Pioneer Woman's Broccoli Cheese Soup & a Luncheon

About a month or so ago Patrick and I hosted another couple for a nice weekend lunch. You know by now that Patrick and I love a good brunch but since this was planned for 1pm I conceded that brunch was over by that time and I needed to plan a lunch menu. Since the weather temperatures were still fluctuating that weekend and we were in a chilly spell, soup seemed to be the perfect menu item! I decided on Pioneer Woman's Broccoli Cheese Soup paired with fresh bread croutons and a salad.

Pioneer Woman's Broccoli Cheese Soup by Pioneer Woman

   Be sure to visit her website hyperlinked above; as always her recipe posts contain step-by-step picture instructions!
   Serves 10 (I cut the recipe in half)
Ingredients
1 whole onion, diced
1 stick butter
1/3 cup flour
4 cups whole milk
2 cups half-and-half
4 heads broccoli, cut into florets
1 pinch nutmeg
3 cups grated cheese (mild cheddar, sharp cheddar, jack, etc.)
Small dash of salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper
Chicken broth if needed for thinning

Directions
   Melt butter in a pot over medium heat, then add the onions. Cook the onions for 3 to 4 minutes, then sprinkle the flour over the top. Stir to combine and cook for 1 minute or so, then pour in milk and half-and-half. Add nutmeg, then add broccoli, a small dash of salt, and plenty of black pepper.
   Cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the broccoli is tender. Stir in cheese and allow to melt.

   Taste seasonings and adjust if needed. Then either serve as is, or mash it with a potato masher to break up the broccoli a bit, or transfer to a blender in two batches and puree completely. (If you puree it in a blender, return it to the heat and allow to heat up. Splash in chicken broth if needed for thinning.)
   We decided to puree the whole soup with the immersion blender; Patrick didn't want broccoli chunks. If you're not serving immediately I would definitely recommend adding in the chicken broth as it thickens the longer it sits.

We add some leftover French bread that we sliced, tossed with extra virgin olive oil and seasonings, then baked until brown and crispy. I chose to do this instead of serving the soup with sandwiches.

We had a salad too. The salad was romaine lettuce with tomatoes, carrots, parmesan cheese shavings, and a balsamic vinaigrette.

As always our hosted meals are serve yourself. We set everything out in the kitchen with appropriate plates and bowls and let everyone get what they want!

Our friends brought the dessert... a yummy pull apart monkey bread! Brunch doesn't usually have dessert so I guess hosting lunch isn't too bad after all.