As Promised ~ Rita put it in her column

Here's The Link
Broccoli cheddar soup
I haven't forgotten about Claudia Gehr's request for this recipe from Lazarus' Lima store. That soup did not contain mushrooms, and the broccoli soup in my Lazarus cookbook does.

This recipe may fill the bill. It comes from a unique cookbook called "Making Mud Taste Good." Friend Karen Osler gathered tried and true recipes from colleagues, family and friends (me included) and put them in a cookbook to benefit Haiti Christian Mission.

I don't need to go into detail about the great need here, and Karen is hoping that enough funds can be generated to help purchase a pick-up truck for the mission.

The folks in Haiti actually bake and eat mud cookies. They mix mud with water and flour since they erroneously think they get nutrients from the soil. The cost is $15.50 and that includes shipping. You will find lots of keepers in this book.

4 cups broccoli, chopped

1 small onion, chopped

1 stick butter

4 cups good chicken stock/broth

1/4 cup flour

1 1/2 cups sour cream

2 cups sharp cheddar cheese

Salt, pepper to taste

Brown onion and broccoli in half the butter. Melt other half in large pot with small amount of broth. Remove from heat and whisk in flour.

Return to heat and add rest of broth. Whisk in sour cream. (If it's too thin you can make a sour cream/flour paste and thicken it more.)

When the soup is hot, add cheese, and broccoli onion mixture. Season to taste.