Loaded Broccoli Cheese and Bacon Soup

We had a few couples over for dinner last night and everyone LOVED this soup! 

Loaded Broccoli Cheese and Bacon Soup

Yield: Serves 8

You could easily use turkey bacon here especially since the bacon grease is drained before proceeding with the recipe. Alternately, if you like to live life on the edge, you can use the bacon grease for the base of the white sauce and omit the butter (just make sure you have at least 3 tablespoons, otherwise, supplement with butter). This soup is definitely on the thicker side of things; if you want a thinner soup, consider decreasing the broccoli by half (only using 2 cups or so) or adding additional broth at the beginning or the end.

Ingredients

• 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup peeled and chopped carrots, diced small
• 1 cup chopped celery, diced small
• 3 cups peeled and chopped potatoes, diced small
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• 4-5 cups broccoli crowns, diced small (about 2 heads of broccoli)
• 4-6 slices bacon, chopped
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1/3 cup flour
• 3 cups milk
• 4 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese (about 16 ounces)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried mustard

Directions

1. In a large saucepan, combine the chicken broth, carrots, celery, potatoes and onion. Bring the mixture to a boil, cover and simmer for 10 minutes, until the vegetables are starting to get tender.
2. Add the chopped broccoli. Cover and simmer for another 10 minutes. The pan is going to be very full of vegetables and it might seem like it isn't "soupy" enough since the vegetables overpower the broth but I promise it will all work out when you add the cheese mixture.
3. In a separate medium saucepan, saute the bacon until golden and crisp. Remove the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate. Drain the grease and wipe out the saucepan.
4. Melt the butter (in the same saucepan you cooked the bacon in) over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1-2 minutes until golden, stirring constantly. Gradually whisk in the milk and cook until the mixture is bubbling and is slightly thickened, 5-7 minutes.
5. Stir in the cheddar cheese one handful at a time, adding another handful after the cheese that has been added has melted. Stir in the salt, pepper and dry mustard.
6. Slowly stir the cheese sauce into the hot broth and vegetables, whisking to combine well. Stir in the reserved bacon and add additional salt and pepper to taste, if needed. If you want the soup a bit thinner, stir in a little extra broth or milk a bit at a time until you get the consistency you are looking for.

Pumpkin Pie Cake

Preheat oven to 350
Bake time is 1 hr. 20 min.              
Makes a 9 x 13          

Crust:
1 box yellow cake mix, with 1 c. reserved for topping
1 egg
1/2 c. butter, melted

Filling:
4 eggs, slightly beaten
1  29 oz. can pumpkin
1 1/2 c. sugar
1/2 t. salt
2 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. nutmeg
1/2 t. cloves
2  12 oz. cans evaporated milk (I used fat-free 'cause that's all I had and would use it again)

Topping:
1 c. reserved cake mix
1/2 c. sugar
1 1/2 t. cinnamon
1/2 c. butter, softened
1 c. chopped pecans, optional (Dad asked for more pecans next time)

From a box of yellow cake mix, remove 1 c. of dry mix and set aside for topping.  Combine remaining cake mix with egg and melted butter.  Pat into bottom of 9 x 13 glass baking dish.  No need to spray or grease pan!  Set aside.

For filling, mix together 4 eggs, pumpkin, sugar and spices until combined.  Then mix in 2 cans evaporated milk.  Pour over crust and set aside.

For topping, mix together reserved cup of cake mix, 1/2 c. sugar, 1/2 c. softened butter and the pecans until the texture of cornmeal and sprinkle over pumpkin filling.  I used a pastry blender tool, but 2 forks works too.  (Don't worry, it doesn't stay on top, but sinks and magically floats to top as it bakes!)

Bake at 350 for approximately 1 hour and 20 min or until pumpkin filling tests done by slipping a knife into the center and comes out "set" not runny.  (Mine was done right at the suggested time.)

Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

Dad likes this better than pumpkin pie...and that's saying something!

Grilled Pork Chops with Basil Garlic Rub

4 bone in ribeye pork chops

2 garlic cloves, peeled
1 c. fresh basil, packed
2 T. lemon juice
2 T extra virgin olive oil
1 t. coarse salt
1/2 t. black pepper

With machine running, drop garlic through feed tube of food processor to mince. Stop, add fresh basil, and process until chopped. Add lemon juice, oil. salt and pepper and process to make thin wet rub. Spread on both sides of pork chops. Let stand 15-30 minutes.

Prepare a medium hot fire in grill. Brush the grate clean and oil the grate. Grill chops, over direct heat, turning once, to medium rare doneness, 5 to 6 minutes per side.

Trick or Treat Chex Mix

1/2 box Corn Chex
1/4 box Golden Grahams
1/2 c coconut

1 c. sugar
1 c. Karo syrup
3/4 c. butter
1 t. vanilla

1 c. candy corn
1 c. M&M's

Combine cereal and coconut in a large bowl. In a small saucepan combine sugar, Karo and butter. Boil for 2 minutes and then add 1 tsp. vanilla. Pour over cereal and stir to coat. Add candy corn and M&M's. Spread onto wax paper to cool.

Gingerbread Squares

1 pkg (14.5 oz) gingerbread cake mix
1/2 c. butter, melted
3 eggs, divided
1 8 oz pkg cream cheese, softened
4 1/2 c. powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350. In a medium bowl combine cake mix, melted butter and 1 egg. Spread evenly in 2 greased 8" square baking pans. In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese and 2 eggs. Add powdered sugar. Spread evenly over gingerbread layer in each pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes.

*I learned the hard way that you cannot make this is a 9x13. So don't try!

Pumpkin Cream Pie

12 jars (half pint, wide mouth)

Graham Cracker Crust
1 1/2 c. crushed graham crackers
1/3 c. sugar
6 T butter, melted

Mix together and press in bottom of each jar. Refrigerate while making the filling.

1 c. pumpkin
2 c. cold milk
2 boxes (3.5 oz) instant vanilla pudding
1 t. pumpkin pie spice
1 c. whipped topping, thawed

Combine all ingredients on low speed for 1 minute. Spoon filling into jars. Top with additional cool whip, chill for three hours.

This is my favorite fall gift for teachers and friends. You can also buy a graham cracker crust and make it into a pie.

Chicken and Butternut Squash Quinoa Stew

We all loved this soup...even the kids! I used precut squash that they usually have year round at Walmart. Why, might you ask, am I making soup in 100 degree weather. Well it was 99 and I was cold so I made soup.

Chicken and Butternut Squash Quinoa Stew

Yield: Serves 6

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs or chicken breasts
• 1 can (14-oz) petite or regular diced tomatoes
• 3 cups chopped butternut squash (about 1 medium squash, peeled and seeded)
• 2/3 cup uncooked quinoa
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1-2 cups chopped fresh spinach

Directions

1. In a large 4 quart pot heat the olive oil until hot. Add the chopped onions, oregano, and garlic. Saute for 5-7 minutes, stirring often, until the onion is softened. Add the broth and bring to a boil. Add the chicken and boil until the chicken is cooked, 7-9 minutes. Remove the chicken to a plate.
2. Add the tomatoes, butternut squash, and quinoa. Simmer for 15 minutes until the squash is tender and quinoa is cooked. If desired, scoop out some of the squash, mash it and return it to the pot. Shred the cooked chicken and return to the pot. Add the salt and pepper, adding more salt to taste, if needed. Stir in the spinach. Cook 1-2 minutes until the spinach is wilted. Serve warm.

Chocolate Pots de Creme

Ok, so I recently bought some ramekins and was pretty excited to use them! Besides pazookies I was wondering what else to use them for. I opened up my handy dandy America's Test Kitchen Cookbook and found Creme Brulee and these chocolate pudding pots. It was hard to wait the 4 hrs which I only waited 2 just to see what the texture difference would be. :) It's much better the longer they sit as I just tried it for breakfast the next day.
Instead of writing out the whole recipe I'll just send yummy reviews and a page number-742.
*I used the Ghiradelli bittersweet bar-you'll need two of them.

Little Quinoa Patties

I've had this recipe in my binder for a while and finally got around to making it. We're big fans of quinoa in our house and I like to make it on days that I don't feel like having meat for dinner. I cook my quinoa(in chicken broth) in my pressure cooker which takes 2 minutes to cook! I've never made it on the stove but I think it only takes 15 minutes. I didn't have fresh parsley, but I think next time I make these I would prefer the fresh over the dry. 1 cup dry quinoa makes about 3 to 3 1/2 cups cooked quinoa. I am freezing one patty that I had left over to see if it freezes well. I'll report back! Also, I didn't have time for the quinoa to cool down to room temp. so I put it in the freezer for a few minutes and it worked like a charm. 

Little Quinoa Patties

Yield: Makes 11-12 patties

Note: I like to cook my quinoa in low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth. It adds more flavor. If you choose to cook the quinoa in water, you might need to add a bit more salt to compensate. Also, don't forget to rinse the quinoa before cooking - it makes a huge difference! Also, you can probably tell that this recipe is extremely adaptable. Quinoa works well with nearly any flavor, so feel free to change things around, up the spices, add onions, peppers, different kind(s) of cheese. Really, the sky's the limit here.

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups cooked quinoa, room temperature
• 4 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped flat leaf parsley
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1 cup finely crushed saltine or Ritz crackers or bread crumbs, plus more if needed
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Directions

1. Combine the quinoa, eggs, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Stir in the parsley, cheese and garlic. Add the cracker or bread crumbs. Stir the mixture until combined. If the mixture seems overly wet, add a tablespoon or two more of cracker or bread crumbs. If it seems too dry, add a tablespoon or two of water or broth. Let it stand for about five minutes so the liquid can be somewhat absorbed. Take small handfuls of the mixture and form into little patties, about 1-inch thick, yielding about 11 or 12 patties.
2. In a large, nonstick skillet, heat the tablespoon olive oil over medium heat until it is hot. Add a single layer of patties (about half of them if you are using a 12-inch skillet) and cook until the bottoms are well-browned, about 5-7 minutes, adjusting the heat as necessary to prevent burning (or increase heat if the patties aren't browning well). Flip the patties and cook about 5 minutes more until the second side is golden brown. Remove from the skillet and repeat with the remaining patties (adding a bit more olive oil, if needed). Serve warm or at room temperature.

Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Sour Cream Potato Salad

Dressing

4 hard cooked eggs, separated

2/3 c. mayonaise

¾ c. sour cream

1 ½ t. mustard

1/3 c. Italian salad dressing

1 t. salt

Salad

½ lb. bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled

1/3 c. chopped green onion

7 c. potatoes, cooked, cooled and cubed (about 7 medium potatoes)

1 c. celery, diced or abt. 1 t. celery seeds

-Mash egg yolks and blend with mayonaise, sour cream, mustard and salad dressing in a small  bowl.

-Chop egg whites and combine with bacon, onion, celery and potatoes in a large bowl.

-Gently combine dressing and salad ingredients.  Refrigerate.

Ham, Egg and Cheese Bake

I don't know about you, but do you ever have those nights when you have no clue whats for dinner and there's not much in the fridge?  I have them far too often, especially in the summer.  I found this recipe in a magazine about 5 years ago and I love it because it is easy and really good.  

The recipe calls for regular monterey jack cheese but I have substituted that with monterey jack cheese with red peppers and dang its so good! (found it at Target)

6 slices white bread, crust trimmed and cut into 1" pieces

8 oz ham, diced (I buy the pre-diced pkg)

2 1/2 cups shredded monterey jack cheese

3 Tbls finely chopped green onions

6 lg eggs

1/2 c milk

salt and pepper

2 roma tomatoes, thinkly sliced

**note you can substitute whatever cheese or meat you may have on hand like bacon or sausage and cheddar or swiss

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a 2qt baking dish.  Layer the bread, ham, 2 cups cheese and 2 Tbsp green onion in the dish.  In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, 1/4 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper.  Pour in to the dish and top with the tomato slices in an even layer.

2.  Bake the eggs until nearly set, about 30 minutes.  Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 c cheese and 1 Tbls green onions on top and bake until golden  (I skip the extra green onions, but add to your liking)

Peaches and Cream Sensation

YIELD: SERVES 8

Note: To moderate the sweetness of this dessert, it's best to taste your peaches before making the dessert. If they are overly sweet, decrease the powdered sugar in the cream mixture. If they aren't very sweet, you might consider increasing the amount of powdered sugar by a bit to help the peaches out a little. Also, in case anyone wonders, I haven't made this or tried it with canned or frozen peaches.

INGREDIENTS

Crust:
• 2 sleeves graham crackers, crushed (about 2 1/2 - 3 cups)
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 12 tablespoons butter (1 1/2 sticks), melted
Creamy Filling:
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 8 ounces cream cheese, light or regular, softened to room temperature
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups heavy whipping cream, chilled
• 5-6 fresh peaches, peeled, pitted and sliced thinly

DIRECTIONS

1. In a medium bowl, stir together the graham cracker crumbs and granulated sugar. Stir in the melted butter until combined. Take out 1/3 cup of the crumbs and set aside for later. Press the remaining mixture on the bottom of a 9X13-inch pan. Refrigerate the crust while preparing the rest of the dessert.
2. In a large bowl using an electric handheld mixer or in the bowl of an electric stand mixer, beat together the powdered sugar and cream cheese until light and smooth. Mix in the vanilla. Pour in the cold heavy cream and mix on low (to avoid spatters) until the mixture starts to come together. Increase the speed to medium-high and mix until the mixture is thick and fluffy.
3. Spread a thin layer of the cream filling over the chilled crust, about 1 1/2 cups of the mixture. Layer the sliced peaches over the top of the cream. Dollop the remaining cream over the top of the peaches in large blobs and spread carefully to cover the peaches completely. Spread the cream filling all the way to the edges of the pan so that the peaches are well sealed inside the cream (otherwise if prepared in advance, the air can make the peaches turn an off-brown color). Sprinkle the reserved graham cracker mixture over the top. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours or up to 12 hours before serving. Cut into pieces, scoop onto a plate and serve.

Why I love this dessert:  it' yummy (hello it has the word "Cream" in it!)  easy to make, quick, if you are a fast peach slicer:) makes a lot and doesn't require use of the oven.  Say no more, you should make this!

The Best Blueberry Muffins

Made this recipe I got off of Mel's Kitchen Cafe and they were quite yummy! I used fresh blueberrries. Note: I  have started using parchment paper cupcake liners and I love them!

Yield: Makes 12-16 muffins

Note: I’ve made these with fresh or frozen blueberries…both work great but use fresh, if you can. I’ve also made them eliminating the blueberry syrup step and tossing both cups of blueberries in with the flour mixture. You don’t get the delicious blueberry syrup effect on top of the muffin, but they do come together more quickly and are packed with blueberries (still top them with the lemon-sugar mixture).

Ingredients

Lemon-Sugar Topping:
• 1/3 cup sugar
• zest from one lemon
Muffins:
• 2 cups frozen blueberries (or 2 cups fresh)
• 1 1/8 cups (8 ounces) plus 1 teaspoon sugar
• 2 1/2 cups (12 1/2 ounces) all-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• 4 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled slightly
• 1/4 cup oil (vegetable or canola)
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions

1. For the topping, stir together sugar and lemon zest in a small bowl and set aside.
2. For the muffins, adjust an oven rack to the middle position and preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a standard muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray. Rinse one cup frozen berries under cold water and spread on a double layer of paper towels to dry well. Bring remaining one cup berries and 1 teaspoon sugar to simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, mashing berries with a spoon several times and stirring frequently, until the berries have broken down and the mixture is thickened and reduced to about 1/3 cup, about 6-8 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl and cool to room temperature, about 10 to 15 minutes.
3. Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl. Toss the berries that have dried on the paper towels in with the flour mixture. Whisk remaining 1 1/8 cups sugar and eggs together in a medium bowl until thick, about 45 seconds. Slowly whisk in the butter and oil until combined. Whisk in the buttermilk and vanilla until combined. Using a rubber spatula, fold egg mixture into flour mixture until just moistened. The batter will be lumpy with a few dry spots of flour – don’t overmix. This is the key to moist and tender muffins.
4. Using ice cream scoop or large spoon, fill the muffin cups until they are about 3/4 full. Spoon a teaspoon of cooked berry mixture into the center of each mound of batter. Using a skewer (or a chopstick), gently swirl the berry filling into the batter using a figure eight motion. Sprinkle lemon sugar evenly over the muffins.
5. Bake until the top of the muffins are golden and just firm, 17-18 minutes. Cool muffins in the muffin tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and cool 5 minutes before serving.

Cobb Salad Stuffed Pitas

1 bag shredded lettuce
1-2 Roma tomatoes, diced
1 avocado, diced
1 cucumber, diced
1 1/2 c. cooked ham, diced
1/4 c. cooked bacon, diced
1 chicken breast, cooked and diced
2 hard boiled eggs, diced

Ranch dressing
6-8 Pita Pocket Halves

In a large bowl combine all ingredients. Drizzle ranch dressing and stir until desired consistency. Using tongs, stuff cobb salad mixture into pita pockets. Serve chilled. Serves 6-8.