Healthy Broccoli Cheddar Soup

I'm OBSESSED with Panera's soup. But I don't always feel like driving 10 minutes down the street to get it in the cold snowy, snow. PLUS, I don't want to spend $7 on a bowl of soup that is in no way big enough to satisfy a hunger like mine. After a lot of prodding and nagging, I finally gave in to myself and took a swing at making this creamy, cheesy concoction last Friday night.
I based this on a recipe I found and took out the nasty things like nutmeg, and added delicious things like carrots and potatoes. Who wants nutmeg in their soup? Gross.

You will need:

• 1 bunch of broccoli
• 1 small onion (diced)
• 2 medium red potatoes (diced)
• 1/2 cup carrots (shredded)
• 1/4 cup flour
• 3 cups chicken or vegetable broth (I prefer chicken)
• 2 cups grated cheddar cheese
• 1 cup milk
• 1 TSP Worcestershire sauce
• 1 12 oz. can evaporated milk
• salt & pepper to your liking
• 2 scallions (to top off your soup, optional but HIGHLY recommended)

You're going to start by cutting up your broccoli, keeping the stems and the florets separate. Finely dice the stems, coarsely chop the florets and - once more - KEEP THEM SEPARATE. Trust me, it's a real pain in the ass to do it afterwards.

Grease up a big soup pot and put it on medium heat. Toss in the carrots, diced onions, potatoes, and broccoli stems. Make sure to stir them up a lot until the vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle in the flour next and stir it around until it becomes toasted which should take about 2 minutes.

While you have the vegetables sauteing, prepare a small saute pan with 1/2 cup of water and dump in the broccoli florets. Bring the florets to a boil and steam them until they're crisp and bright green, about 5 minutes.

Now is the time to stir in your broth and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat to keep the pot on a steady simmer. Stir the pot every occasionally until the vegetable are soft and the soup is thick, 12-15 minutes.

Empty the broccoli and florets and any remaining water into the soup pot. Give it a stir and then add the Worcestershire sauce, milk, cheese, and evaporated milk. Add salt and pepper to your taste. Garnish with a little extra cheese and some fresh scallions - you will be addicted to the cheesiness!

This recipe is guaranteed to cure the Winter blues!

Love,

Liz

Beefy Potatoes Au Gratin, My Favorite!

This was one of the very first recipes I posted on Super College Chef oh-so many years ago and it is time for an overhaul. Beefy Potatoes Au Gratin is the easy, cheesy dish that's perfect for a meat-and-potatoes kind of gal like me. I love this meal so much, I honestly make it a couple times a month. The best part about this dish is that it takes minutes to prepare!


You will need:

• 1 lb. ground sirloin
• 1 box of Potatoes Au Gratin
• 1 cup shredded Taco Mix cheese
• milk
• butter
• water

Preheat the oven to 400.

While you brown the ground sirloin in a skillet, take a look at the direction on your box of Potatoes Au Gratin. Every brand differs, but most boxed Potatoes Au Gratin require varying amounts of water, butter, and milk. Follow the stove top directions almost until you find your potatoes simmering in a cheesy sauce.

Drain the grease from the ground sirloin, then pour it into an 8x8 in. casserole dish. Use 1/2 cup of shredded cheese to cover the meat. Carefully pour the cheesy potato concoction over the cheese and meat. Spread the potatoes evenly over the top. Sprinkle the rest of the cheese over the potatoes.

Cover the dish with aluminum foil and pop it in the oven for 30 minutes. Then, remove the aluminum covering and place it back in the oven for another 10 minutes. Finally, it's done! Almost, not yet, eager beaver. Let it set for 10 minutes to let the cheesy sauce solidify and so you don't burn your little tongue.

The great thing about thing recipe is that it's so versatile! You can substitute ground turkey, Scalloped Potatoes, Mozzarella cheese for an entirely new flavor. Don't get me started on toppings; salsa, sour cream, hot sauce, BBQ sauce, chutney, really anything goes with meat and potatoes!

I truly hope you love this dish as much as I do. Keep eating, my friends!

Love,

Liz

P.S. Photos provided by our own lovely and talented Allison McWilliams!

Beefy Potatoes Au Gratin

Ok, so this is a recipe for a delicious concoction I call Beefy Potatoes Au Gratin. I got this from a small recipe book I got at the grocery store, but my retard ex-roommate threw it out or something. And then I changed the recipe! So there you go.

SO! Here are the ingredients:

• 2 lbs of ground beef

• 3 boxes of Au Gratin Potatoes (I use Kroger brand, but whatever brand you can find will work the same.)

• Any and all ingredients listed in the box of potatoes’ cooking instructions

• Salt

• Pepper

• 1 medium pot

• 1 big pot

• 1 4 quart baking dish, obviously must be oven safe

• 1 strainer

• Aluminum foil

First, preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Then start browning the beef. Cook the beef in the medium pot, chopping it up, moving it around, until it’s all brown. Once it’s brown, dump the beef into the strainer to separate the grease. Put the beef into the big baking dish. Spread the beef evenly over the bottom of the baking dish.

We’re going to use the big pot for the potatoes au gratin. If your box says that you boil water, start with tripling the amount of water and bring it to a boil. Then if your box says that it requires butter, triple the amount of butter and let it melt in the boiling water. If the box calls for milk, AGAIN, triple the amount of milk BUT DON’T ADD IT YET. Adding milk to the hot water could spoil it. So wait for later. Then add your potatoes, and cheese mixes – whatever else it tells you to do. Then, if the box says you need it at all, add the milk. Add a tablespoon of salt and a teaspoon of pepper. Mix.

By now, you should have 2 lbs of beef on the bottom of the baking dish. Your big pot should be filled with 3 boxes worth of au gratin potatoes. Finally, your oven should be preheated to 400 degrees.

So now that you potatoes are ready, pour them on top of the beef. Spread the potatoes evenly over the beef. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and put it in the oven. After 30 minutes, take the foil off and put it back in the oven for 10 minutes. When it’s done, take it out and let it cool for 10 minutes.

I suggest serving this entrée extraordinaire with salad and ranch dressing. Enjoy, my little dumplings!

Love,

Liz