Broccoli Cheese Soup

It's been freakin' cold lately. Comfort yourself by making a hot & hearty supper like this Broccoli Cheese Soup. This simple soup has basic ingredients, but it tastes so good. The green broccoli florets and the brilliant orange carrots make this creamy soup a colorful addition to any table.

Ingredients

2 cups sliced fresh carrots

2 cups broccoli florets

1 cup sliced celery

1-1/2 cups chopped onion

1/2 cup butter

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 can (10-1/2 ounces) condensed chicken broth, undiluted

4 cups whole milk

1/2 pound process cheese (Velveeta), cubed

Directions

In a large saucepan, bring 2 quarts water to a boil. Add carrots, broccoli and celery; cover and boil for 5 minutes. Drain and set aside.

In the same saucepan, saute onion in butter. Add flour and stir to make smooth paste. Gradually add chicken broth and milk. Cook until mixture thickens, about 8-10 minutes. Add vegetables; heat until tender. Add cheese; heat until cheese is melted. Yield: 6-8 servings (2 quarts).

Butterscotch Gingerbread Cookies

Ingredients

1 cup butter, softened

1 cup packed brown sugar

2 eggs

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 packages (3-1/2 ounces each) cook-and-serve butterscotch pudding mix

3 teaspoons ground ginger

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

In a large bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs. Combine the flour, pudding mixes, ginger, baking powder and cinnamon; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or until easy to handle.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/4-in. thickness. Cut with lightly floured cookie cutters. Place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets.

Bake at 350° for 6-8 minutes or until firm. Remove to wire racks to cool. Decorate as desired. Yield: about 2 dozen.

Gingerbread Pudding Cake

A handful of spices and a half cup of molasses give this delightful dessert a yummy, old-fashioned flavor. It's pretty, too, with a dollop of whipped cream and a mint sprig on top.

Ingredients

1/4 cup butter, softened

1/4 cup sugar

1 egg white

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup molasses

1 cup water

1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 cup chopped pecans

TOPPING:

6 tablespoons brown sugar

3/4 cup hot water

2/3 cup butter, melted

Directions

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg white and vanilla. Combine molasses and water. Combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, salt, allspice and nutmeg; gradually add to creamed mixture alternately with molasses mixture, beating well after each addition. Fold in pecans.

Pour into a greased 3-qt. slow cooker. Sprinkle with brown sugar. Combine hot water and butter; pour over batter (do not stir).

Cover and cook on high for 2 to 2-1/2 hours or until a toothpick inserted near the center of cake comes out clean. Turn off heat. Let stand for 15 minutes. Serve warm. Yield: 6-8 servings.

Triple-Chocolate Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup (packed) golden brown sugar

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup old-fashioned oats

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup milk chocolate chips

1/2 cup white chocolate chips

1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh or frozen cranberries

2 ounces milk chocolate or white chocolate, chopped (for drizzling)

Directions:

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Line 2 large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in medium bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat butter and both sugars in large bowl until smooth. Beat in egg and vanilla. Add flour mixture and oats and stir until blended. Stir in all chocolate chips and cranberries.

Drop batter by rounded tablespoonfuls onto prepared sheets, 2 inches apart. Bake cookies, 1 sheet at a time, until edges are light brown, about 16 minutes. Cool on sheets 5 minutes. Transfer to rack; cool completely.

Stir chopped milk chocolate in top of double boiler until melted and smooth. Using small spoon, drizzle melted chocolate over cookies in zigzag pattern. Let stand until milk chocolate sets, about 1 hour. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Store in airtight container at room temperature.)

Roasted Pork Chops with Hard Cider Jus

Ingredients:

8 (1-inch-thick) rib pork chops (4 lb total)

1 teaspoon fine sea salt

1 1/4 teaspoons black pepper

2 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 lb large shallots (8), bulbs separated if necessary and each bulb halved lengthwise

1 cup hard cider

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450°F.

Pat pork chops dry and sprinkle both sides with sea salt and pepper. Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons butter in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until foam subsides, then brown chops in 3 batches, turning once, 6 minutes per batch, and transfer with tongs to a large shallow baking pan (1 inch deep).

Add shallots and remaining tablespoon butter to skillet and cook over moderate heat, turning occasionally, until golden brown and tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Add cider and boil, stirring and scraping up brown bits, until reduced to about 3/4 cup, about 3 minutes.

Spoon shallots and sauce around chops and roast in lower third of oven until thermometer inserted horizontally into center of 1 chop (do not touch bone) registers 150°F, 7 to 9 minutes.

Let chops stand, loosely covered with foil, 5 minutes (temperature will rise to 155°F while standing). Serve chops with shallots and sauce.

Slow-Cooker White Bean and Sausage Stew

Ingredients

• 6 (3 oz.) Italian sausages
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 2 (15 oz.) cans white beans (Great Northern or navy), rinsed and drained
• 1 (28 oz.) can chopped tomatoes, drained
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh or 1 tsp. dried thyme
• Salt and pepper

Directions

1. Poke holes in sausages and put in a large nonstick skillet. Add 1/4 cup water; bring to a boil. Lower heat and cook sausages, turning, until lightly browned and water has evaporated, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Heat oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; cook, stirring often, about 3 minutes. Add beans, tomatoes and thyme.
2. Put half of bean mixture into a slow cooker. Arrange sausages on top, followed by remaining beans. Cook on high for 4 hours. Check after 2 hours and add water if mixture looks dry.
3. Remove sausages; slice thickly. Season beans with salt and pepper. Return sausage to stew. (Stew can be kept, frozen and tightly sealed, for up to 1 month.)

All You 

OCTOBER 2006

Loaded Potato Soup

Ingredients

 4 (6-ounce) red potatoes

2 teaspoons olive oil

1/2 cup pre-chopped onion

1 1/4 cups fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 cups 1% low-fat milk, divided

1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3 bacon slices, halved

1.5 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded (about 1/3 cup)

4 teaspoons thinly sliced green onions

 Directions

Pierce potatoes with a fork. Microwave on HIGH 13 minutes or until tender. Cut in half; cool slightly.

While potatoes cook, heat oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion; sauté 3 minutes. Add broth. Combine flour and 1/2 cup milk; add to pan with 1 1/2 cups milk. Bring to a boil; stir often. Cook 1 minute. Remove from heat; stir in sour cream, salt, and pepper.

Arrange bacon on a paper towel on a microwave-safe plate. Cover with a paper towel; microwave on HIGH for 4 minutes. Crumble bacon.

Discard potato skins. Coarsely mash potatoes into soup. Top with cheese, green onions, and bacon.

Note:

This recipe originally ran in Cooking Light October, 2010 and was updated for the November, 2012 25th anniversary issue.

The Best Homemade Hot Chocolate

Melted marshmallows provide the frothy texture that you'll savor in this sweet and speedy warm beverage. They're also what makes this hot chocolate different from (and better than) the instant kind you make from a store-bought mix. Chocolaty and comforting!

Ingredients

8 teaspoons sugar

4 teaspoons baking cocoa

4 cups 2% milk

1-1/2 cups miniature marshmallows

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

In a small saucepan, combine the first four ingredients. Cook and stir over medium heat until marshmallows are melted, about 8 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in vanilla. Ladle into mugs.  Tastes best topped with whipped cream & a dash of cinnamon, if desired. Yield: 4 servings.