Canadian Cheese Soup with Pumpernickel Croutons

Ingredients

• 0.5 teaspoon pepper black freshly ground
• 1  carrots peeled quartered
• 1  celery stalk quartered
• 32 ounce less-sodium chicken broth fat-free divided canned
• 0.8 cup flour all-purpose
• 3 cups milk 2% reduced-fat
• 1  onion peeled quartered
• 0.5 teaspoon paprika 
• 3 ounce pumpernickel bread cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 0.5 teaspoon salt 
• 6 ounces sharp cheddar cheese shredded reduced-fat
• 1 teaspoon stick margarine 

Equipment

• food processor
• bowl
• frying pan
• sauce pan
• ladle
• oven
• knife
• whisk
• measuring cup

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 37
2. Place bread cubes on a jelly-roll pan, and bake at 375 for 15 minutes or until toasted.
3. While the croutons bake, combine onion, carrot, and celery in a food processor, and pulse until chopped. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat.
4. Add vegetables; saut 5 minutes or until tender.
5. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Gradually add 1 can of broth to flour in a medium bowl; stir well with a whisk.
6. Add flour mixture to pan. Stir in 1 can of broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, and cook 10 minutes or until thick. Stir in milk, salt, paprika, and pepper; cook for 10 minutes.
7. Remove from heat; add the cheese, and stir until cheese melts. Ladle soup into bowls, and top with croutons.