Broccoli Cheddar Soup in Sourdough Bread Bowl

When my husband and I lived in Colorado, we fell in love with the cafe Panera. They had the most magnificent soups and breads of all sorts and we particularly found their Broccoli Cheddar soup to be divine! So, I found a recipe that I tried that came pretty close and serving it in a sourdough bread bowl made it taste just like it! So here's the recipe for the soup. I bought the sourdough bread bowls at a local grocery store.


Broccoli Cheddar Soup


2 T. oil
2 potatoes, cubed small
1 onion, diced small
14 oz. frozen broccoli
4 1/2 oz. blue cheese, crumbled
4 1/2 c. vegetable or beef stock
2/3 c. heavy cream
2 c. shredded cheddar cheese (best if sharp)
paprika
Salt & Pepper


In a large (at least 2 quart) saucepan, cook onion and potatoes in oil for 5 minutes. Add broccoli to the pan and stir in blue cheese and stock. Cook covered and simmering for 25-30 minutes or potatoes are done. Transfer to food processor or blender and process until smooth. Do this in batches. Return to clean pan and add cream and pepper. Heat through. Slowly add cheddar cheese, a handful at a time and stir to melt. Sprinkle in a dash of paprika and check for salt.


This recipe makes a LOT of soup! It would be great for a party as I would guess it makes enough for at least 8 people. It's a delicious soup on a cold fall evening and tastes delicious with Saltine crackers. I never thought Saltine's could taste good either but the buttery flavor of them is fabulous with this soup. I hope you like it as much as my husband and I do!

Objects as Letters Name Collages

I am starting my first real project. I am calling it Objects as Letters Name Collages. I find objects everywhere that resemble a letter. I am doing it primarily for friends right now but after the beginning of next year I am planning on working on it full-time. This is a picture of one that I have made just to show you the idea of what my project is going to be. I will be glad to take orders but just know that I am not going to be making any of them until after January 1, 2011. So if you aren't in a hurry, I'd be more than happy to accept offers for them. Email me for a prices.

York Minster

This is a photo of an old Minster. A minster is an old cathedral or church that was connected to a monastery. This one was in York, England and was absolutely stunning! The architecture was outstanding and it was in really great shape, considering it was built in the mid 13th century. York Minster is northern Europe's greatest Gothic cathedral. It is a truly unbelievable sight and one that is appreciated by many people each year. There are many Minster's, cathedral's and church's throughout England but this one so far is my favorite.

Fruit with Homemade Whipped Cream

This is a simple dish that can be made for either dessert or breakfast. The cream is homemade and is light and fluffy and the fruit is fresh and sweet. Here's how I make it:

1 pint Double Cream
1/4cup powdered sugar


Beat cream and sugar together until stiff peaks form. Sprinkle fruit with about 1 T. powdered sugar and top with the whipped cream.

This can be made with any fruit you like, it wouldn't have to be strawberries and blueberries. Those just happen to be my favorite!

Meatloaf with Mashed Potatoes

Meatloaf is a tradition in a lot of homes. Everyone has their own recipe or their own technique on how to make the meatloaf moist or flavorful. Here's how I make mine:




1 lb. ground beef (90% lean)
1 egg
1 cup Stove Top Stuffing mix (your choice of flavor)
2 T. barbecue sauce
1 T. mustard
1 T. ketchup
Salt and pepper to taste
Breadcrumbs, if needed


Mix everything together and shape into a log. Place into a greased glass loaf pan. Flatten the meatloaf out slightly but do not let the meatloaf touch the ends of the pan. Drizzle on a little ketchup and barbecue sauce. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 10-15 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before slicing.


I came up with this recipe one day when I was out of breadcrumbs and I thought to myself "what are seasoned breadcrumbs but pulverized Stove Top Stuffing mix?" So I put the stuffing in instead and came up with the most moist meatloaf I have ever made or tried. It holds up well. It doesn't crumble much, even the next day. It makes fabulous meatloaf sandwiches the next day too! It's my traditional meatloaf that my husband and I have grown to love!