CHEESEY "CREAM" OF BROCCOLI SOUP

I like soups.  One of my favourite soups is Cheesey Cream of Broccoli!  I had the ingredients so I decided to make this soup for dinner and thought I would also include it on my blog.  It's pretty fast and easy to make.  I originally found the recipe on www.cooks.com.  However, I have made a few changes to the original recipe and this is a variation of it.  Now let's get to cooking.

The ingredients you will need are:

 

• 1/2 half of large onion, chopped
• 1 tsp dried roasted garlic or 1-2 minced garlic cloves
• 4 cups chicken broth 
• 2 cups fresh broccoli, chopped into small pieces
• 2 1/2 cups 1% milk
• 1/3 cup all purpose flour
• 1/8 tsp black pepper
• 1 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese

Recipe Yield:  Approximately 4-6 servings

DIRECTIONS

1.  Spray a large pot with cooking spray and heat over medium heat until hot.

2.  Add chopped onion and garlic and saute until tender.

 

3.  Add broccoli and chicken broth and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

4.  Remove 1/3 of broccoli/broth mixture into a deep measuring cup or other container and blend with an immersion (stick) hand blender or food processor.

 

5.  Return pureed mixture to soup pot.
 

6.  Combine milk, flour and pepper and mix well with a wire whisk.

 

7.  Slowly add milk and flour mixture to soup and cook over very low heat for 20 minutes or until thickened.  Stirring constantly to avoid burning.  

8.  Remove from heat and add grated cheese, stirring until cheese has melted.

 

9.  Serve immediately with crackers, toast, sandwich or salad, etc.  Refrigerate any leftovers in fridge safe container.   

Enjoy your soup! 

FLOUR TORTILLAS

I love Mexican food!  I think it is so very tasty!  However, one of the key items needed to make Mexican food is the tortilla.  Recently I decided to make tacos for dinner but did not have any tortillas so I decided to make my own.  I adapted the recipe from a cookbook called "How To Make It in Korea." I acquired the cookbook when I lived in Korea for a little less than a year and half.  Now let's get to cooking.

The ingredients you will need are:

 

• 2 cups Flour
• 1 tsp Baking Powder
• 2 tsp Sugar (Optional)
  
• 1/2 cup war/hot Milk
• 1 TBSP Oil
• 1/2 salt
• 1/2 tsp Vanilla (Optional)

Recipe Yield:  Approximately 6 small tortillas.  Recipe can easily be doubled or tripled for bigger families or groups.
 

DIRECTIONS

1.  In a mixing bowl combine together the flour, baking powder, and sugar (Optional).

2.  In a second bowl combine the milk, oil, salt and vanilla (Optional).  Side note:  I like the flavour of vanilla so that so why I add it to the recipe.

 

3.  Add flour mixture to the milk mixture and blend together to make a soft dough.  If necessary, add a little bit more liquid (water or milk) to fully incorporate flour but have it remain a soft dough.

4.  Divide dough into equal sized parts of desired size.  Using a rolling pin roll dough ball flat and into a circular shape.

5.  Spray frying pan with cooking spray and cook over low to medium heat.  Check often and flip tortilla once small light brown spots appear and cook on the other side.  Be careful not to burn.  Repeat process until all tortillas are cooked.  Keep warm until ready to eat.

 

6.  Serve tortillas warm with your favourite fillings of choice.  I chose taco meat, refried beans, shredded cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, and salsa.   Side dish suggestions:  Spanish Rice,  Refried Beans, Chips & Salsa.  Yum!

7.  Wrap any leftovers with plastic wrap and store in fridge.  Warm up in microwave for a few seconds when ready to eat.

Enjoy!

BLUEBERRY MUFFINS

I suppose it is time for me to add a baking recipe to my blog after all the savory dinner recipes I have posted about.  That being said, I just need to say that I just love blueberries.  I love their plump, sweet juiciness.  I have for as long as I can remember and they are one of my favorite berries.  I also like muffins.  Consequently blueberry muffins are my favorite.  I had not made muffins for a long time so when I had some relatives visiting a few weeks ago, I decided I would make blueberry muffins for us for breakfast.  They were most tasty.  These would be great to make for Mom on "Mother's Day."   Happy Mother's Day Mom!  Love you!  Now, let's get to cooking.

Recipe Source:  Adapted from a muffin recipe in an old Five Roses Flour cookbook.

The ingredients you will need are:

• 3/4 c Milk
• 5 TBSP Melted Butter or Margarine
• 2 tsp Vanilla
• 2 Eggs
• 2 cups Flour
• 1/2 cup Sugar
• 3 tsp Baking Powder
• 1 tsp Salt
• 3/4 cup Frozen Blueberries, lightly mixed/dusted with 1 TBSP of flour

Recipe Yield:  11 - 12 muffins 

DIRECTIONS

1.  Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.  Line muffin pan with paper cups or lightly grease muffin pan.

2.  In a bowl mix together the "wet" ingredients:  Milk, Melted Butter or Margarine, Vanilla, Eggs.  Set aside.

3.  In separate bowl mix together the "dry" ingredients:  Flour, Baking Powder, Salt, and Sugar.

4.  In a third bowl, lightly dust blueberries with a tablespoon of flour.

5.  Make a "well" in the dry ingredients.


6.  Pour "wet" ingredients into the well and GENTLY stir.  Be careful not to over mix.

7.  Gently fold in blueberries.

 

8.  Spoon batter into paper cups in muffin pan until about 2/3 full.  Bake for 15-20 minutes.

 9.  Allow muffins to cool slightly and then remove muffins from pan.  Serve muffins while they are still warm with butter, if desired.

10.  Freeze any remaining muffins in freeze and allow to slowly thaw on counter or in fridge for best results.

Enjoy your delicious blueberry muffins!

MOM'S SWEET & SOUR CHICKEN

 

I love this Sweet and Sour Chicken recipe.  It is just so tasty and delicious.  It is an original recipe created by my mom.  This is another dish my mom made for us when we were growing up.  It can be used with any chicken pieces but the favourite one to use it on are chicken thighs.  It is being shared with her knowledge and permission.  Now let's get to cooking!

These are the ingredients you need to make this scrumptious dish:

• 4 chicken thighs or breasts (or your favorite types of chicken pieces)
• 3/4  cup ketchup
• 2 TBSP white vinegar
• 1 cup finely chopped onions
• 3/4 cup water
• 4 TBSP soya sauce
• 1/2 brown sugar 

* OPTIONAL * - 1 TBSP Cornstarch (dissolved with 3/4 cup of water (not pictured - if desired for a thicker sauce)

This recipe should serve/feed 2-4 people.  The recipe can be easily doubled or tripled to accommodate bigger families or groups of people.

DIRECTIONS

1.  Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

2.  Skin chicken pieces (if necessary) and brown meat (if desired).  Place in an OVEN proof dish.

3.   Combine ketchup, vinegar, chopped onions, water (if wanting a thick sauce -dissolve 1 TBSP of cornstarch in water), soya sauce and brown sugar.  Mix until all ingredients have been incorporated together.

3.  Pour sauce over chicken in oven proof dish.  If necessary, spoon sauce so it fully covers the chicken pieces.

6.  Bake in 350 degree oven for 1 - 1 1/2 hours and baste chicken frequently.   Serve the Sweet and Sour Chicken sauce over rice with sides of vegetables or salad.

Thin Sweet & Sour Chicken Sauce  (Made without cornstarch)

Thick Sweet & Sour Chicken Sauce (Made with cornstarch)

7.  Refrigerate any leftovers in a covered fridge safe container.  May be easily reheated in microwave.

Enjoy your meal!