Cheesy Cream of Broccoli Soup

In our part of the world, winter is still going strong.

"File photo" Why take another photo
when you already have enough snow pictures? LOL!

On Friday night through Saturday morning, a winter storm came through. Snow on top of snow and blustery winds along with it.

That means that it's still soup weather!!! We have soup so often at our house that one of the checkout clerks at Walmart has started asking what kind we're making this time. (Maybe it's time to choose another lane at the grocery store...)

Anyway, last week I had some fresh broccoli, so I made one of my favorites....

Cheesy Cream of Broccoli Soup

(makes about 4 large servings)

ingredients:

4 cups fresh broccoli, steamed and chopped (or a 16 ounce bag frozen broccoli florets, cooked)

1/2 cup finely chopped carrots

1/4 cup finely chopped onion

1 clove garlic, minced (or 1 teaspoon garlic powder)

1/2 teaspoon chipotle chili powder or chili powder (don't worry - it will be flavorful rather than spicy)

1/4 cup butter

4 cups chicken or vegetable broth (I like this soup better with the vegetable broth)

1 cup heavy cream (you can use a can of condensed milk for a lower fat version)

2 cups shredded cheese, or 8 ounces Velveeta, cubed

A super easy way to steam fresh broccoli is to use your Instant Pot! Use a steamer basket for this.

Put one cup of water in your Instant Pot, then insert your steamer basket. Put the broccoli in, then seal the lid. Set your IP to pressure cook on high for zero minutes. That's right. Zero. The broccoli steams while the IP is coming up to pressure. Use quick pressure release and immediately rinse the broccoli in cool water so that it stops cooking. That's it!

Once your broccoli is cooked, chop it into small pieces for your soup.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in your soup pot (I just used my Instant Pot's saute function since I had already used the pot to steam the broccoli.) Once it's melted, add the chopped carrots, onion, chili powder, and garlic. Cook and stir until the carrots have softened, about 5 to 10 minutes.

Add the broccoli and broth, then bring the soup to a boil. Add the cream and reduce the heat. Let it continue to cook without boiling until hot.

Or if you aren't quite ready to eat yet, let your soup pan sit on the stove on low to keep the soup warm, or switch your Instant Pot to the slow cook function.

About 10 minutes before serving, stir in the cheese until it's melted.

This soup is warm, hearty, and full of flavor!

Even though the weather is still wintery, I know my soup-making days are numbered until fall. I am SO looking forward to spring!

How is winter doing where you are? Is it still holding on, or is it long gone?

Jan Drexler lives in the Black Hills of South Dakota with her husband and growing family. When she isn't writing, she loves hiking in the Hills or satisfying her cross stitch addiction.

You can find Jan on Facebook, Jan Drexler, author, or her website, Jan Drexler.com.

Turkey Rice Casserole

Missy Tippens

I bought a rotisserie turkey breast last week in the deli at the grocery store. It was too dry to really enjoy as is, so I decided to make a casserole.

I used this recipe as my base: Easy Broccoli Rice Casserole at Spend with Pennies.

Here's my version, which turned out really good!

1 package of fresh broccoli (I had a pack of broccoli, cauliflower and carrots), chopped bite sized and steamed so it's still a little crisp
1 package boil-in-bag brown rice, cooked by directions
3-4 cups cubed leftover turkey (I used the whole rotisserie turkey breast)
1/4 cup chopped onion and bell peppers (I used frozen and fresh combined)
2 cans cream of mushroom soup (or 1 mushroom and 1 cream of chicken)
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup sour cream
1-1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (plus more for topping)
bread crumbs
3 Tbs butter
spices to taste (such as poultry seasoning, salt, pepper, garlic powder)

Sauté the onions and pepper in olive oil. Add in the steamed vegetables to heat through and brown them a bit. Then add in turkey to heat through.

Mix together the soup, milk, sour cream and spices. Then stir this into the veggie-turkey mix. Stir in the cheese.

Pour into a greased casserole dish. Top lightly with more cheddar cheese. Sprinkle with bread crumbs and pats of butter.

Bake at 375 degrees for about 30 minutes.

It was delicious! A bit more time-consuming than I had planned but worth it.


www.missytippens.com

The Lenten Season

We've probably talked about this before.

Lent started yesterday. Ash Wednesday, a day when many traditional churches dispense a cross of ashes to a person's forehead to remind us that Christ died for us... and lives for us. And that we are simple beings, from ashes and to ashes eventually.

That seems so very sober. And it is... but it's beautiful, too, for what are we if we don't come to spiritual and emotional terms with mortality? Our own and others?

So Lent is that season of remembrance. It's not commercialized the way Advent is, leading up to a very secular form of Christmas...

And we don't decorate the house for Lent... we wash our souls.

It's like the spring cleaning of our inner selves. We think. We pray. We resolve. We try harder...

We forgive and we ask forgiveness.

Lent can be a season of atonement and a season of doing. Of doing unto others and making ourselves available as needed.

Christ spent 40 days in the wilderness.

We spend those same 40 days in heated homes with stocked cupboards and refrigerators.

And yet we still complain.

How did he do it, I wonder? Was he tempted by all the stinkin' devil offered? Did it look so grand, the chance for amazing, awesome power???

Instead of the cross?

Oh mylanta, I am so gobsmacked by that.

So today we're looking ahead prayerfully. We're searching hearts and souls for how we can be a better person, a better family, a better community.

For God gave his only begotten son to us. To me and you and our families and EVERYONE!!!!

Oh, that God! He's something, isn't he?

I am sending you blessings during this season of prayer and atonement. I pray that your Lenten experience brings you closer to God, to your family, to your friends.... that old wrongs are repaired and new hearts are treasured.

Wishing the full blessing of this Lenten season!

Multi-published inspirational author Ruth Logan Herne is awed by God for good reason... and she does love her coffee and chocolate and diet Mt. Dew, none of which impair her driving abilities and being a true New Yorkers, she's an amazing driver... if she does say so herself!

Follow Ruthy on Twitter, friend her on facebook, stop by her website ruthloganherne.com or email her at loganherne@gmail.com. She loves to hear from folks!

Irish Soda Bread with Guest Kav Rees

I haven't been around because my mom passed away this weekend.

Kav was gracious enough to allow me to repost this timely recipe.

Irish Soda Bread with Guest Kav Rees

It's that time of year again...

I have Yankee Belle Regular, Kav Rees, here today to share a soda bread recipe just in time for St. Patrick's Day.

Nothing says Happy St. Patrick’s Day like Irish Soda Bread and it’s super easy to make. Prep time is about 10 minutes, baking time 40…within an hour you can be serving piping hot slices slathered with butter. Yum. But be prepared…soda bread doesn’t taste like yeast bread. It’s denser and saltier. You either love it or you hate it. I happen to LOVE it enough to make it all through the year. Maybe that’s the reason I haven’t conquered yeast bread yet. Soda bread is just so easy!

Why the cross on the top of the loaf?

Do you want the practical, superstitious or religious answer? Okay – I’ll give you all three:

Practical – it allows the heat to get through the thickest part of the bread so it cooks evenly

Superstitious – to let the devil out of the bread

Religious – symbolic blessing of the bread and giving thanks

Here’s the recipe – and stay tuned for a rare photo of yours truly – yes in the flesh. I believe it is the only image of me on the internet – a real Yankeebelle exclusive.

Irish Soda Bread

4 cups Flour (I used spelt, you can use all-purpose whole wheat or white or a mix)

1 ½ tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

2 tsp baking powder

2 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp butter

1 ½ cups buttermilk or sour milk

You can add raisins if you like --- as much as you like

Mix dry ingredients and cut in butter. Make a well and add milk as needed to make a soft dough. There’s a point where you have to dive in with your hands and smoosh the dough while it’s still yucky. J Just keep working it until it’s still a bit tacky. Lightly knead it for 2-3 minutes – just in your hands, don’t pummel it on a bread board. Too much handling will make the bread tough. Dough will be smooth but a wee bit sticky (it will still cling to your fingers but will pull away.) Form into a round loaf – cut a cross into the top. Place on a buttered cookie sheet. Bake at 375 for 40ish minutes. LOL. Bread will brown on top and if you look into the cross part you can see if it’s cooked through. A tap on its bottom should sound hollow. Don’t overcook so start checking around 30 minutes. Nothing tougher than overdone soda bread.

Kav kissing the blarney stone

And yes – here it is – a picture of Kav kissing the blarney stone many, many years ago when she was still nimble enough to climb the stairs and lay down on the cold stone floor.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day, everyone!

Top Five Foodie Reasons to Love Winter

Freezing temperatures have returned to the coastal plains of Texas. A rather strange twist, considering I just saw my first bluebonnets on Friday.

But since I appreciate the cold weather, and wither at the thought of summer being just on the horizon, I thought I would celebrate some of my favorite cold weather dishes. Simply click on the names for the recipes.

At the top of my cold-weather comfort food list would be Chicken and Dumplings.

My girls' great grandmother shared this recipe with me when I was a young bride. Not only was it the first homemade chicken and dumplings I'd ever had, it was the first time I'd had dumplings that weren't giant Bisquick biscuits. It was love at first bite. Ever since then, it's been my first go-to whenever cold weather sets in.

Next on my list would be Loaded Baked Potato Soup.

I think this picture pretty much says it all.

Number three has to be good old fashioned Chicken Noodle Soup.

Loaded with chicken and veggies, not to mention legendary healing properties, this soup is a delicious treat on any cold day.

Another chart-topper would be Beef Stew.

This is a sorry picture, but the meal is to die for. A bowl of hot beef stew with a slice (or two) of fresh-baked bread... That's the stuff dreams are made of.

Last, but definitely not least, is Southwest Chicken Soup.

This soup is not only flavorful, it's a crockpot meal, meaning you can toss everything together in the morning and work or play right up until dinnertime. 

As I said at the beginning of my post, we are having a late-winter freeze here in Texas. The good thing is that it never lasts for long. We'll be back in the 70s by this weekend and next week we're planning to plant our spring flowers. I know that's hard to imagine when you're still looking at piles of snow. But spring will come.

In the meantime, what are some of your favorite cold-weather meals?

Three-time Carol Award finalist Mindy Obenhaus lives on a ranch in Texas with her husband, the youngest of her five children and two dogs. She's passionate about touching readers with Biblical truths in an entertaining, and sometimes adventurous, manner. When she's not writing, she enjoys cooking and spending time with her grandchildren. Learn more at mindyobenhaus.com. 

Armadillo's Ice Cream Means Spring?

Two years ago this week, I wrote a post I called "Spring Means Armadillo's Ice Cream." (you can find that post here.) But this year...well, spring seems to be lost.

We're still in the middle of an arctic freeze, with high temperatures hovering around zero over the weekend. You'd think that would mean that we would forego celebrating the opening of our favorite local ice cream shop, but no way.

Those of us who live in the North don't let little things like snow and sub-zero temperatures stop us!

The flavor of the day was Strawberry Butter (YUM!!!), but you could also choose the standards - chocolate or vanilla.

And of course all of the delicious sundaes, shakes, and malts were available, along with the usual menu of soups, sandwiches and their signature steamburgers.

My favorite sundae creation -
the Salty Dog

But if the calendar says it's March, and Armadillo's is serving ice cream, doesn't that mean spring should be here?

This...

...instead of this?

This...

...instead of this?

This...

...and this...

...instead of this?

You would think so.

But after our cold weekend, we have a high temperature of 13° today, with blustery winds and a wind chill of -40°. That's Fahrenheit. That's cold.

I think I'll stay in and write.

Yes, there's a silver lining to every gray cloud!

Jan Drexler lives in the Black Hills of South Dakota with her husband and growing family. When she isn't writing, she loves hiking in the Hills or satisfying her cross stitch addiction.

You can find Jan on Facebook, Jan Drexler, author, or her website, Jan Drexler.com.

Apple and Gouda Pigs in a Blanket

Missy Tippens

I tried a new recipe last week that I took to a dinner and concert, where everyone at the table brought heavy hors d'oeuvres. When I started to plan what I would take, I did a Google search and came up with this recipe at the Taste of Home website. Here's a link to the original recipe (click here) for the detailed directions.

You take store bought crescent rolls and cut them into triangles.

Then you wrap the dough around thin slices of apple, gouda cheese and cocktail sausages.

Oh my goodness, they were so good!

I preheated the sausages in a skillet to try to get some of the grease out. Then I drained them on paper towels. I did not want soggy appetizers!

While those cooled, I sliced the peeled and cored apples. And sliced the gouda cheese (and tried not to eat it all! The two together are amazing!).

At this point, I forgot to take a photo of the rolled appetizers so snuck a shot of them in the oven. I made almost a double recipe (ran out of time and had to put the rest in the fridge so we wouldn't be late!). One recipe makes 24.

I almost forgot to take a photo. They had to be transported, so I packed them in a dish with paper towels to try to keep them from getting soggy yet to also keep them warm. Here's a quick peek right before we rushed out of the house. Ooey, gooey melted cheese, tasty sausages, and that bit of sweet and crisp apple all wrapped in buttery dough. YUM.

These are so simple to make if you have a little time for the prep. You should give them a try!


www.missytippens.com