Broccoli Cheese Soup

Ok first I have to tell you that This isn't an easy recipe, and it requires a little bit of work, but it does go quickly and you can get it ready to eat in 30 minutes or less. I love broccoli and I love cheese and I love soup, put them together and you get a pretty tasty dish that I really like. You have to be able to do a couple things at once, and pay attention to the details, they make it better and more impressive if you're gonna serve this for company. The recipe makes about 6 healthy servings.

Ingredients:

1 head fresh Broccoli, cleaned and chopped medium fine
1 large red onion, chopped
1/2 cup chopped baby carrots
1/2 tsp garlic powder
2 Tbsp olive oil
4 cups chicken stock
1 cup milk
1 cup cold water
1/2 cup flour
12 oz ( 1/3 of 2 lb block) Velveeta or other processed cheese food, cubed
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar

Directions:

Nuke Broccoli for 3 minutes on high in covered dish and set aside

In medium sauce pan heat oil and saute onions and carrots with garlic powder, until carrots begin to soften.

while the carrots and onion are sauteing, in 6 qt. stock pot on medium high heat, bring the chicken stock to a low boil,

in a bowl mix the cold water with the flour to make a thick white wash.

When the carrots and onions are ready, add to simmering stock along with milk, then whisk in the white wash and bring back to a boil, the stock will thicken quickly. Lower heat to low-medium,

continue stirring and add the cubed and shredded cheese, stirring continuously to prevent scorching on the bottom of the pan,

add broccoli and continue heating for 10 minutes. (You may transfer the finished soup to a double boiler for the final 10 minutes if you don't wish to stir for the entire 10 minutes.)

Serve in large soup bowl.

EAT IT!!

After thoughts:

For an added zip to this awesome soup you can add crumbled bacon as a garnish when you serve it.

I like it with some fresh croutons.

to make a creamier tasting soup you may substitute half & half for the milk.

I been away and dieting....

I know it seems odd that someone who like to eat as much as I do would be eating less and losing weight, well fear not! I am still a fat guy! Not quite as fat as before, but still fat. I have sadly lost some ground in my endeavor to get smaller, but I still have some good ideas to share with you, and today I am gonna share some Broccoli Cheese soup. I found a great website this past summer called "allrecipes.com" and I like to find the basis for recipes here. Every recipe I have gotten from here I have managed to modify, because I never seem to find exactly what I'm looking for, so I take the best of a few and work things out. I'm happy to share the site with you because you may find exactly what you want. So Pay attention to this space, and I will get the recipe to you shortly!

I have a new delight!!

This spring I planted Spaghetti squash for the first time in my life, and This fall I have begun enjoying this amazing harvest! I can't believe it has taken me so long to discover this great addition to my diet. It's Amazing and it doesn't take long to prepare in a variety of ways. I am still discovering all the ways that I like it!

I have found it to be a great substitute for potatoes in a few of my recipes, and it takes sauce like it's namesake. The consistency isn't really like spaghetti, because it lakes the starchy taste of pasta, but it's a mild enough flavor that you can do so many things with it, and this makes it really versatile. I have fried it, steamed it, and roasted it, and the seeds cook up as good or better than pumpkin seeds so that's a plus too! I'll be sharing a few of my favorite recipes in the near future now that I have time to sit and write them out. Tune in now and then to see what I have to share!

Grilled Zucchini & Summer squash

Summer time and the eating is good! Nothing better than fresh veggies from the garden, and one of my favorites is squash. Yellow summer squash, and good old Zucchini, are staples of my summer diet, and I love them, especially grilled. Easy as can be to make, and both tasty and filling, they can help you be a little more healthy, and the fiber can't hurt either!

There are a hundred way to do it, but my favorite is the easiest there is.

Ingredients:

1 fresh zucchini sliced into discs
1 fresh yellow summer squash sliced the same
1 medium vidalia or red onion quartered
4 large cloves of garlic, slivered
1/4 Cup Italian salad dressing


Directions:

Prepare grill with a vegetable tray and set to high heat.

In large container with cover, place all ingredients, cover and toss until all veggies are coated with dressing.

Turn veggies out onto heated grill and spread evenly.

Cook until lightly browned and turn over as necessary rotating veggies as needed to get them evenly cooked.

When most of the veggies are cooked to your liking, scoop them onto a plate and serve!

EAT IT!!

After Thoughts:

If you're so inclined, serve with a liberal sprinkling of grated parmesan.

Some cherry tomatoes, halved, cooked with the other mixture is a great addition.

Serve as a side dish with grilled pork, steak, or sausage.

Serve over a bed of buttered pasta, for a real treat!

Ultimate Toasted cheese sammich

Ok, one of my favorite things to eat is grilled cheese sammiches. I love 'em, and they can be made in so many different combinations that it boggles the mind. Also, you can serve them with so many different things that they can become the saving grace of any diner. From potato chips and a pickle to a steaming bowl of vegetable soup, the standard diner-style grilled cheese sammy is the perfect lunch or dinner.

If you want to be crazy, you can make crazy combinations of cheese and breads. Ryes and artisan breads with all sorts of gourmet cheeses grilled in olive oil or some crazy goats milk butter. Add some sort of meat or you favorite grilled veggies to the sammich and you have a delight to go down in the cooks digest. But what I'm talking about here is that good old-fashioned comfort food, something that might remind you of what Grandma used to make on those cold winter days when you were out sledding. ( if you have never had a grandma make you something special while you were out sledding, you are missing a great part of life, so I don't wanna hear any whining about it.)

Ingredients:

Block of American Cheese from the deli - Cut into THICK slices
hearty ( dense) white bread- sliced for sammiches
soft butter

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.

butter bread on one side and place butterside down on a cookie sheet, place one thick slice of cheese on the bread and then prepare second slice of bread and place butter side out on top of cheese. (I recommend making two at once, it just easier because I always want a second one!)

Bake on center rack of oven for 8-10 minutes or until the bottom side is golden brown, flip over and bake an additional 6-10 minutes until that side is also golden. (If it's done right the cheese will be just starting to ooze from the sides of the bread. I personally like when the cheese gets to the pan and gets brown and crispy!)

Remove from oven and cut in half serve on a plate with your favorite side dishes.

EAT IT!!!

After thoughts:

This style sammich is The Best with Tomato soup, but any tomato-y soup goes great with this style sammich.

If you live in the Northeast, the best bread is Monk's Bread. Their white is perfect for this purpose.

You can make half a dozen of these at once on the cookie sheet, so it is perfect for company, because it's fast and easy.