Broccoli & Cheese Soup

*If you're here from Pinterest, Welcome! Please check out my other recipes here.

I feel this soup needs no introduction.

Basically, I'm obsessed with Panera's broccoli and cheddar soup so I tried to duplicate it. The only thing missing was the bread bowl, which you bet I'll be trying to make soon. 

INGREGIENTS:

2 cups broccoli, cut into small florets

1 tbsp olive oil

Salt & Pepper

3 oz (or about 2/3 stick) butter

1 small onion, finely diced

1 cup carrot, shredded

1 cup flour

5 cups milk (I used 2%, use whatever you prefer)

1 cup light cream

1 tsp nutmeg

3 cups grated cheddar cheese

DIRECTIONS:

Heat oven to 400F. Place broccoli on baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Bake 20 minutes (careful so the broccoli does not cook too much and turn brown). 

Melt butter in large pan over medium heat, cook onions until translucent. Add carrots. Mix in flour until absorbed, cooking about a minute. Add milk, cream, nutmeg, as well as salt and pepper (to taste). Add roasted broccoli. Cover and cook over medium-low heat for about 25 minutes. Stir in cheese, add additional salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with a crusty bread and enjoy!

Lemonade Pie

I'm all for easy pies. So when I ran across this Lemonade Pie from Lulu the Baker via Pinterest, I knew it was the perfect 4th of July recipe to throw together. It was definitely a hit and isn't just for the 4th! It's the perfect summer pie. Here it is, and there are only 4 main ingredients!

Ingredients:
Graham cracker crust (you can make your own but I just bought one, reduced fat)
Frozen lemonade concentrate (thawed)
1 can sweetened condensed milk (14 oz, I used reduced fat)
2 containers Cool Whip (1 for recipe, 1 for topping)
Sliced strawberries and blueberries, for topping

Directions:
Mix sweetened condensed milk. A whisk works best. Add cool whip carefully- don't over-mix! Pour into crust. Freeze until solid (I froze overnight). Serve immediately out of the freezer- add sliced strawberries, blueberries, and Cool Whip if you'd like. Do this right after the pie comes out of the freezer, trust me- it will melt! Especially if it's 4th of July and hot. 

It's kind of like a tart-er key lime pie, according to Chris. Everyone loved it and it was the perfect refreshing, sweet treat after a day of swimming, drinking, and soaking up the sun. Enjoy!

Salted Caramel Bites

Happy Monday! Today I'm going to share a recipe I shared on Steph's blog a few months ago. In case you missed it, these salted caramel bites are worth mentioning again and again, and again. 

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 small can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
dash of salt
3/4 honey or white corn syrup (I used honey)
Sea salt or kosher salt
*Candy thermometer
*Wax paper
*Glass pan, buttered (you can use a smaller pan for thicker caramels, it doesn't really matter what size you use)

DIRECTIONS:

Add all ingredients (except sea salt) to large pan on medium heat. Stir constantly. Once the mixture starts to boil (about 10-15 minutes) stick the candy thermometer in. Once the mixture reaches 240 degrees Fahrenheit  give the mixture one last stir and pour into buttered pan. Let cool (I stuck mine in the fridge because I'm impatient). Once the caramels are almost cool, sprinkle with sea salt. (This is not necessary... I just like the flavor the salt creates against the sweetness of the caramel)

Once cool, cut into small pieces. Roll up in wax paper if desired.

Then eat the whole pan yourself ENJOY!!

​Mediterranean Pasta Salad

Nothing screams "summer" like a barbecue with homemade pasta salad served on the side. This ​Mediterranean version was inspired by my mom's pasta salad, with a slight ​Mediterranean twist. Chris, the "not a pasta salad fan" asked for seconds, so you know it must be good.

Ingredients:
About 1/2 box of tri-color rotini (I think the tri-color looks the prettiest but you could use regular rotini)
1/2 cup artichoke hearts
about 5 baby carrots
1/2 cucumber
1/2 zucchini (green squash)
1/4 large red onion
1/2 cup Italian salad dressing (I used Kraft Zesty)
Crumbled feta cheese

Directions:
Cook pasta according to directions on box. Prep veggies. You can really cut them any way you prefer, but I wanted to add some different textures. I grated the carrot and zucchini, sliced and quartered the cucumbers, chopped the artichoke hearts, and julienne cut the red onion. Drain and rinse pasta in cold water. Throw it all in a large bowl, pour in salad dressing, and mix it all up. Sprinkle feta cheese. Store in fridge about 30 minutes before serving.

Serves about 8-10.

So easy. Congratulations, you have yourself a hit pasta salad for any summer barbecue or party. Enjoy!

Strawberry Shortcake

Summer means strawberries, which means another excuse to make a dessert. Or, something like that. This strawberry shortcake is easy to whip up  and will definitely be a crowd-pleaser for your summer get-together...or just for yourself.

Ingredients:
3 cups strawberries (rinsed and sliced into bite-sized pieces)
1/2 cup water
1 tbsp corn starch
3 tbsp white sugar
2 tbsp Triple Sec (orange liqueur) or orange juice
1 can crescent rolls (I used Pillsbury Reduced Fat)
1 egg white, beaten
2 tbsp white sugar
Whipped topping (About 1 cup or however much you want. I used Fat Free Cool Whip, could also use regular whipped cream or make your own)

Directions:
Puree 1 cup strawberries and water in blender or food processor. In a saucepan, mix corn starch and 3 tbsp white sugar. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens (about 5 minutes). Mix in liqueur and let cool. Stir remaining 2 cups of strawberries and refrigerate.

Pre-heat oven to 325F. Grease cookie sheet. Unroll and separate crescent rolls, press 2 triangles together (so 8 pre-cut rolls become 4 big rolls). Roll up as directed on package. Brush top with egg white, sprinkle sugar. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Let cool for a few minutes then cut rolls in half. Stuff with strawberry mixture and cool whip. Less is not more, here, so pile it all on!

Enjoy :)

Adapted from this recipe

Well, That's Embarrassing... And More

Happy Friday! 

Today's Blog Every Day in May Challenge is to reveal your most embarrassing moment.

Well, I feel like my whole life is a series of embarrassing moments. I'm so clumsy, I'm always tripping and falling and saying stupid things. I'd have the say the most embarrassing moment from my childhood was in first grade and some boy tripped me on purpose into a mud puddle. I was so embarrassed, muddy, and was afraid everyone would think I had an "accident" if you know what I mean. I remember my mom coming to pick me up early because I was so sad and embarrassed. That was really mean of that little boy, come to think of it! I hope he got detention.

I tend to not get embarrassed anymore... I feel like that's something that just evolved as I became older. I'm really not afraid of acting stupid and laughing at myself... for example, dancing the salsa outside of Chipotle, much to Chris' dismay. Not much shame. 

Moving onto my High Five!

1. I also missed yesterday's Blog Every Day in May prompt... "a moment in your day"

After work yesterday, Chris worked on his car in the garage while I lifted weights...in flip flops. Hey, at least I did it and thankfully I didn't drop one on my foot. My arms are in need of some serious toning...I don't even remember the last time I worked them out with weights.

2. In case you missed it, I posted a fabulous Twice Baked Potato recipe. Make it this weekend, you won't regret it.

3. I got this dress, in Navy Blue, for $9.99 at the Old Navy outlet. I'm so excited, it actually fits really well and is perfect to dress up or down depending on the event.

4. I'm totally obsessed with this wine. Of course, it's not as good as the amazing peach wine that Leigh sent me, but it'll have to do until I can visit her. 

5. It's the freakin weekend, baby I'm about to have me some fun. Or something like that. Happy Mother's Day to all you mommies out there, and best of all my own mommy! I can only look up to you all and hope to be half as wonderful to my own babies someday. You guys are super-women.

Twice Baked Potatoes

You've had twice-baked potatoes (aka re-baked potatoes) before, right? If not, you're missing out. Gather your ingredients immediately and get cooking, because these are a-ma-zing.

Ingredients:

5 potatoes (a potato per person = 1 serving, so you can tweak ingredients as needed)

1 cup or more shredded cheddar cheese

1 cup sour cream

1/2 cup milk

2 green onions, chopped

1 tsp dry mustard and/or 1 tsp dijon mustard, depending on how mustard-y you like

1 tsp paprika, ground red pepper, or cajun seasoning. I used all, but that's because we like things spicy around here

Bacon pieces (optional, that comes in a jar or you can use cooked bacon)

Dash of pepper

For baking the potatoes:

1 tbsp olive oil

Sea salt

Directions:

Bake potatoes. If you need directions on this, keep reading. If not, skip to the next paragraph. Under running cool water, scrub those potatoes. Dry them off thoroughly, then poke about 10 holes with a fork to let steam escape. Brush both sides with olive oil and sprinkle sea salt. This will make the skin taste amazing, and that's where those nutrients are! Bake at 350F for 1 hour on a pan (flip in between).

Let potatoes cool for a few minutes before handling, or wear gloves. Cut potatoes in half, scoop out insides. Be careful not to scoop too much- you want the skin to stay intact. Mix scooped insides with all ingredients, minus some of the cheese. You can mix the bacon in now or leave it out to use as a topping- totally up to you. Scoop the filling back into the potato skins, then top with cheese/bacon.

Bake at 350F for 20 minutes, then broil on "high" for 5 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly and slightly browned. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes before serving. 

These are great as leftovers so I always make extra. Enjoy!

Oreo Marshmallow Brownies

I don't even think this requires a recipe post, but I'll do it anyway. This is the easiest twist on brownies you'll ever see. If you want a gooey-oreo-y block of chocolatey goodness in your mouth, this is the right place for you.

What you need:
Box of brownie mix (any!) + ingredients listed on the box
1 cup marshmallows
about 10 oreos (I used chocolate creme filled)

What you do:
Mix up the brownie mix according to directions on the package. Put oreos in a ziploc bag and smash them up. This part is fun. Pour oreos and marshmallows into the brownie mix and mix well.
Cook according to directions on brownie package.
Enjoy, obviously.

The marshmallows melted, I'm not sure if that's supposed to happen, but it was delicious. It made the brownies gooey and just even better. The oreos speak for themselves.

I think I'll go have another now.

Sparkling Wedding Punch

My lovely bloggy friend Steph just started a new link-up, "The Party Don't Start til I walk in", so I thought it would be the perfect time to share this drink recipe.

We all know it's wedding season so it's the perfect time to share the recipe for wedding punch! I made it for Chris' now-sister-in-law's bridal shower a couple years ago and I can literally taste it to this day. It's easy, delicious, and will definitely be a hit at your next bridal shower or party.  Think of it as grown-up jungle juice. Anyone?

these cupcakes have nothing to do with the punch, besides that I made them for the same bridal shower. I have no pictures of the punch but promise it's great!

Ingredients:
2 cans frozen lemonade
1 can frozen pineapple concentrate (regular pineapple juice will work if you can't find this)
1 gallon cranberry juice (or any cran-combination)
2 liters ginger ale (or flavored ginger ale, like cranberry)
Several cups of ice
LOTS of fresh fruit that will absorb the juice (pineapple, berries, oranges, etc. Be creative!)
Clear rum, mix to taste depending on amount made (optional...we made two batches but you can guess which one was most popular)

Directions: 
Mix it all up, if you have time let sit for several hours to let the fruit absorb the juice (If you do this, wait to add the ginger ale so it doesn't get flat).

Enjoy!

adapted from this recipe

Double Chocolate Cake Cookies

Have you had cake cookies before? 

They're cookies made from cake mix and are light, fluffy, and always have the perfect flavor. I always have cake mix on hand, so when I needed to make a quick and easy dessert to bring to family dinner, I was able to whip these up with everything in my pantry.

Ingredients:

1 box cake mix (any flavor, obviously I used chocolate to make these "double chocolate"!)

1 cup chocolate chips

1 stick butter (softened)

2 eggs

1 tsp vegetable oil (not pictured, use more/less to consistency)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F. Stir together cake mix, butter, eggs, and oil in medium bowl until well mixed. Add chocolate chips, mix in. Use cookie scoop or drop by spoonfuls onto baking sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes. Allow to cool on pan for 2 minutes before transferring to wire cooling rack.

Enjoy!

Light Penne Alfredo

There isn't much that's better than Alfredo sauce and pasta.
Just ask my brother Zach, it's all he would eat for his entire childhood.
My version is a teensy bit healthier than the average Alfredo sauce you'd order at a restaurant.

INGREDIENTS:
3 tbsp butter
1 cup Half and Half (low-fat or fat free for the healthier version, or regular if you want a creamier taste)
1 tbsp parsley
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 clove garlic
Dash of pepper

1/2 box penne pasta (or whatever type of pasta you prefer)

DIRECTIONS:
Cook pasta according to directions on box. 
Meanwhile, melt butter in a medium saucepan. Add half and half, simmer about 5 minutes.
Add garlic and parmesan to pan while whisking. Fully mix. Add parsley and pepper, heat through. Simmer a couple minutes to allow sauce to slightly thicken.
Spoon over pasta, top with parsley and a little more parmesan if you prefer.

Serve with bread or a salad.
Makes about 4 servings

Obviously you can add whatever meat/protein you'd like... shrimp or chicken would be great in this recipe. Or you can load up the veggies and add whatever you want. It's versatile...and easy! Because, you know me, I'm all about the easy, convenient meals.

Enjoy!

Cheerio Treats

I love fancy desserts, don't get me wrong, but there's something about a simple, quick, and yummy treat.
My mom used to make Cheerio treats when I was a kid and I haven't had these in years before randomly remembering them a few days ago. Naturally, I had to make them ASAP.
They're just as good as I remember... the chewy-ness of the marshmallow and peanut butter flavor plus the crunchy-sweetness of the cheerios make for such a yummy dessert.
Best of all, I guarantee your kids (if you have em) will love these, as long as you don't eat them all first. That's what I would do.

Ingredients:
5 cups Honey Nut Cheerios (I used a combo of Honey Nut and regular to cut down the sweetness)
1 package (aprox 6 cups) miniature marshmallows
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
3 tablespoons butter

Directions:
Grease pan (I used 13x9 but an 8x8 would make thicker bars)
Put butter, marshmallows, and peanut butter in a large microwave-safe bowl. Heat in microwave (at full power) for 2 minutes.
Stir until marshmallow is smooth and ingredients are well-mixed.
Add cheerios, mix well to coat cereal.
Press mixture into pan (I find a rubber spatula helps a bunch with this, the mixture is sticky!)
Let cool, cut into bars, and enjoy!

Stuffed Shells

Cheap, easy, yummy, and made enough for leftovers. This recipe was a winner.
Recipe adapted from Fitness Magazine's- my changes are in pink.

Ingredients

• 18jumbo pasta shells (about 6 ounces)
• 1 1/2teaspoons olive oil
• 1/4medium onion, finely chopped
• 4ounces fresh chorizo, crumbled (we used hot turkey sausage- a little healthier. I think the recipe could go without sausage completely, though)
• 115 ounce can crushed tomatoes
• 3/4teaspoon sugar (I left this out)
• 1/4teaspoon salt plus additional for seasoning
• 1/4teaspoon freshly ground black pepper plus additional for seasoning
• Olive oil cooking spray
• 2cups (about 2 ounces) baby spinach, finely chopped (I used more, probably about 3 cups- I love spinach and wanted to stuff as much in as possible!)
• 1cup low-fat ricotta (Or non-fat. Tastes the same to me!)
• 1/2cup shredded part-skim mozzarella
• 1egg white, lightly beaten

Directions

1. Cook shells according to package directions; rinse under cold water, drain and pat dry.

2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and chorizo and cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Drain all but 1 1/2 teaspoons drippings and return pan to stove (if you use turkey sausage, no need to drain as it won't produce as much drippings). Add tomatoes and sugar and season with salt and pepper to taste; simmer until sauce is slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Set aside.

3. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and coat a 9-by-9-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

4. Combine spinach, cheeses, egg white and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper in a large bowl. Spoon half the tomato sauce into prepared dish. Stuff each shell with 1 heaping tablespoon filling and arrange stuffed shells in baking dish. Spoon remaining sauce over shells and cover with aluminum foil. Bake until pasta is cooked through and sauce begins to bubble, about 30 minutes. Let rest 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Enjoy!

Snickerdoodle Cookies

Snickerdoodle Cookies are another one of my favorite holiday cookies.
They're light, fluffy, and the perfect combination of cinnamon-sugary. Yum.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, softened
1/2 cup shortening
2 eggs
2 3/4 cups white flour
2 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon

Instructions:

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees Farenheit.
2. Mix 1 1/2 cups sugar, the butter, shortening and eggs in large bowl. Stir in flour, cream of tartar,
baking soda and salt. I also like to add cinnamon to the dough, but the original recipe doesn't call for this. It adds a little more cinnamon flavor which I love!
3. Shape dough into 1 1/4-inch balls. Mix 1/4 cup sugar and the cinnamon. Roll balls in cinnamon sugar
mixture. Place 2 inches apart on un-greased cookie sheet.
4. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until set. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack.
Makes 4 dozen cookies
adapted from the Betty Crocker recipe

Do you have a favorite holiday cookie?

Spice Cookies

There's nothing better than homemade cookies around the holidays. Growing up, my mom would make various cookies this time of year. The kitchen counters would be covered in cookies. We would give them out to teachers, friends, and neighbors. Mom still makes them, but I've definitely continued the tradition in my house.
Spice cookies were always the most popular, and the ones I always make sure to bake. They're always a hit when I bring them to work parties and I've given the recipe out countless times. 
Now it's time to share it with all of you! Enjoy!

Spice Cookies

Makes 3 dozen cookies

12tbs. butter
1 cup sugar
1 large egg, beaten
1/4 cup molasses
2 and 1/4 cups flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. cloves
sugar for coating

1. Cream the butter and sugar. Add egg and molasses and blend well.

2. Combine the flour, baking soda, salt, and spices and beat them into the mixture. 

3. Chill dough for about 20 minutes.

4. Form the batter into balls about the size of a walnut, roll them in the extra sugar and place on an ungreased baking sheet.

5. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in preheated 350 degree oven. Careful not to overcook! 

6. Let cool completely before serving. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container and stored on your counter, but I doubt they'll last long enough to necessitate that. Enjoy!

Turkey Cheeseburger Casserole

A casserole with turkey, packed with vegetables, and topped with biscuits?

Yeah, it's is as good as it sounds. 

Chris and I came up with this while attempting to make a "sloppy joe casserole".

Whatever we ended up making was so much better.... and the Turkey Cheeseburger Casserole was born!

Ingredients:

1 lb ground turkey (or beef, whatever you prefer. You could even use "fake" meat if you're a vegetarian)

2 cups grated cheddar cheese

1 large carrot

1 celery stock

1/2 small white onion

1/2 green pepper

4 tbsp Barbecue sauce

2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tbsp brown sugar

Italian spices/any spices you prefer

1 package Pillsbury Grand Jr Biscuits

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375F.

Chop all veggies into very small pieces. Brown turkey in pan. When almost cooked, drain fat and add back into pan. Add vegetables, cook for about 5 minutes on medium heat. Add barbeque and worcestershire sauce, along with the brown sugar and spices and stir well. Simmer for a couple minutes. Transfer to greased 8x11 casserole dish. Top with cheese.

Cut each biscuit in half, place on top of the meat and cheese. Leave room because the biscuits will spread.

Bake for 20-25 minutes

Enjoy!

Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

This time of year, I just love pumpkin in anything.

These cookies are no exception! They're light, fluffy, and have the perfect amount of pumpkin flavor.

Ingregients (Yields about 5 dozen cookies):
1 stick butter
1/2 cup shortening (I use Crisco)
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup pumpkin puree
1 egg
3 1/4 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Directions:
Mix butter, shortening, sugars, pumpkin and egg with electric mixer until well incorporated.  Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon and mix well.
Chill dough in fridge for ~30 minutes.
At this time, I would preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.
Roll dough into tsp size balls (I use a cookie scoop).
Mix about 1/2 cup white sugar with 1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice (I made my own):
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp ground cloves or allspice (I prefer cloves, but whatever you have on-hand)
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
Roll dough balls in this mixture, place on cookie sheet.
Bake 8-9 minutes until slightly browned.

Adapted from this recipe

Enjoy!

Pretty Chocolate Covered Pretzels

Did you see these pretty chocolate covered pretzels in my weekend update post a couple weeks ago?

I wouldn't just leave you a pretty picture without explaining!

(Or maybe I would! I'm just now getting to post this...Vacation threw me off!)

Here's what you need:

White chocolate or any other chocolate (I used a mixture of a Ghiradelli baking bar and white chocolate chips- just what was in my cabinet)

Pretzels- as many as you want to use!

Sprinkles

Vegetable oil

+

Sauce pan

Glass bowl

Baking sheet

Wax paper

Here's what you do:

Melt chocolate. 

Chris introduced me to this method of heating chocolate without the risk of burning it!

He says this is what they do on the Food Network.

So I thought, it must work.

It does!

Boil water in a saucepan.

Position a glass bowl over the boiling water and place the chocolate in the bowl like this:

The chocolate will begin to melt...

Then add about a teaspoon of vegetable oil to thin the mixture (use more or less depending on what the consistency is like)

Throw in the pretzels and make cure to fully coat them.

Use tongs to place covered pretzels on a wax paper covered baking sheet.

Sprinkle with sprinkles right away!

It doesn't have to look neat. We got chocolate all over the place!

Stick them in the freezer for 10 min or in the fridge for 20min so the chocolate can harden.

Patiently wait....

That's the hardest part.

Then, Enjoy!

These are easy, fun, and the combinations are endless. 

I'd love to hear your ideas for different variations!