Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Before moving here, my husband and I had lived in Michigan most of our lives so cold weather was all too familiar.  The only way to remedy this problem in the slightest way was to make some warm comforting soup.  Although, I have not lived in Michigan for almost 20 years, I still love soup.  Broccoli cheddar soup is one of our family favorites.
I have fond thoughts about this soup because a dear friend brought me a close version of this recipe right after my first child was born.  I had never tried to make broccoli cheddar soup, so it was a real treat.  It was the kind of soup I would order whenever I ate out (which was on a rare occasion).  It wasn't long after trying Sherry's soup that I was making it myself and it has remained a favorite to this day.  Do you have a favorite soup or a memory tied to a soup?

Broccoli Cheddar Soup



Ingredients:
6 tbsp. butter, divided
¾ cup onion, chopped
1 cup carrot, chopped or shredded
4 cups small broccoli florets
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
½ tsp. onion salt
½ tsp. garlic powder
4 tbsp. flour
2 cups milk
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
In a large stockpot or Dutch oven, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat.  Add the onion to the pan and sauté until tender, about 5-7 minutes.  Add the carrots to the pan and cook a couple minutes more.  Stir in the broccoli, chicken broth, onion salt and garlic powder.  Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer.
In a medium saucepan, melt remaining butter.  Add the flour and cook for 1-2 minutes until golden brown, whisking constantly.  Whisk in the milk and cook until the mixture thickens and bubbles, about 5 minutes.  Once the mixture has thickened, whisk in the cheese until completely melted.  Remove from the heat and add the cheese sauce to the soup pot.  Allow to simmer until warmed through and broccoli is tender.  Season with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.  If desired, puree the soup with an immersion blender for a smooth texture.
Source: Annie’s Eats original

Blackberry Scones

   It has been such a beautiful winter.  Most days have been sunny and mild, really it doesn't feel like winter weather and that's okay with me.  I am a warm weather kind of gal.  This week though, it has felt chilly to me, which meant it was time to bake something warm and yummy for breakfast. If ever I ask my youngest daughter what should I bake for breakfast, she says, "Scones." So  scones it was.  Now, which kind of scone? So many to choose from. Then I remembered I had just bought blackberries.  It was a no-brainer from there. Phew! that's good because sometimes I  just hate decisions like that.

  The grocery store just had big beautiful blackberries on sale so I bought some for eating and baking. So count yourself informed that there shall be some delicious blackberry recipes coming soon, well more delicious blackberry recipes because these definitely are blackberry and delicious.

Blackberry Scones

2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

zest of 1 lemon
1/3 cup butter, chilled
3/4 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup blackberries, fresh or frozen
1 tbsp coarse sugar, for topping

Preheat oven to 400F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, lemon zest and salt. Cut butter into 6-8 chunks and add to flour mixture, tossing to coat. Using your fingertips, rub the butter into the flour until mixture is sandy and butter is well distributed, with no pieces larger than a big pea.
Combine milk and vanilla extract and pout into flour mixture. Stir until dough comes together.Add blackberries and gently knead into the dough. It is ok if some berries get slightly squished.
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and flatten dough into a disc about 3/4-inch thick. Use a knife to divide disc into six triangles. Place scones on prepared baking sheet.
Sprinkle generously with coarse sugar.
Bake for 20 minutes, until scones are golden brown.

These were beautiful and delicious!

Adapted from Baking Bites.com

Meringue Candy

A couple of days ago I helped coordinate the wedding reception for my friend's daughter.  It was a special day, as most wedding days are and I was so glad to be such a big part of it.  I so wanted it to be all they had hoped for.  So much time and prayer went into the preparations and planning. So much thought was given to even the smallest of details. These meringues were one of the tiny contributions I provided for the dessert table.  I love to make these. They are so festive and pretty.
Speaking of festive and pretty, I  really  think the reception turned out great and I had so much fun pulling it off with my dear friend, Kelli. Kelli is one of the most talented women I know personally.  She can do almost anything and do it well.  Do you have someone in your life like that?  On top of all her talents she is also a very Godly person, a real joy to be around. And no she doesn't read my blog, so she will never know I told you about her, but it's okay. It's just a part of the story about the wedding and a highlight of  coordinating the reception. Even if you don't coordinate a reception, you really should make these for some special occasion just because they are so fun.

Meringue Candy Gems
Basic Recipe
3 egg whites, at room temperature
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
3/4 cup fine white sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
Flavorings - see below
Mocha Meringues
2 teaspoons instant coffee or espresso powder
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
Vanilla
1 teaspoon vanilla

Cotton Candy Meringues 
(This is another variety to try.)

Approximately 36 cookies                                    

2 egg whites, at room temperature

Pinch of cream of tartar

1/2 cup finely ground cotton candy granules

*Note: Grind cotton candy granules in a food processor until slightly powdery.

 Heat oven to 170ºF. Beat egg whites until foamy. Add cream of tartar and beat until soft, bubbly peaks form. The peaks will still flop over; they're like bubble bath still. Turn the mixers to high and add the sugar a couple tablespoons at a time. As they get glossy, beat in the flavorings. The texture should be glossy and tacky, with peaks that stand straight up. Pipe onto parchment-covered sheets. The parchment is essential; these will stick like crazy. Bake for about one and a quarter hours then turn off the oven and let them cool, or leave in oven overnight. They should be completely dry with no chewiness inside.

Aren't they so pretty?

Homemade Vanilla Marshmallows

A couple of years ago, we went to visit our son and he had bought some homemade gourmet marshmallows for some fancy hot chocolate he had also bought for us. They were tasty and it had never crossed my mind that I could make these until I saw them on a blog one day.  He was going to be home for Christmas so I thought I should surprise him with these fun tasty treats that he had once bought for us.  I thought he would really get a kick out of it and he did, I think.:))  These are so easy to make and so much better than the store bought marshmallows, especially when they are partially melted in some hot cocoa.  You really should try them.

Ingredients

• 3 packages unflavored gelatin
• 1 cup ice cold water, divided
• 12 ounces granulated sugar, approximately 1 1/2 cups
• 1 cup light corn syrup
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• Nonstick spray

Directions

Place the gelatin into the bowl of a stand mixer along with 1/2 cup of the water. Have the whisk attachment standing by.

In a small saucepan combine the remaining 1/2 cup water, granulated sugar, corn syrup and salt. Place over medium high heat, cover and allow to cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Uncover, clip a candy thermometer onto the side of the pan and continue to cook until the mixture reaches 240 degrees F, approximately 7 to 8 minutes. Once the mixture reaches this temperature, immediately remove from the heat.
Turn the mixer on low speed and, while running, slowly pour the sugar syrup down the side of the bowl into the gelatin mixture. Once you have added all of the syrup, increase the speed to high. Continue to whip until the mixture becomes very thick and is lukewarm, approximately 12 to 15 minutes. Add the vanilla during the last minute of whipping. While the mixture is whipping prepare the pans as follows.

Combine the confectioners' sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl. Lightly spray a 13 by 9-inch metal baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Add the sugar and cornstarch mixture and move around to completely coat the bottom and sides of the pan. Return the remaining mixture to the bowl for later use.

When ready, pour the mixture into the prepared pan, using a lightly oiled spatula for spreading evenly into the pan. Dust the top with enough of the remaining sugar and cornstarch mixture to lightly cover. Reserve the rest for later. Allow the marshmallows to sit uncovered for at least 4 hours and up to overnight.
Turn the marshmallows out onto a cutting board and cut into 1-inch squares using a pizza wheel dusted with the confectioners' sugar mixture. Once cut, lightly dust all sides of each marshmallow with the remaining mixture, using additional if necessary. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks.

Skillet Sweet Potato, Sausage, and Spinach Hash

This recipe is not only delicious but it is so versatile also.  You could eat this for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.  Although I like it for lunch and dinner the blog that the recipe came from served it for breakfast.  Some weeks are so busy it's nice to have lunch and dinner ready and waiting just to be reheated.  This was perfect for that and it was still tasty even when reheated. Well, this happens to be one of those busy weeks so I have to run.  I will have some pictures and recipes for you next week from a wedding that I helped coordinate.  Fun stuff!

                                 Skillet Sweet Potato, Sausage, and Spinach Hash
                                 2 small to medium sweet potatoes, peeled and diced (or one large)
                                 1 apple, peeled cored and diced
                                 2 tablespoon coconut oil, divided
                                 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, optional
                                 2 Mild Italian chicken sausages, removed from casing
                                 2 to 3 large cups of baby spinach
                                 1/3 cup sweet yellow onion, diced
                                 salt and pepper to taste
 Instructions:
          In a large nonstick skillet heat 1 tablespoon coconut oil over medium-high heat. Once heated, add      diced sweet potatoes and apples.  Add a pinch or two of sea salt and cinnamon to the pan. Cook sweet potatoes and apples until cooked and softened.  I prefer my sweet potatoes to be slightly browned.
While the sweet potatoes are cooking, heat a large skillet with 1 tablespoon coconut oil over medium heat.  Add to skillet the chicken (or pork) sausage and onion making sure to break the sausage up in small pieces while it cooks.  Once the chicken is no longer pink in color and completely cooked add spinach to the skillet.  Don’t worry the spinach will wilt down when cooked.  The spinach should wilt down within 1 to 2 minutes.  Once spinach is cooked add the sweet potato apple mixture to pan and stir to combine all.

Recipe from Multiply Delicious via Pinterest

Sweet potatoes not only taste good but are good for you as well.  I wanted to share some nutritionl facts about sweet potatoes for those interested.

Sweet Potato Nutrition Facts – Health Benefits of the Sweet Potato

By Rob Poulos..
What’s important to know about the sweet potato is that it is packed with lots of things that promote good health, which is a crucial factor in burning fat for weight loss. Let’s start with the vitamins found in one medium sweet potato.
The most abundant vitamin found in a sweet potato is vitamin A, which gives you more than 300% of your daily value of vitamin A. That bright orange color (for which beta carotene is partially responsible) that makes the sweet potato stand out in a crowd is (part of) what makes them so nutritious.
Other vitamins found in relatively high quantity in the sweet potato include vitamins C B5 and B6, which all contribute to general health and fat loss.
What’s more important about sweet potato nutrition facts is that this vegetable is low in calories, especially for the nutritional impact it has on health and fat burning. With just 112 calories in 1 sweet potato (more than enough to satisfy your appetite), you’ll be happy to know that you’re getting plenty of potassium (13%), copper (10%) and manganese (17%) in those calories!
When it comes to fat burning, one sweet potato gives you 2 grams of protein, nearly 4 grams of fiber and more than 26 grams of carbohydrates so you get plenty of fat burning nutrients and energy to help you burn a little more.

You Have To Try This Sweet Balsamic Dressing ( Salad with Avocado, Almonds, and Cranberries)

                                            This dressing is ridiculously good.  It makes me want to eat a salad every day. 

 After  posting so many sweets last week I thought maybe I should let you guys know that I do eat real food .  Although I like to eat healthy, I am all for my sugar too.  I love to have a dessert  a day. I'm not sure what I like more, the eating or the making of the sweet sugary foods.  Actually, I think I like to make it more.  Crazy huh?  And trust me I like to eat it...but there is something about the art of cooking that is so relaxing to me. Even though this isn't sugary, I really do love it.  I think I like wholesome food just as much as sugary foods. This is a great salad and come to think of it, it is a little sweet because the dressing has a little sugar in it but also because of the cranberries and the pears.  I hope you like it too.  Do you think cooking is relaxing, creative and fun?


Ingredients for the dressing:

⅓ cup sugar
1 ½ tablespoons poppy seeds
1 ½ tablespoons sesame seeds
½ teaspoon paprika
2 teaspoons dried mustard
1 tablespoon minced sweet onion
½ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ cup white balsamic vinegar
⅓ cup vegetable oil

⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil

Ingredients for the salad:
Romaine Lettuce ( enough for 8)
2 medium avocados, peeled and halved
¾ cup dried cranberries
¾ cup of  candied spiced almonds or just plain slivered almonds

Directions:
1. For the dressing, combine all ingredients in a pint sized glass jar and shake well to dissolve sugar.

2. For the salad, place greens  in a large bowl. Add avocado and dried cranberries and about 1/4 cup of the dressing and toss gently. Scatter candied almonds over salad and sprinkle lightly with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Pass extra dressing at the table.

6 dinner size salads, 8 side salads

I also  like to add sliced  pears to this salad .

Source:  Adapted from an unknown  source

Homade Yogurt and Granola

Have you ever tried to make homemade yogurt?  I sure hadn't.  The times have changed though.  I thought it would taste gross and be too time consuming.  Boy, did I have a lot to learn.  I picked up a yogurt maker last year after trying homemade yogurt at a friends house. It was just so delicious.  To my amazement non-sweetened yogurt was actually good( and I really do mean amazement, I had predetermined before the first bite I was going to have to choke it down to be polite. You can imagine how happy I was when I actually liked it:)).  Unlike the store, it isn't bitter.  It's creamy and then when you add fruit to it, it's simply divine. Perfectly sweetened, without being filled with sugar. We eat yogurt almost every day and it's so nice to be able to make my own with organic milk and without sugar. An added bonus is that it is about half the price of store bought organic yogurt and requires very little work. By the way, if it isn't sweet enough for you, you can add your own sweetener( honey, maple syrup, agave or sugar) before you eat it.

I also have grown to love granola, well... homemade granola.  I  love to try new varieties. I enjoy being able to choose which nuts, dried fruits, fiber, sweeteners and grains will be combined. Does it seem like a lot of work? It comes together quickly, you just need to stay in the kitchen while it bakes to give it a stir a few times.  If you don't stir, the edges will get burned and it won't be evenly browned.  See, it's really not too time consuming or hard.  I usually will make a double or triple batch because it will last a couple of weeks in an air-tight container. I also made a blueberry sauce to go over our yogurt and granola and we love it so much that we ate it everyday for almost a week.  We didn't have to but we wanted to. It was just that good.

Homemade Granola

Ingredients:
1/3 cup slivered almonds
 3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats*
1 cup rice krispies or puffed rice
3 tablespoons canola oil
¼ cup sunflower seeds
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1/4cup honey and 1/4cup pure maple syrup
1/4cup brown sugar (optional)
2 tablespoons ground flaxseeds
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup raisins

*Note – Do not substitute quick-cooking or instant rolled oats in this recipe, or the granola will taste sandy rather than crunchy.

Directions:
Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 325 degrees. Toast the almonds in a 12‑inch skillet over medium heat, stirring often, until fragrant and beginning to darken, about 3 minutes. Stir in the oats and oil and continue to toast until the oats begin to turn golden, about 2 minutes. Stir in the sunflower seeds and sesame seeds and continue to toast until the mixture turns golden, about 2 minutes.

Off the heat, stir in the honey,maple syrup, flaxseeds,rice krispies, and salt until well coated. Spread the granola evenly over a large rimmed baking sheet. Bake, stirring every few minutes, until the granola is light golden brown, about 15 minutes.

Stir in the raisins. With a spatula, push the granola onto one half of the baking sheet and press gently into a 1/2‑inch-thick slab. Let the granola cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes. Loosen the dried granola with a spatula, break into small clusters, and serve.  The granola can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

Per 1/2‑Cup Serving: Cal 230; Fat 11g; Sat Fat 1g; Chol 0mg; Carb 32g; Protein 5g; Fiber 4g; Sodium 55mg

Homemade Yogurt

 4 cups organic 2% milk ( I actually just measure my milk by the containers that come with the yogurt maker)1/3 cup of powdered milk (optional)1/2 cup organic yogurt (this will be your starter)

Making yogurt begins with milk. Slowly heat the milk on the stove over low-medium heat.
At this point you can choose to add powdered milk. Powdered milk creates thicker yogurt that takes less time to ferment. It's optional if you are using whole milk or two percent. Some skim and one percent milk include added milk proteins which make the product taste less watery and will behave the same way as if you added powdered milk.
For your first batch we are going to go with two-percent milk plus *1/3 cup of powdered milk. This combination of milk with the powder will produce a delicious, basic yogurt.
The most tedious thing about making yogurt is watching the milk get hot. You need it to hit 170 degrees, but not have it boil. So you want to pay attention to the pot and have a thermometer at hand. Once you've hit the target temperature, remove from heat and then wait for the milk to cool. Unless you put the pot in the refrigerator it will take some time to cool to 108-112 degrees.
Have your starter yogurt handy in a cup. When the milk is cooled to the proper temperature, mix a small amount it in with the yogurt. This will break up the yogurt and makes blending it with the rest of the milk easier. Once you add the starter, the milk can be placed in the pre-heated yogurt maker for four to eight hours. Refrigerate before serving.

* I rarely add powdered milk even to my 2 percent milk and it turns out just fine every time.  The directions may sound more detailed than the process really is.  The only trick it heating the milk and then the time you have to wait until it cools back down to room temperature.

Yogurt boasts high calcium content, protein and B vitamins. Perhaps most importantly, scientists have proven that live cultures help maintain a delicate balance of microorganisms in the body, promoting healthy digestive and immune systems. The best way to enjoy these health benefits is to make yogurt yourself with fresh, organic milk. 

Homemade Blueberry Sauce

If you want to make the blueberry sauce also it's real simple.  Place a bag of frozen blueberries in a pan with just enough water to cover the bottom of the pan.  Cook the berries until bubbly and most of the liquid has evaporated.  The juices will thicken in the refrigerator, so if it's a little runny it will thicken as it cools. I also add a carton of fresh blueberries once I remove the pan from the heat. Give it a stir. Cool to room temperature and refrigerate.

Recipes adapted from the blogs of Annies-Eats ( granola ) and 101 Cookbooks( yogurt )