Bear Creek Cheddar Broccoli Soup

We're continuing our experimentation with Bear Creek Soup products.  Today we tried the Cheddar Broccoli version and, of course, I added a few extras and it turned out wonderfully!

You can certainly make this soup as directed on the package simply by boiling 8 cups of water and whisking in the soup mix.  However, by taking an extra 5 minutes or so, you can definitely elevate it to a more hearty meal.

Here's what I did:

1 T. olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

1 t. minced garlic

1 (20 oz.) package frozen baby broccoli florets, thawed (I used Bird's Eye brand)

1 package Bear Creek Cheddar Broccoli Soup Mix

8 cups water

1/2 - 3/4 cup diced ham

shredded cheddar cheese for garnishing

In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat.  Cook onion and garlic for 3 - 4 minutes, stirring frequently, until onions become translucent.  Stir in broccoli florets and continue cooking 3 - 4 additional minutes.

Add the Cheddar Broccoli Soup Mix and water and bring the mixture to a boil.  Lower the heat to let the soup simmer for 10 minutes.  Stir frequently so it doesn't stick.  

Add the diced ham and cook for an additional 2 - 3 minutes.  Taste and add salt and pepper if needed.  I simply stirred in a few grinds of black pepper.

Ladle into serving bowls and top with shredded sharp cheddar cheese.  

Our opinion on this flavor?  It was quite tasty and, with the additions of ham and onion, this was a very filling soup.  I'd buy again.