Cheesy Broccoli Soup

I often crave a dinner filled with delicious fresh vegetables—crisp salad, steamed asparagus…just kidding. I very rarely crave that, and especially not in the dead of winter. So soup it is! You can have your veggies without batting an eye in this yummy, creamy and low-fat soup adapted from Cooking Light.

Cheesy Broccoli Soup

Ingredients:

16oz bag frozen broccoli florets

1 medium yellow onion, diced

2 stalks celery, diced

3 small cloves of garlic, minced

4 Tbsp flour (optional)*

3 cups of low-sodium chicken broth

3 cups 2% milk

8oz light Velveeta Cheese (2%)

½ cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

Preparation:

In a large sauce pan, sauté the diced onion and celery in a tablespoon of olive oil until soft. Add the garlic (and flour--optional) and cook for 1 minute. Pour in the chicken broth and add the frozen broccoli. Bring to a boil and cook for 10-15 minutes, or until the broccoli is soft. If there are any extra large pieces of broccoli, break apart with the stirring spoon or remove and chop. Cut the Velveeta cheese into 1 inch cubes.

Reduce the heat to low and pour in the milk.  Carefully add in the cheeses and stir constantly until completely melted. With your immersion blender, puree the soup until half of the broccoli is blended.  You can also remove half of the soup and puree in a blender or food processor. Season with pepper and salt, if desired.

*If you like your soup really thick, you can add flour when you add the garlic to the onions and celery. As you cook it for one minute, it will bind with the oil/juices and act as a thickener with the broth. You could also add a potato or cauliflower as a thickener. This recipe reflects my tastes: a little less cheesy and a little less thick than your typical restaurant variety.

I have been making this soup for a long time and hope it becomes an easy weeknight staple in your kitchen. Using fresh or frozen broccoli works just as well so use up whatever you’ve got and enjoy!

-Nikki

Turkey and Wild Rice Casserole

One of the homiest and most comforting casseroles I had as a kid was the Best Ever Turkey Casserole. And the name doesn’t lie—to me it was and still is the best casserole ever! After making it myself for a few years, I have changed things around a little bit: instead of using Uncle Ben’s rice mix, I use plain wild rice; and rather than using a ½ lb of processed cheese, I substitute shredded cheddar and just a couple slices of what my husband and I affectionately call “fake cheese”.  I hope this recipe has you wanting a warm blanket, a fireplace and a game of scrabble--or  maybe just a long nap.

Best Turkey and Wild Rice Casserole

Ingredients:

1 cup uncooked wild rice

2 cups leftover turkey breast, or 1 lb chicken breast, cooked

12-14oz bag of frozen broccoli florets

1 can condensed cream of chicken soup

½ cup light canola mayo

½ cup light sour cream

4 slices 2% milk processed cheese singles

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

2/3 cup French fried onions

Parsley and pepper

Preparation:

Cook your wild rice following the package directions. While the rice is cooking, break up the leftover turkey into small pieces in a large 2 qt. casserole dish. Steam the broccoli until it is cooked but still firm in either the microwave or on the stove. Drain the broccoli completely and pour into the casserole. Drain the rice and toss the three ingredients together gently with your hands.

In a mixing bowl, combine the condensed soup, sour cream and mayo until well mixed. Add a dash of pepper and parsley. Spread the soup mixture over the top of the rice/turkey/broccoli mixture like a frosting coating the entire top of the casserole.  Tear the processed cheese slices in half and space evenly across the top of the soup mixture. (It’s ok if there is open space between them—when they melt they will become a cheesy sauce with the soup mixture.) Top with the cheddar cheese and cover with foil.

Bake covered at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. Remove the foil and sprinkle the French fried onions on top. Bake uncovered another 10 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and an internal temp of at least 165 is reached. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Happy Turkey Tuesday!

-Nikki