No Cream Creamy Broccoli Soup - day 5

Last weekend I made this soup. It is currently Flower Girl's favorite soup. She is a soup lover just like me. There is just one big problem the base is chicken stock as most of the soups I make are. I am currently out of stock and flipping out because I refuse to buy that watery, overpriced crap in the store. Here we are in the midst of soup season....waaaaa. Not only am I out of that but I am almost out of chicken. Can you say CRISIS? Somebody was not paying good attention to the freezer stock and Maine Man is not into getting broilers for a couple more months. Booo Hooo.... I am going to have to buy flippin' chicken at the meat market. That may just about kill me. Enough with the drama, right? ;)

This recipe comes from a magazine titled Kraft food & family

• 2 medium carrots, peeled, chopped
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 3 Tbsp. oil
• Approx 30 ounces of chicken broth ~use the canned stuff if you must ;)
• 2 cups of water (I used all broth, NO water)
• 2 small bunches of broccoli, trimmed, cut into 3 inch lengths (whatever, I don't follow directions well. Maine Man will agree to that. He also says I have issues when told what to do.....I disagree)
• 1/2 cup on uncooked minute rice (I used regular whole grain rice)
• 2 cups of milk
• 1/4 cup of grated Parmesan cheese (I used more)

Lots of salt & pepper (my own addition)

1. Cook & stir carrots, onion, and celery in hot oil in large sauce pot on medium-high heat for 3 minutes. Add chicken broth and water (again I say no water). Stir & bring to boil.
2. Stir in broccoli & rice. Reduce heat simmer for 10-15 minutes (I did longer to cook the rice.) or until vegetables are tender.
3. Add soup in batches to blender or food processor. Blend until pureed. Return soup puree to pot. Add milk & cheese. Cook until heated.

So in my hysteria I went to the butcher shop and ordered 40lbs of chicken bones. MM thinks I'm insane. I kinda like it that way :) I MUST have chicken stock! I'll admit I am a bit of a food hoarder. Is there a TV show about that. Maine Man would sign me up.....LOL