Trees Please

I had some left over broccoli after making Knishes and thought Broccoli Cheese Soup would be delicious in the cold weather — it was perfect.  The hot, creamy soup will definitely be making it to my winter rotation — especially with the spicy croutons!  Your family will thank you for the hearty wholesome meal.

Broccoli Cheese Soup

Broccoli Cheese Soup with Southwest Croutons

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
• Pinch nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3 cups chicken stock or canned, low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 (16-ounce) package frozen broccoli, thawed and separated
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 1/4 cups shredded medium Cheddar
• Croutons, for garnish, recipe follows

Directions

In a medium pot, melt the 3 tablespoons butter over medium-high heat. Add the onions, salt, pepper, and nutmeg and cook, stirring, until soft, 3 minutes. Add the garlic and thyme cook, stirring, until fragrant, for 20 seconds. Add the flour and cook, stirring until the mixture is well blended and smells fragrant, 2 minutes. Slowly add the chicken stock, whisking constantly, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes. Add the broccoli and cook, stirring, until tender, for 10 minutes.

Remove the pot from the heat and puree with a hand-held immersion blender. (Alternatively, in batches, puree in a blender or food processor and return to the pot.)

Add the cream and bring to barely a simmer to heat through. Add the cheese and cook over low heat, stirring, until melted. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons cold butter, stirring to blend.

Remove from the heat and ladle the soup into bowls. Sprinkle croutons over the top of the soup and serve immediately.

Croutons:

• 1 cup 1/2 to 3/4-inch cubed French bread
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon Creole Essence

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Place the bread in a medium bowl and toss with oil and Essence. Spread evenly on a small baking sheet and bake, stirring twice, until light golden brown on top, about 6 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool slightly before serving.

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Summer Supper

I’ve been trying to cook a little healthier lately, so I thought I’d try turkey burgers.  I found this amazing recipe {from Emeril, of course} and have already made them twice this week.  The ingredients that are mixed in with the meat make it so flavorful — you really don’t miss the beef.  I served with coleslaw, tater tots and corn on the cob with cilantro butter…a perfect summer supper!

Ingredients

1 pound ground turkey

1/2 minced red onion

1/4 cup minced green onion, (about 1 scallion)

1 poblano peppers, diced

1 egg white

1 tablespoons Emeril’s Southwestern Essence

½  teaspoon ground cumin

½  tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Whole wheat burger buns

Slices of your favorite cheese

Lettuce leaves

Sliced tomato

½ sliced red onion

1 avocado, thinly sliced

Chipotle mayo (I open a can of chipotles and dribble about a teaspoon into a half cup of light mayo)

 Directions

Preheat the grill to medium-high heat.

 In a large bowl, combine ground turkey with minced red onion, green onion, peppers, egg white, Essence, cumin and Worcestershire sauce. Divide the turkey into patties – 6 to 8, depending on how big you like them.

 Place the burgers on the grill and cook until turkey is done, about 3 minutes per side.

 Serve the burgers with cheese on the buns with lettuce, tomato, sliced red onions and avocado, garnished with chipotle mayonnaise, mustard, and ketchup to your liking.

Burger with all the fixin's and summer sides

Laissez les bons temps rouler!

What better way to enjoy Fat Tuesday (and think about what I’ll be giving up Wednesday) than with a big pot of jambalaya? This dish wouldn’t be complete without the addition of shrimp, chicken, Patak andouille and a sinus-cleansing dose of cayenne. Next time I make this, I’ll double the recipe — there was barely enough for the two of us to have leftovers for lunch!

A hearty pot of Jambalaya

Jambalaya

• 1/2 lb. medium shrimp, chopped (You can buy it already cooked, or raw, and just throw it in)
• 1 chicken breast, boiled and shredded
• 2 links Andouille sausage, chopped
• 1 tablespoon Emeril’s Creole seasoning
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 chopped onion
• 1/2 chopped bell pepper,any color
• 2 ribs chopped celery
• 3 cloves chopped garlic
• 1/2 cup chopped tomatoes (I use 3 Roma)
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce
• 3/4 cup white rice
• 3 cups chicken stock
• Salt and pepper

In a bowl combine shrimp, chicken, Andouille and Creole seasoning, and mix well. In a large saucepan heat oil over high heat with onion, pepper and celery, 3 minutes. Add garlic, tomatoes, bay leaves, Worcestershire and hot sauces. Stir in rice and slowly add broth. Reduce heat to medium and cook until rice absorbs liquid and becomes tender, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. When rice is just tender add shrimp and chicken mixture and sausage. Season to taste with salt, pepper and Creole seasoning and you’re ready to serve! (Warning: this is a spicy dish, not for anyone that can’t handle heat.)

Beer me.

The Ingredients

If I was ever on that show The Best Thing I Ever Ate…Soup this recipe would be the best Beer Cheese Soup I’ve ever eaten.  Quite possibly the best soup, period.  I can’t wait to make this in football season.  (The Spicy Popcorn Garnish will really wow your soup eaters :0)  Thanks Emeril! 

Beer Cheese Soup with Spicy Popcorn Garnish

• 5 tablespoons butter
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 celery ribs, diced
• 1 parsnip, chopped
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 1/2 c. flour
• 4 c. chicken stock
• 2 c. pale ale (The #’s Ale I picked up at The Parish Market was delicious)
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
• 1/2 c. heavy cream
• 2 c. sharp Cheddar, grated
• 1 1/2 c. crumbled Stilton
• salt and white peppar to taste

Heat butter in a pot.  Add parsnips, onion and celery and cook until tender, about 12 minutes.  Add garlic and cook 1 minute.  Sprinkle flour over veggies and cook 3 to 4 minutes, stirring constantly.  Gradually whisk in broth and beer.  Add bay leaves and cayenne.  Simmer, stirring often, for one hour until the soup cooks down.  Add heavy cream and cheeses (slowly) and stirring constantly.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Serve hot.  Garnish with Spicy Popcorn Garnish.

Spicy Popcorn Garnish

• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• pinch of cayenne
• 1/3 c. popping corn
• 1 teaspoon Emeril’s Southwest Essence
• pinch of salt

Heat oil in a pot and season with a pinch of cayenne.  Put one corn kernal in the pot at the oil heats.  Once it pops, add the remaining kernals.  Cover pot with lid as popcorn pops, about 2 minutes.  Toss popped corn in a bowl with remaining ingredients and serve atop soup. 

Beer Cheese Soup with Spicy Popcorn Garnish served in mini Le Crueset pots