Broccoli /Tomato/ Cheddar Soup

 New Recipe updated:

What do you do when you feel like eating soup and don't have any made?  You create some!!!! Today it's Broccoli/tomato/cheddar soup from my kitchen to yours. Enjoy!

 1 cup broccoli cut in large to medium pieces
1/2 cup onion diced
1/2 cup celery diced
1-32 oz Chicken or Vegetable Broth
1-10 1/4 oz. can Campbell's tomato soup ( add 2 cans if you want more tomato flavor)
2 + cups sharp cheddar cheese (I use already shredded)
American cheese(optional) If I had some I would have added some of it as well.
Hot pepper cheese (optional)
2 T olive or canola oil

Saute onion, celery and broccoli pieces in large pot over low to medium heat for approx. 5 to 10 minutes. Add chicken and tomato soups and simmer until vegetables are tender.  Remove from heat.  With an immersion blender or regular blender blend until almost all of the vegetables are incorporated. (leave a few broccoli pieces out to add after the soup is blended).  If you want to have some pieces of broccoli visible only pulse for a few minutes. Take off heat and add 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese and blend with spoon until cheese is melted thoroughly. Top with extra shredded cheddar.  Serve with croutons, crackers or pretzel bites.  You choose.

Note:  This is not a thick soup so adding a few crackers or croutons is definitely a plus.

**For a thicker soup take 2 T cornstarch and whisk it into about 1/4 cup of soup mixture.  When creamy add to the rest of the soup stirring constantly until thickened.

 Note: I adjusted the recipe today and added the cornstarch and  hot pepper cheese (2 medium slices) for a little bite.  Love it!

***Also you can break up a slice of bread in pieces and put in the bottom of your soup bowl and add your soup to it.

Happy Cooking! 

4/29/14

Lemon Cheesecake Bars

 My family loves cheesecake but with a macaroon crust?  I never heard of anything so wonderful so I'm making it over the coming weekend.  I think it sounds marvelous and it appears so easy and using a 8x8 inch pan makes it even better. Plus it has a macaroon crust.  How can you not like it?  Yum

 If you don't know what to make for a dessert this holiday try this easy lemon cheesecake. I think you'll find it to be easy and that will take some stress off the holiday crunch of "what will I make for dessert"?

Note:  I crushed one macaroon and sprinkled it on top.  I don't think I should have. :(.  We'll see how much crunch it has.  

1 1/2 cups soft coconut macaroon cookie crumbs
2 T margarine, melted
2 pkgs. cream cheese softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. grated lemon peel
1 T. fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
1 cookie to crumble to sprinkle on top if desired.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix crumbs and margarine. Press firmly onto bottom of greased 8 inch square baking pan.

Beat cream cheese, sugar, lemon peel, lemon juice and vanilla in large bowl with electric mixer until well blended.  Add eggs one at a time beating until well blended after each addition.  Pour over crust.

Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until center is almost set.  Cool.  Refrigerate 3 hours or overnight.  Cut into 16 bars.  Store in refrigerator.


I like to serve a little lemon something with our holiday meals.  Lemon is light and not as filling as say Chocolate but if you like chocolate here's a great chocolate cake to add to your dessert menu and it has cherry pie filling in it.  Moist and not too rich.   A nice touch for dessert...Enjoy!  The link is posted below.

Drizzle icing over cake while warm

Here's the link to this cake...Chocolate Cherry Cake

Chocolate Cherry Cake 

Thick and Hearty Chicken Cheese Soup!

 On a cold damp day this recipe seems like something we would enjoy. I haven't had a chance to make it yet but I wanted to pass it your way!  Happy Cooking!


2 carrots shredded
4 green onion chopped
3 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/4 cup flour
2 cups milk
1- approx. 10 oz. can chicken broth
1 can chunk chicken drained
1 cup cheddar cheese
1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. black pepper

In a medium saucepan, cook carrots and green onion in hot butter or margarine until tender but watch not to brown.  Stir in flour.  Slowly add milk, chicken broth, Worcestershire sauce and pepper. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly.  Stir in chicken and cheese.  Cook over low heat until cheese melts.  Serve hot.

2/3/12