Cheesy Vegetable Chowder

via Lulu the Baker

A homey, hearty, winter day sort of recipe.  Also,  RMR came over one lovely afternoon and while we chatted we chopped the vegetables, which may have made it even more homey and hearty.  I loved it and we also fed it to some six-and-under crowd we were tending a few days later, and though they didn't love it like mac and cheese, they ate it without complaint.  I put in more veggies and didn't bother to chop them "finely." We're only "fine" around here when we feel like it. :)

2 Tablespoons butter

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 cup finely chopped carrot

1 stalk celery, finely chopped (feel free to add more celery if you like celery; I don't, so I don't add much)

1 Tablespoon minced garlic

4 cups chicken broth (I usually use a mixture of low-sodium chicken broth and broth made with chicken soup base because it gives it such nice flavor)

2 large baking potatoes, peeled and chopped

1 Tablespoon flour

1/2 cup water

2/3 cup milk

2 cups chopped broccoli

2 heaping cups shredded cheddar cheese

Melt the butter in a large soup pot.  Add onions, carrots, and celery and saute over medium heat until tender.  Add garlic and cook 1 or 2 additional minutes.  Add chicken broth and potatoes, bring to a boil, and cook until potatoes are tender.  Mix flour with water, add, and simmer until soup is slightly thickened.  Add milk and broccoli and cook until broccoli is just tender and soup is heated through.  Stir in cheese, allow to melt, and serve.