bit of wind and temperatures below 65 degrees or so. Even though this is not quite as chilly as the 40 degrees in my old city of Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, I still like to believe that it qualifies as soup weather. I don't think there is anything better than sitting on the couch with a warm bowl of soup and a good book or something good on the TV.

Cheddar Broccoli Soup

- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 3 - 4 cloves of garlic
- 1 head of broccoli
- 1 carrot
- 6 cups vegetable broth
- Salt & pepper
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp ground mustard
- 2 cups milk
- 6 oz sharp cheddar, shredded

1. Heat some olive oil in a large pot and add the onion, cooking until soft. Add the garlic and stir for about 30 seconds.
2. I really wasn't in the mood to chop up all the veggies, so I chose to toss them into the food process and chop them up pretty small. Then I threw them into the pot and stirred them around for about 5 minutes to soften them up.
3.  Add the vegetable broth and seasonings. Simmer for 10-15 minutes to incorporate the flavors.
4. Add the milk. Simmer for another 3-5 minutes and then add the cheese and stir.
5. Eat! I ate mine with some crusty french bread and artichoke - the leaves make excellant spoons!