Creamy Broccoli Soup

I'm in love with broccoli soup.  More so when it has cheese in it like this recipe.  Although I'm not a fan of carrots, I can totally dig them when they are used to enhance or sweeten a dish as long as I don't have to taste them too much.  I think that just stems from my childhood!  A fast, good comfort soup that's easy to make and requires little ingredients was just what the doctor ordered. I needed a break from all the Thanksgiving leftovers so I made this soup. Perfect for a cool rainy day!  I found this recipe at  cdkitchen which has a bunch of recipes submitted by regular folks like you and me.  It's supposedly supposed to be like Panera breads soup however, I have never ate there (if you can believe it) so I can't vouch for that.  But they just built one in my area so I may have to give it a whirl!  I also took advice from some of the comments and added a nab of Dijon mustard to mine as well. 

Ingredients
1 tbsp butter
1 small onion choppped
1/4 cup butter
1/4 flour
2 cups milk or half n half
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 lb broccoli chopped (I used frozen)
1 cup carrots julienne (cut like matchsticks)
8 ounces shredded cheese (I used Mexican blend but any cheddar would do)

Extras - 1 tsp nutmeg, 1 tsp dijon mustard, s/p, garlic powder

Directions
Saute onion in 1 tbsp of butter and set aside.  In a soup pot, melt 1/4 cup butter and whisk 1/4 flour over med heat creating a rue.  This should get a golden browned color and should take about 3-5 minutes.

Add 2 cups milk and the 2 cups chicken stock to the rue and whisk frequently simmering 20 minutes.  Then add the broccoli, carrots and onions.  Cook on low until the vegetables are tender about 20 minutes.  At this point the soup should have started thickening some.  You may want to season it with salt/pepper or wait until you've added the cheese.  I also added in a dash of garlic powder (not too much).

Pour in blender and puree.  I was able to get my whole batch in and blend it nicely.  Return this mixture to the pot and over low heat gradually add in your cheese in batches.  Stirring it in as it melts. 

At this point you may want to season it with nutmeg and Dijon.

I liked how it turned out but if it's too thick, you can add a little extra milk to it as the cheese does thicken it quite a bit.

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Huddle to Fight Hunger Giveaway ENDED #KraftFightHunger

It’s finally fall (feels like it too), which means football season and tailgating season is here! I love making up football foods for the games, tailgating and grilling!  Kraft Foods is working to bring together everyone’s favorite fall themes – football and food – in an effort to help fight a worthy cause, hunger and help in spreading awareness for this cause!  

The “Huddle To Fight Hunger,”campaign kicked off in 2010 and raised 21 million meals through the support of passionate football fans and community members.  This year, Kraft Foods’ Huddle to Fight Hunger community is on a mission to donate the monetary equivalent of 25 million meals to Feeding America. 

By “Liking” the Kraft Foods’ Huddle to Fight Hunger Facebook page and playing the interactive game “2-Minute Trivia Drill,” you will be helping donate one meal to Feeding America. Each online meal donation will be put toward reaching the 2011 campaign goal of donating 25 million meals to the program!  The game also encourages you to donate your meal directly to a local community food bank; all you have to do is enter your zip code. 

To tie together the spirit of food and football season with the fight against hunger, Time 2 Eat Yall is having a Huddle to Fight Hunger Tailgate giveaway! The winner will receive a Tailgate kit which includes all the essentials you need to “kick-off” your football party the right way and is valued at $110. Tailgate kit includes:

·         A Weber Smokey Mini Grill

·         A Charcoal Companion 4- Piece Chef BBQ Tool Set

·         A Coleman 3-in-1 outdoors blanket

·         Hot off the presses: New cookbook by the Neelys

To enter the giveaway, I encourage you to "like" http://www.facebook.com/KraftFightHunger?sk=info and play the two-minute trivia drill which in turn donates one meal to Feeding America! 

Giveaway ends December 6, 2011 at midnight EST.  Winner will be chosen via random.org.

GIVEAWAY ENDED

WINNER - carolkf...@comcast.net

Disclosure - Kraft Foods is providing the prize for this program at no cost to me and I received a prize pack of equal value for my time. This program is not administered or sponsored by Kraft Foods or its affiliates, but solely by me.

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Fun Fall Treats - Chocolate Acorns

I have seen this special treat on numerous blogs in the blogosphere and thought it was the cutest little treat.  But I saw it first on Chapel Hill to Chickenville who originally found this in Family Fun magazine.  So, that's how popular it is.

It's also easy.  I made up a bunch of these and they were gone in no time.

All you will need is:
mini nilla wafers or small quarter sized cookie
frosting any kind
pretzels (broken bits is okay) or small little chocolate chips
Hershey kisses

To make them all you do is spread some frosting on the underside of the nilla wafer and stick the bottom of an unwrapped kiss to the wafer.  Put a dot of frosting on the top of your wafer and stick a small piece of broken pretzel to it and voila.

Aren't they cute?!

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The Best Creamed Corn

I normally don't say this is the best because I may not have tried the best yet.  However, with this particular dish, I can say that thus far this is the. best. cream. corn. ever!

I first made this years ago back when Paula Dean was just getting popular on Food Network and put out her magazine (which is where I got this recipe 2008).  I made it to go along with our Christmas dinner one year but have never made it since because I had caught a bug from work and upchucked every thing I ate that Christmas!  It was awful.

Nonetheless, it took some time before I'd give creamed corn a try or anything else I made that day.  But, what I do remember is that it was just as country and down-home tasting as you can get.  So, with corn being in prime season here in NE Ohio, I picked up a few ears to give it another whirl.

I was delighted as it turned out just as wonderful as I remembered.  I've had many creamed corn dishes in my day with my grandparents having had a farm and all but something about this one is just scrumptious. 

Here's the recipe of Paula Dean's Just like Grandma's Creamed Corn and here is a link to the site where you can find it as well.  Oh, and did I mention that it's easy, has a small ingredient list, and is quick?  Got to love that!

From Cooking with Paula Deen, Quick and Easy 2008
Ingredients
 (I halved this recipe since I only had 4 ears except for the heavy cream)
5 slices of bacon chopped
1 onion chopped (I used a sweet onion)
2 cloves garlic minced
1/4 cup all purpose flour
4 cups or 8 ears fresh corn kernels
2 cups heavy whipping cream
chives if desired for garnish and taste

Directions
Fry bacon and set aside reserving 2 tablespoons of bacon grease in pan (I used a little more). Add onion and garlic to skillet, cook on med-high until soft and tender (about 5 min).

Next, stir in flour and cook for 2 minutes stirring constantly.  Then add your corn and cook for 2 minutes as well stirring frequently.  Add cream and bring to a boil over medium heat then reduce the heat and simmer for about 5 minutes until corn is tender and cream is thickened.  Top with crumbled bacon and chives.

Here's how yummy it looks..........

If you love corn.   You'll love this!

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Healthy dinner tonight: Vegetable Barley Soup with Poached Egg

This is a very healthy recipe made from vegetables and eggs. The vegetables used add more fiber to the soup. One serving of the soup supplies about 300 calories, so it is quite satiating. It is also quite nourishing. The shitake mushrooms used are packed with vitamins and minerals; they are also abundant in selenium, zinc, and niacin. The poached egg increases protein content of the meal. The soup provides about 10 grams of protein and fiber.

Complexity level: Easy

Time taken: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

Shiitake mushrooms (1 pound)

Baby spinach (1 bunch, medium sized)

Barley (1.5 cups)

Onion (2, medium sized)

Tomatoes (4, medium sized)

Garlic (4 cloves)

Olive oil (4 tablespoons)

Thyme (2 teaspoons)

Vegetable stock or broth (2 qts)

White vinegar (optional)

Eggs (optional)

Process

Chop the onion and garlic cloves finely. Add oil to a skillet or saucepan and reduce the heat to medium. Throw in the chopped onion and garlic. Cook them till they soften and turn brown, this will take about 10 minutes. While the onions soften, you can dice the other vegetables. Cut the stem of the mushrooms and slash the caps into thin slices. You can also roast the tomatoes and keep them ready. Just rub them with olive oil and garlic, and then pop in the oven.

When the onions have browned, add in the mushrooms and thyme. It will take about 5 minutes for the mushrooms to cook through, keep stirring the mix in the meantime. After the mushrooms have cooked, add in the barley, vegetable stock, and tomatoes. Then you need to sprinkle some salt and pepper into the broth. Allow it to simmer and stir a few times. It should be cooked until the barley is well done, this can take around 12 minutes. Now add in the spinach and some seasoning if required. Cook for another minute or two and turn off the heat.

Now you have to prepare the eggs for the soup. Add 1 tablespoon of vinegar to 1 quart of water and bubble the concoction. Throw in salt and break an egg in a cup or plate. Very gently, slide it into the simmering water. Add only one egg at a time. Make sure that there is enough space in between the eggs when they are floating on the simmering water. Steam the eggs till their white turns solid and the yolks remain slightly runny. This should take about 2-3 minutes. Now carefully, lift the eggs with a pair of tongs or a wooden ladle. Sit them in a plate or bowl and then, dole out the soup in a bowl. Top it with the poached eggs and serve hot.

Tips

The soup is quite filling and weight watchers will love it for supper, surely your appetite for dinner will reduce after you eat the soup.

If you are a vegetarian or looking to cut down on cholesterol intake then whip up the soup without the eggs.

Combine the soup with white wines, which are intense and fruity.

About the author: Alia Haley is a blogger and writer. She loves writing on luxury and health. Beside this she is fond of automobiles. These days she is busy in writing an article on apple recipes.

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Types of life insurance and what to expect

Image by photon_de via Flickr

Life insurance is essential to those that wish to protect the needs of their families.  In the event of an accident, you can fall back on the fact that you know your family will be covered financially.

This assurance alone is well worth the fixed monthly payments you may have to contend with. Those that invest in such a policy can chose from a variety of options.  For example they can choose a cover that solely protects their mortgage or another policy that provides protection and cover to their family in the case of an incident or accident.

A life insurance policy provides financial stability to your family in the event of a death.  This repayment could be used to cover the cost of an existing mortgage or alternatively provide an income to your family, which will cover the likes of everyday necessities including bills and general day-to-day essentials. Such a cover can protect either a single life or alternatively it can be invested in as a joint cover.

Other things that can be added to such a cover include the likes of critical illness cover.  For example, if you were suddenly met with a bill for a serious illness then the insurance would foot this bill.

Monthly costs can be set at a fixed rate, which is great news for those that prefer the same amount to leave their account each month.  It will also make you keep that little bit extra back for this payment.  By simply selecting guaranteed premiums this option can set up.

For such a small amount a month, this cover is really worthwhile investing in as if anything were to happen, you know your family won’t be facing a struggle and will instead be financially covered.

See Disclosure

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Torani's Authentic Coffeehouse Flavor @shespeaksup #SSTorani

Most of you know how much I love (and need) coffee!  I'm a cream and sugar girl all the way but I do love dropping in to a coffee house for a specialty blend.   What I didn't know (or at least hadn't tried) is that you can buy Torani at your local grocery store and mix up your own concoction to have the coffee shop taste right at home.   Even more so is that you don't have to have a special machine or gadget to do so.  Just mix Torani flavored syrups with your favorite coffee and a little milk! 

About Torani:

Since 1925, family-owned Torani has been crafting great tasting flavored syrups that coffeehouses use to make their flavored drinks taste so delicious. With over 120 flavors in regular and sugar free varieties, Torani flavored syrups are perfect for flavored lattes, mochas, coffees, cocoas, Italian sodas, teas, lemonades, cocktails and smoothies. Coffeehouse professionals choose Torani flavors because they are expertly crafted and made with the highest quality ingredients, like natural flavors and pure cane sugar. The sugar free flavors have no calories and are sweetened with Splenda. Now, Torani Flavored Syrups are widely available at retail so you can easily create authentic coffeehouse quality drinks at home.


Torani flavors aren't just for coffee; they are great for mixed drinks, teas and more with over 122 flavors to choose from!

Popular Drink Types for Syrups:
Flavored Coffees/Espresso Drinks (Most popular drink type for flavored syrups)
Italian Sodas
Flavored Tea (Hot and Cold)
Flavored Lemonades
Flavored Sodas (Coca-Cola, Mountain Dew, etc)
Cocktails
Mocktails
Flavored Energy drinks (Red Bull)

Where to Buy Torani Flavored Syrups (US):
Walmart
World Market
BevMo
Cost Plus
most major grocery stores
Amazon
Torani.com
Shop.Torani.com

I feel like I became a bit of a mixologist when trying out theTorani flavors.  The family and I tried Brown Sugar Cinnamon and Peppermint!  I found a couple other flavors to try (Chocolate Mint and Almond Roca) at my local Buehlers grocery store which retailed for about $6.99 each. 

I put on a light brunch style breakfast and let everyone experiment and try the varieties.  I loved the Peppermint which goes perfect for this time of year in hot chocolate!  You have to try this!  It's like candy canes in your cocoa which I liked better than in my coffee.  When I make brownies over the holidays, I'm going to add a dash or two of this to the mix and throw on some crushed candy canes for a festive treat. 

The Brown Sugar Cinnamon flavor (smells wonderful) that I tried was sugar free.  I personally thought that it had more of  a cinnamon flavor versus sweet but definitely a great add in to coffee for a festive treat.  I made a Tornai Cinnamon Roll Latte which is a splash of Tornai Brown Sugar syrup, 1 cup milk and 1/4 cup expresso only I used a regular cup coffee and less milk.
For recipes like this on what you at home can experiment with, visit the Torani website! There's a ton of recipes from all of the 122 flavors.  I found a few great ones for the Chocolate Mint syrup and Almond Roca too which were also delightful!

Have you tried Torani syrups?



Disclosure - I received Torani to try as well as information and recipes via SheSpeaks. All opinions are 100% my own.

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libre tea giveaway CLOSED

Tea lover?  When my brother comes to visit, I make sure I have some new teas for him to try.  I pass along some of my favorites for him to try.  While everyone else is drinking coffee, he is sipping fresh tea.

I  had the opportunity to try out the very cool libre tea glass for on-the-go.  It's so cool that I'm considering these as gifts for the holidays!

The libre loose leaf tea glass (for on-the-go) is awesome.  It has a beautiful gold and silver detailed design that's very snazzy.  The (thermal interior) glass itself is clear and is a dream to wash.  The bottle fits easy in a cup holder and has a removable filter for fresh tea anywhere plus, it's leak-proof. Another great feature is while your tea stays warm, the outside glass (glass n poly) is cool to the touch.



Keep this in mind this holiday season.  The librea tea glass would make a great little stocking stuffer!

For more information or to stay in the tea loop be sure to check them out on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/LibreTea, or sign up for their newsletter at www.libretea.com , or even follow follow them on Twitter @libretea

One lucky reader will win their very own libra tea glass which is shown above! Winner will be chosen via random.org and the giveaway ends 11/16/11 at 11:59 pm EST.  Giveaway open to US and Canada only.

GIVEAWAY CLOSED


Disclosure - I received the above mentioned item. The opinions expressed are my own.

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Macy's #RecipeShare Contest!

Have a great holiday recipe to share that you've just been itching to show off?  There's no better time than now to share your favorite holiday recipe.  SheSpeaks has teamed up with Macy's and their Recipe Share Contest! With the Macys Recipe Share Contest you have a chance to win $1000 and have your recipe featured on Food Republic.

You can submit and vote but you'll have until November 30th when the contest ends to show off your best holiday recipes so get cooking!

Here's the simple way to get entered:

1. Head to www.facebook.com/macys
2. Click the Recipe Share tab
3. Submit your recipe
4. Share the contest via Facebook and Twitter

 And, if you like to par-tay, be sure to RSVP for the Twitter par-tay!

When: 11/9 @ 8PM ET - Tonight!!
TweetGrid Dashboard: http://bit.ly/tn7IQR
Follow: #RecipeShare
RSVP bitly.com/sYftgI


Just in case you didn't know....

Macy's was established in 1858 and is the Great American Department Store - an iconic retail brand with over 800 stores across the country and online at macys.com. Macy's offers an incredible selection and the best brands, tailored to each and every customer, while providing an experience that transcends ordinary shopping.  Be on the look out for the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade which will be creeping on us soon!




Disclosure - This post  brought to you by your friends at SheSpeaks and Macy's to help spread the word!

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enLiven Probiotic Yogurt Giveaway CLOSED

If you haven't heard of enLiven yogurt; it's exclusively at Walmart. enLiven is a low cost, all-natural yogurt and is available in four flavors; strawberry, blueberry, peach and vanilla.  In addition it's 99% fat-free (110 calories per serving), contains no artificial flavors or coloring.

enLiven yogurt features Ganeden BC30 probiotics which studies show help form a protective layer that shields from stomach acids and basically helps support over all digestive health. 

I tried the strawberry and blueberry flavors and thought the texture was very soft and creamy and the the taste was just what I want out of a yogurt.  It's not too sweet or too bland.  It has just the right amount of everything.     


Giveaway - 5 lucky readers will win a Free Item coupon to try the yogurt for themselves!  US Only please!


GIVEAWAY ENDED



Disclosure - I was given information to facilitate this post.  The opinions expressed are my own.

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Mexican Corn Dip

I've been on a dip kick and I can't seem to stop myself! I just love dips. Here's one I make for Football Sunday every now and again when I want something a little different.  Don't worry, your kitchenaid food processor parts won't get dirty with this dip.  All you'll need is some spoons because it's easy like that!

Ingredients
1 can corn drained or you can use canned Mexican corn
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayo
2 - 3 tsp onion minced
2 1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese shredded or Mexican cheese blend
1 tbsp worchestershire sauce
1 can green chillies
garlic powder
dash of tobasco or two
salt/pepper to taste

Directions
Simply mix all together in a bowl and serve in a pretty dish if you wish along with your favorite chips!

 

I had a few bites of this dip after I made it but shortly after sticking it in the refrigerator it disappeared.  Hubs apparantly  had a small lunch so by the time he got home, he was starved.  And you guessed it.  He ate the rest of this dip!

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Cheesy Lasagna Roll-Ups

Back in High School there was some function where us kids brought in a dish.  One of my friends, Megan, brought in Lasagna Roll-Ups made with sausage.  We all loved them and ate them up!  Everyone one wanted to know how she did it (or her mom).  To our surprise it was very easy to make.  Today I make mine mostly with hamburger meat and a lot of cheese ;)  Take a peek - you just might love it too!

Ingredients

Ricotta Mixture
Tub of Ricotta
1 egg
Parsley
Parmesan Cheese - (about a quarter cup or so - I save extra Parmesan for the topping too)

Hamburger Mixture
Hamburger cooked - (about a lb, I season mine also)
Your favorite spaghetti sauce - (1 jar or can)

Other Cheeses & noodles
5 Cheese Italian Blend - Shredded
Mozzarella Cheese - Shredded
Sliced Swiss - 4 oz (I used 1 slice for each piece, just cut in 2)
Lasagna Noodles - cooked - (I used 8 noodles)

Directions
Cook your hamburger and drain grease. Then add your spaghetti sauce to it.  In another pot boil your noodles according to package directions.  When that's done, drain noodles and add cold water so they don't become sticky.  Preheat oven to 350.  Meanwhile mix your Ricotta cheese mixture.  Now you are ready for rolling.  I lay all my ingredients out in front of me to make it easy.

I layer first Ricotta, then my hamburger mixture, then the Italian cheese blend and only a little of the mozzarella (I save most of that for the top) and then your swiss cheeses.  Then roll them up.

I put a layer of sauce in a casserole dish before I add the Lasagna pieces.

Once you are done rolling up the lasagna, I put leftover sauce on the top and extra cheese!

Bake until your cheese are melted nicely and a little golden brown - about 25 minutes depending on your oven.

Enjoy the Cheesy Goodness!!

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At the Office

The Author of this post is Rory Reilly




My boss asked me to look into getting an alarm system for our office. The area that we are located in has always felt pretty safe, but recently, some of the warehouses that are located near our office have been broken into. The police haven’t been able to find any suspects for the burglaries, but came to talk to everyone who had a business in the area. They suggested that we seriously consider getting an alarm system because they are great deterrents. The warehouses that had been broken into recently did not have security systems. I logged onto home-alarm-systems.com and looked into getting a system. I was actually pretty surprised that the systems and the monitoring were not nearly as expensive as I had thought that they were. The price was definitely something that would not increase our monthly overhead by much. My boss and I did the math and decided that the investment in a security system was definitely worth it. We can’t afford a break-in!
 
 
 
See Disclosure

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