Broccoli & Cheddar Soup

Ahhh Saturday morning! I love sitting and enjoying a nice cup of coffee on the one day of the week I don't have to do anything. A simple thing to take pleasure in, but sometimes its just so nice to sit down and take a little breather. I still have lots to do today and tomorrow in preparation for having some of the office ladies over to my place tomorrow evening, but those things can wait while I drink my coffee. :)

Last night I was feeling a little drained after a busy week at work, so I opted for an easy and healthy dinner that hubby and I could feel good about after eating. I made a Broccoli & Cheddar soup from my new cookbook The Looneyspoons Collection by Janet & Greta Podleski. I have one of their previously published cookbooks called Eat, Shrink and Be Merry and quite honestly, I love both cookbooks. Janet & Greta do a great job lightening up everyday recipes without using obscure or expensive ingredients and this soup was no exception. The short ingredient list, easy preparation instructions and quick cooking time made this soup really appealing (not to mention the fabulous end result).

Broccoli & Cheddar Soup
Recipe adapted from The LooneySpoons Collection

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 cup chopped onions
• 1/4 cup chopped celery
• 3 cloves minced garlic
• 1/2 tsp  each dried tarragon and celery salt
• 3 cups chicken broth (I used homemade turkey stock)
• 1 large potato, peeled and diced
• 3 cups small broccoli florets
• 1 cup whole milk
• 2 tbsp all purpose flour
• 3/4 cup packed shredded old cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp hot pepper sauce (or to taste)

Method:

1. Heat olive oil in large pot over medium heat. Add onions and celery. Cook and stir until veggies begin to soften, about five minutes. Add garlic, tarragon and celery salt. Cook 30 more seconds until fragrant. Add broth and potatoes. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low. Cover and simmer for five minutes. Add broccoli and simmer for 7 more minutes, until broccoli and potatoes are tender.
2. Carefully transfer soup to a blender. Puree until smooth and silky. Return pureed soup to pot over low heat. Whisk together milk and flour until smooth. Add to soup. Increase heat to medium and cook until mixture is bubbly and has thickened, stirring constantly. Add both cheeses, pepper, hot pepper sauce and salt. Stir until cheeses are melted. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.

Thats all there is to it. I'm pretty excited to enjoy a nice bowl of this leftover soup for lunch on this cold, rainy Saturday. Have a fantastic weekend peeps!

Happy Cooking my Friends!

Smoky Roasted Chicken and Corn Chowder

I don't make soup very often - I'm not really much of a soup eater, but it seems that sometimes I just have to make soup! I liked the sound of this low-fat corn chowder recipe, and knew that my hubby would love it, so I decided to give it a try. I found the recipe in my Eat Shrink and Be Merry cookbook put out by Janet & Greta Podleski (which is a really fantastic cookbook!!). The soup was creamy, thick and delicious and as a bonus really quick and easy to make!


Smoky Roasted Chicken and Corn Chowder
Recipe from Eat Shrink and Be Merry, p. 59

Ingredients:

• 4 slices bacon, chopped
• 1 cup sliced onions
• 1/2 cup each diced celery and diced red bell pepper
• 2 tsp minced garlic
• 1 1/2 tbsp minced fresh thyme
• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 1 can (385 ml) fat-free evaporated milk
• 1 can diced tomatoes (540ml), well drained
• 1 can (398ml) cream-style corn
• 2 cups chopped roasted chicken breast (buy one of those roasted chickens from the grocery store to save yourself a lot of work and use the extra chicken for dinner the next night!)
• 1 tbsp hickory-flavored bbq sauce
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp salt

Method:

1. Cook chopped bacon in large non-stick soup pot over med-high heat until lightly browned, but not crisp. Stir in onions, celery, red pepper and garlic. Cook and stir until vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes.
2. Add thyme and flour. Mix well. Stir in broth and evaporated milk. Bring mixture to gentle boil and stir continuously until soup thickens slightly.
3. Reduce heat to med-low. Stir in remaining ingredients. Cover and let simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionaly. Serve hot.

Enjoy!

As you can see, this recipe is quite simple and quick to make. It is great served with some nice biscuits (you could make them from scratch if you're feeling ambitious - or just buy some nice buns from your local bakery!). More posts to follow over the next few days - I have so many things to tell you about from my vacation! In the mean time - keep on cooking and baking - would love it if you share some of your endeavours with me!