broccoli cheese soup with homemade lion house dinner rolls

trying to find a broccoli cheese soup recipe that sounded good was super hard so i made one up.  it was as good as it sounded and those rolls, i challenge you to not reach for seconds!

broccoli cheese soup

18 oz bag frozen broccoli florets

1 tbsp olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

2 tbsp unsalted butter

1/2 cup flour

2 garlic cloves, crushed

2 cups half & half, warmed

2 cups low sodium chicken broth

1 1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese (i used extra sharp white cheddar)

s&p to taste

cook the broccoli in a microwave safe dish with an inch of water in the bottom (8 minutes, stirring once).

heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a large stock pot.  saute onion until soft, approximately eight minutes adding the garlic the last two minutes.  remove the onion mixture to the cooked broccoli.

turn the heat to medium and add the butter to the pan.  once the butter is melted, whisk in the flour until smooth.  slowly whisk in the warmed 1/2 and 1/2 creating a "white sauce" in the onion mixture.  once all is combined and when the sauce begins to thicken, whisk in the chicken broth and then add the broccoli.

cook over med-low heat for approximately 20 minutes until the broccoli is soft.

puree 2/3 of the soup in batches (i used my blender).  

add the cheese and serve once melted.

lion house dinner rolls

lion house dinner rolls

source mel's kitchen cafe via lion house cookbook (copy & paste baby!)

*Note: The recipe calls for active dry yeast. I always use instant yeast because that’s what I have on hand. To use instant yeast, cut down the amount of yeast to 1 1/2 tablespoons and then there is no need to proof the yeast in the water. Instead, add the yeast and water together with the following ingredients in the recipe and proceed with the directions.

Also, I always used to roll the dough into three circles and cut the rolls into triangles and roll up like crescents; however I saw this tutorial online and it has changed how I roll them out. Feel free to check out the video. I also included a few step-by-step photos below the recipe.

*Makes about 2 dozen rolls

2 tablespoons active dry yeast
2 cups warm water
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter, softened
1 egg
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
2/3 cup nonfat dry milk
5-6 cups flour

In a large bowl, combine the yeast and water. Let stand 5 minutes (no need to do this if using instant yeast – just add the yeast and water together with the other ingredients). Add sugar, butter, salt, dry milk, 2 cups flour and egg. Beat together until very smooth. Add remaining flour gradually (about 1/2 cup at a time) until a soft but not sticky dough is formed. Knead the dough for at least five minutes if using an electric mixer and for at least 10 minutes if mixing the dough by hand. When the dough is smooth, supple and elastic, place it in a lightly greased large bowl covered with greased plastic wrap and let it rise until doubled.

Separate the dough into two portions. Roll each section out to an 11X14-inch rectangle. Brush the top with melted butter. Using a pizza cutter or sharp knife, cut the dough into two pieces, the long way (see photos below). Then slice the dough into five or six strips across so you end up with 10 to 12 small rectangles. Roll each small rectangle up like a snail and place on a silpat-lined or lightly greased baking sheet with the roll resting on it’s open edge. Repeat with the second portion of dough.

Cover the rolls with lightly greased plastic wrap and let them rise until doubled. Bake at 375 degrees for 12-14 minutes until they are nicely browned.

*Freezable: I freeze the baked rolls in freezer-safe ziploc bags. I microwave the frozen rolls (about 6 at a time) for 2 minutes before serving.

enjoy!