Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp. Butter
• 2 med or 1 large onion-diced
• 4 celery stalks, diced
• 2 tsp garlic powder or use fresh minced( more or less it’s your preference)
• 2tsp dry mustard
• 2tsp paprika
• 1/4tsp nutmeg
• 5-6 lbs. broccoli, washed and coarsely chopped
• 1 cup julienned carrots
• 16 cups chicken broth
• To prepare soup- do not add these to jars as dairy is not approved for home canning
• Quarts-
• Start with 1/2C each cheese & milk-it really is up to you how cheesy you like it
• 1 C Cheese(cheddar velveeta whatever you like)
• Flour & butter for roux
• 1C Milk or half & half
• Pints use half as much

Directions

• This is soup base only as dairy isn’t safe to can-but when you heat up your canned soup you will add cream/milk/cheese
• But you can also use to make Broccoli rice and cheese casserole .
• Get canner heated with 3quarts water(double Ck requirements for your canner as this amount can be different)
• Prepare jars and keep hot in your canner-get lids rings lifter funnel debubbler and a little vinegar &paper towel ready.
• Heat butter and saute onions, garlic (If fresh) and celery until beginning to soften.
• Add broccoli & carrots to large pot with water and get to simmer just to start to soften broccoli a little( it cooks in the pressure canner so we are just heating to soften to allow more into jar-
• In another pot Add broth or water and bouillon and bring to a simmer-add spices
• You can definitely do all of this in one pot-I just find it easier to have an even amount in each jar by doing Veg and broth separately
• Fill jars-try to evenly distribute broccoli carrots and sautéed celery onion between 7 quart jars or 14 pints
• then fill with broth to 1”headspace-debubble
• Wipe the rims of the jars with vinegar and attach lids and rings. Finger tight
• Process in Pressure Canner with 10 pounds of pressure, (Ck your elevation requirements)
• pint jars for 60 minutes and quart jars for 75 minutes.
• When you are ready to enjoy your soup-you can just add to pot and heat-purée a bit with immersion blender if you want less chunky then add cream/half & half or milk and cheese-totally up to you how thick or thin or cheesy you like it
• add salt and pepper to taste( I do this after cheese because the cheese is salty and we don’t want to overdo it)
• OR I prefer it thicker so I first make a roux-melt 2 Tbsp butter then stir in 2 Tbsp flour drain broth into roux while stirring then whisk in milk/cream- then add cheese stir till smooth and add broccoli

Notes

• You can add to ham & potato soup for a cheesy broccoli ham and potato soup
• Use for broccoli rice casserole-just drain broth and add water to required amount to cook rice-then follow your preferred recipe
• Or broccoli rice and cheese casserole
• I bet you can think of a few more great ways to use your preserved broccoli
• Enjoy!

Photos