Tomato Broccoli Cheese Soup

I recently discovered that pretty much all broccoli-cheese soup is made with chicken broth, which eliminated one of my favorite lunchtime treats... until I tried to make my own.  I like mine spicy, so I added red pepper flakes to give it a little heat, but feel free to eliminate them if you're not so inclined.

I've also done it as a potato-based soup... just keep the recipe the same, but add 2 cups of mashed potato and a little milk to step one.

1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
1 1/2 cup milk
1 large chopped onion
2 cloves minced garlic
4 cups vegetable stock
16 oz. frozen broccoli, steamed and chopped
1 14-oz. can tomatoes
1/2 tbsp red pepper flakes
16 oz. velveeta cheese, cubed
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
chopped green onions to garnish

Puree 1 cup broccoli, garlic, onion, and tomatoes (and potatoes, if using) in food processor.  Set aside.

Melt butter in a large pot.  Add flour when butter is melted and bubbly.  Over medium heat, mix until a smooth paste is formed.  Add pureed vegetables to paste.  Stir well.

Add milk and vegetable stock and stir until smooth.  Add remaining broccoli and red pepper flakes, and bring to a slight boil, continuing to stir.

Lower heat and slowly stir in velveeta cubes.  Allow soup to simmer until ready to serve, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.  Garnish with cheddar and green onions before serving.