Cream of Broccoli Soup

Cream of Broccoli Soup
2 Tb butter
1 onion
1 stalk celery
3 cups chicken broth
8 cups broccoli florets

3 Tb butter
3 Tb flour
2 cups milk
Black pepper to taste

Melt 2 Tb butter in medium size stock pot, and saute onion and celery until tender. Add broccoli and broth, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

Pour the soup into a blender, filling the pitcher no more than halfway full.  Hold down the lid of the blender with a folded kitchen towel, and carefully start the blender, using a few quick pulses to get the soup moving before leaving it on to puree.  Puree in batches until smooth and pour into a clean pot.  Alternately, you can use a stick blender and puree the soup right in the cooking pot.

In a small saucepan, over medium-heat melt 3 Tb butter, stir in the flour and add milk.  Stir until thick and bubbly, and add to soup.  Season with pepper and serve.