Broccoli Soup and Homemade Bread Bowls

We had this at Laura's house - she is an awesome cook so how do we add her to this blog???

BROCCOLI SOUP

2-3 stalks of broccoli (I used frozen)
4 T butter
1/2 onion finely chopped
6 T flour
1 pint half and half (I substituted skim milk and it was just as good)
1 can chicken broth
2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 tsp pepper
1-2 tsp salt

Cut broccoil into bite-sized pieces. Steam in a pan or in the microwave. Do not overcook. Melt 4 T butter in a saucepan and saute onion. Add flour to make thick paste. Add in half and half and chicken broth. To alter thickness of soup, use flour to make it thicker and milk to make it thinner. Add broccoli, 1 cup cheese, salt, and pepper. Remove from heat. Garnish each bowl with cheese.

I served these in homemade bread bowls. Delish!

HOMEMADE BREAD (or "sabotage" bread as Bob calls it) This is from a sister in my ward, she makes the best bread! By far this is better than the recipe I have used the past few years, and WAY easier. This is all I make now.

2 cups really warm water
1/2 cup sugar
1 T yeast
1 T salt
2 eggs
6 cups flour, divided (I have used 1/2 white and 1/2 wheat with success!)
4 T vegetable oil

Mix water, sugar, salt, and yeast and let set until bubbly. Add eggs and 3 cups of flour. Add oil, then 3 more cups of flour. Dough will be sticky. Cover and let rise until doubled. Divide dough into loaf pans (about 2) or you can make rolls or pinwheel bread/pull apart bread too. (She melts margarine into her pans, I just use a spray). Let rise to top of pan. Bake at 350 F for 30 minutes. ENJOY!

To make bread bowls, I made slightly larger rolls, cooled them, sliced the top off, and scooped out the innards for extra dipping.

Thanks for the tip Kiersten, the kids enjoy soup this way!