Broccoli and Cheddar Cheese Soup Recipe

I was craving broccoli and cheese soup one day and the one at Whole Foods was not stellar, so I decided to come up with my own version.  JK and I had this one evening before shopping and it was a hit.  I made it again on Thanksgiving and even my finicky mom loved it!  Be warned though, this soup is very very filling.

Broccoli and Cheddar Cheese Soup Recipe

Ingredients:

1/2 onion, chopped

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 cups vegetable broth

1 cup skim milk

3 cups frozen broccoli florets

8 oz (3/4 package) reduced fat sharp cheddar cheese

olive oil and margarine

salt

pepper

Directions:

1.  Melt 1 tablespoon margarine and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat.  Add onion and cook until soft, about two minutes. 

2. Add in the flour and stir to form a roux.  Cook for two minutes. 

3.  Pour in the vegetable broth, stirring constantly.  Bring to a boil.



4.  Add in the broccoli florets, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook for 6 minutes.



5. Scoop out the broccoli pieces and a little bit of the liquid and pulse in a blender or food processor.  You can also use an immersion blender if you have one.  

6.  Pour the blended broccoli back into pan and stir.  This thickens the soup.

 

7.  Add in the milk, season to taste with salt and pepper, and bring to a boil once again.



8.  Turn off the heat and sprinkle in the cheddar cheese, reserving a little bit for garnish.



9.  Stir the soup constantly until the cheese is completely melted.

10.  Ladle the soup into bowls and sprinkle with a bit of cheddar cheese. 

Nutritional Information:

Makes 4 servings, each serving is:

Calories: 271

Carbs: 16

Fat: 15

Protein: 16

Fiber: 2

Sodium: 916

Roasted Acorn Squash Filled with Basil and Goat Cheese Risotto

I went on a little cooking bender a few weekends ago, mostly as a way to procrastinate on the studying.  I came up with a few recipes that I'll be posting, the first of which is this risotto filled acorn squash.  JK and I had plans to do dinner and go shopping after, so I made this dish for her one night.  She gave it two thumbs up, and I enjoyed it as well.

Roasted Acorn Squash filled with Basil and Goat Cheese Risotto Recipe

Ingredients:

1 small acorn squash

2/3 cup arborio rice

1 cup white wine

2 cups vegetable broth

1/2 white onion
2 ounces goat cheese

handful shredded pecorino or parmesan cheese

a couple of basil leaves, chopped

olive oil

butter/margarine

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. Hack the squash in half.

3. Scoop out and discard the seeds. 

4.  Place face down on an oiled baking sheet and place in the oven.  

5.  While the squash is cooking, chop up half an onion.  

6.  Melt tablespoon butter/margarine in a large pan and add about 2 tablespoons olive oil.  Sauté the onion for about 5 minutes.  

7.  While the onion is sautéing, in a separate pot, bring the vegetable broth to a slow boil. 

8.  Add in the arborio rice to the onion mixture.

9.  Toast the rice for a few minutes, stirring occasionally.

10.  Pour in the white wine and cook until the liquid is absorbed.  Then ladle in the vegetable broth about half a cup at time, letting the liquid absorb before adding more broth.

11.  After 30 minutes, take the squash out of the oven and flip them over, so the insides are facing up.

12. Add a tablespoon of margarine/butter to the inside of the squash and place back in the oven.  

13.  Once you have used up all of the vegetable broth, the risotto should begin to look a little creamy.  Taste a piece to make sure the rice is cooked through.  If it isn't continue cooking with additional broth or water.

14.  When the risotto is cooked, add in the pecorino/parmesan cheese.

15.  Then add in the goat cheese.

16.  Stir the mixture until the cheeses are completely melted and it looks creamy.

17.  Add in some chopped basil (reserve some as a garnish to sprinkle on top).

18.  Remove the squash from the oven after it has been in there for an hour total.  To plate, place the squash halves in bowls or plates, spoon the risotto into the center, and sprinkle with the reserved basil.  

2 for 1: Mini Quiche and Frittata Recipe

I love this dish.  I've made it several times in the past few months.  It's so yummy and easy and you can whip it up fairly quickly.  I brought the frittata version to a friend's brunch and I've even shared it with co-workers at one of the attorneys' birthday breakfast.   Just as an FYI, the frittata version is crispy/crunchy on top because of the panko.  In the mini-quiche version, since I put the panko on the bottom, when it cooks, the moisture from the zucchini mixture and the egg form a dough and create a softer crust.  

Zucchini, Basil, and Goat Cheese Frittata/Mini-Quiche Recipe

Ingredients:

·        3 medium zucchini, grated

·        1 clove garlic, minced

·        1 medium red onion, chopped

·        2 tablespoons basil, chopped

·        8 large eggs

·        3 cups skim milk

·        5 ounces goat cheese

·        2/3 cup Panko (japanese-style breadcrumbs)

·        Salt and Pepper

·        Olive Oil

Directions:

1.      Shred the zucchini on the large holes of a box grater.  Place shredded zucchini into a colander, sprinkle with salt, and toss well.  Place in the sink and let drain for 15 minutes.

2.      Meanwhile, chop the onion and basil, and mince the garlic.

3.      In a large, straight-edged, oven safe skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat.  Add panko and stir until evenly toasted (about 3-5 minutes).  Set the toasted panko aside and return skillet to stove.

4.      Heat another tablespoon of oil in the skillet and add the onion and garlic.

5.      Rinse the zucchini to remove excess salt.  Squeeze the grated zucchini firmly, by the handful, to remove excess water and add to the onion and garlic.  Season with salt and pepper and cook over medium-high heat.

6.      Pre-heat oven to 350°F.

7.      Crack eggs in a mixing bowl and whisk with the milk.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

8.      After about 7 minutes of cooking, add the chopped basil to the zucchini mixture.

To make the frittata:

9.      Spread out the zucchini mixture evenly in skillet.

10.   Crumble the goat cheese on top of the zucchini mixture, making sure the cheese is distributed evenly.

11.   Pour the egg mixture on top of the zucchini and goat cheese.

12.   Once the egg starts to bubble and looks like it’s beginning to set, sprinkle the toasted panko on top of the egg and place in the oven, uncovered, for 25-30 minutes.

13.   Cool completely before cutting.

 

To make the mini-quiches:

9. Spray a muffin tin with olive oil (I used my Misto). 

10. Distribute the toasted Panko evenly between each cup. 

 

11. Then distribute the zucchini mixture evenly between each cup, and pat down.

12. Crumble goat cheese over the zucchini mixture. 

13. Pour the egg and milk mixture into each cup. 

14. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until you can tell that the egg is cooked through. 

15. Scoop out and serve!

Nutritional Information:

(Frittata) Serves 8.  Each serving is:

Calories: 218

Fat: 13 (5 saturated, 8 unsaturated)

Carbs: 14

Protein: 13

Fiber: 1

Sodium: 231