Cream of Broccoli Soup

Cream of Broccoli Soup in a Bread BowlMy Cream of Broccoli Secret!

Cream of Broccoli Soup doesn’t get any better than putting it in a toasted Bread Bowl, does it?  It’s not a necessity but it sure does boost the look and comfort of eating soup with bread.  For this Cream of Broccoli Soup recipe, I decided to dig deep and give you the best of the best with combinations of 5 star rating recipes.  So I know for a fact that this soup will strike a new chord for you and bless you with a terrific way to make Cream of Broccoli Soup in the future.

Cream of Broccoli SoupMy top 3 favorite soups start out sautéing onions.  At least the way I do it.  It seems to bring out more of a rich flavor in the soup when it’s done that way.  In my Cream of Broccoli recipe, I sauté the onions until they almost caramelize.  A little bit of sugar helps to speed that process up so it doesn’t take so long just caramelizing onions.  Also, I like my cream of Broccoli to be a little more on the chunky side, so I don’t puree the broccoli.  Of course that’s a personal preference, but I find that picking a happy medium allows the soup to consume the flavor of the smaller ground pieces, giving it that sweet broccoli flavor, and the larger pieces that throw in that meaty effect, giving the best of both worlds.  Who could ask for anything more?  Toyota probably!

Cream of Broccoli Soup Ingredients:

1 qt Chicken Stock or Broth
4 Broccoli Stalk Heads
1 Celery stalk (optional)
1 carrot (optional)
1 Onion
2 tbsp butter
3 tbsp flour
1 tsp sugar
1 cup Heavy Whipping Cream
1 tsp ground pepper
4 Bread Soup Bowls

Bring Chicken stock or bouillon seasoned water to a boil.  Cut all the vegetables and combine the Broccoli, Celery and Carrot in a Food Processor and blend to desired consistency, pureed or chunky, then add to stock and reduce heat to medium. Saute chopped onion in butter, add sugar and cook until it’s golden brown and caramelized.  Add Flour, stir, then add the cream and stir again until it thickens and turns almost pasty.  Then add the creamy onions to the stock.  Reduce the heat to a simmer and stir in the pepper.

The Bread Bowl should be toasted but they don’t have to be.  I usually throw them in the oven under a high broil and watch them carefully. This allows the bread to have a toasted crispy exterior yet a soft fluffy interior, and it’s the way I like it.  Pull from the oven and fill with soup.  I like to top my Cream of Broccoli with a mild cheddar cheese before I serve.

Japanese Cold Cucumber

IMG_0271A Cold Cucumber is Hot!

There really isn’t a lot to be said about making a Cold Cucumber.  It’s simple.  I have yet to find anyone that doesn’t think it’s refreshing.  It’s normally an appetizer or side dish but I often find myself eating an entire bowl of this recipe for lunch.  So that being said, if you don’t already know about this recipe, I will be imparting it to you here today.

 

 

Cold Cucumber Ingredients are:

1 Japanese or Mexican Cucumber
2 tbsp Soy Sauce
2 tbsp Vinegar
2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp sesame seeds

Partially peel Cucumber into stripes.  Cut in half and in half again if your cold cucumber is large.  Slice bite size pieces on a 45 degree angle and toss in a bowl with all the ingredients.  Serve your cold cucumber immediately, and enjoy!

Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

The Best Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

I love Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms. I order them every time I see them on the menu, which is rare, but I love how these things just sit in melted butter, begging to be plucked from their assortment.  I stuff them with the chopped stems, green onion, bell pepper, parsley, bacon and seasoned breadcrumbs.  I find that dressing breadcrumbs work the best and I saute everything in butter, so it’s really moist before I fill the caps.

My Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

I was baffled by these years ago.  The flavors were confusing to me and I wasn’t quite sure, a) What was in them, and obviously b) How to make them because of it.  However, snooping around on Pinterest, recently, I ran into a photo that someone had posted and it hit me!  So I figure that maybe there’s a few of you out there that have felt the same way I’ve felt about this recipe and I thought I better crank out my theory about how they’re made.  Very often I challenge myself this way without sourcing any written recipe, just to see if I can do it.  Well, I can and I did.  So I reworked the recipe for everyone here to enjoy for themselves, and I’ve got to tell ya, I’m really proud of this one.  Not only because it’s a fabulous wow factor dish, but because it’s ridiculously easy.  That being said, make sure that you crank out this recipe next time you’re craving Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms, it’s a Winner!

Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms Ingredients:

6 Small or 2 Large Portobello Mushrooms
1 Piece Bacon, cooked and chopped
1/4 Bell Pepper, chopped
1 Green Onion, chopped
2 tbsp Fresh Parsley, chopped
1 cup Seasoned Bread Crumbs (Dressing works GREAT)
1 cube Butter, melted
½ cup Water
1/2 cup Mozzarella Cheese
Salt and Pepper to taste

Bake at 425 degrees f for 15 minutes then top with Mozzarella and Broil for 1 to 2 minutes and let them cool before serving.

Watch the short video for this Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms recipe and I’ll show you just how easy these are to make.