Cheesy Vegetable Soup

I enjoy eating vegetable soup, and it's great for using up the veggies that you have on hand. It's also less expensive to make soup without meat in it, and with today's meat prices, sometimes it's nice to save a few dollars.

This recipe for Cheesy Vegetable Soup has a rich creamy base, made with heavy cream and two cups of cheddar cheese. It's definitely hearty and filling, and paired with a salad and crackers, makes a delicious meal.

Making soup is such a nice thing to do for yourself, or your family, and a pot simmering on the stove is one of my very favorites things about fall.

Recipe for Cheesy Vegetable Soup

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cans (14-1/2 ounce each) chicken broth
2 cups coarsely chopped broccoli
1 cup chopped carrots
3/4 cup chopped celery
1 small onion, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1 egg yolk
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

In a heavy 4-quart soup pot over medium heat, melt butter. Add flour. Cook and stir until thick and bubbly, remove from heat. Gradually blend in broth.
Add broccoli, carrots, celery, onion and seasonings. Return to heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 20 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.
In a small bowl, blend egg yolk and cream. Gradually stir in several tablespoonsful hot soup. Then return the egg-cream mixture to the pot, stirring until slightly thickened. Simmer 15-20 minutes.
Stir in cheese and cook over medium heat until melted.

Serves 6.

21 Day Fix Update

You guys! Remember when I told you I had started Beachbody and the 21 day Fix??? Well I am now almost 2 weeks in and things are going amazing. I have started a "Team Busy Mama" Facebook Group that all of the gals can post their progress, share recipes and yes even post "sweaty selfies".

This journey to better health has truly been a blessing. Not only am I in the best shape of my life but I am helping others as well. We are there for each other for support and accountability. Two of the most important tools we need to continue this amazing journey in life. I have lost 4 lbs in the last 10 days, this program is for real. The containers that come with the "Fix" help you with healthy eating and portion control. Not only are you exercising and eating right, but you are also eating better than you ever have. Oh and what other "diet" can you eat things like cookies, chocolate and wine????

I tell you what, if you do this with us, if you commit to your health, you will not be sorry! Message me for details, the sale ends at the end of the month and you don't want to miss you!

Fall Cookie Favorite, Pumpkin Spice Cookies

Yesterday, it finally started to really feel like fall weather here. Fall makes me happy, and when I'm happy, I like to bake. I've been making quite a few apple desserts lately, and so I thought it was time to make something with pumpkin.

These Pumpkin Spice Cookies are pretty fabulous, and I made them fairly large, big enough so that one was enough for each of my grandchildren to enjoy.

I think that one of the delights of baking is the way the kitchen smells so heavenly when something good is in the oven. These cookies smell like fall itself, and should do just the trick if you need a yummy pumpkin treat fix.

I live near a wonderful market that sells fresh spices by weight, so I was able to go buy my fall spices that I need for my baking. They are super fresh and less expensive when you buy them this way. Who wants to open that bottle of pumpkin pie spice that has been sitting around for years because you only use a teaspoon or two of it every season?

So, if you are looking for a great cookie recipe, try these, soft and yummy glazed cookies, Perfect with a glass of milk on a chilly fall day.

Recipe for Glazed Pumpkin Spice Cookies

Ingredients:

2-1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup canned pure pumpkin
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For glaze:

2 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Spray cookie sheet with baking spray, or line with parchment paper.
Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a medium bowl. Beat sugar and butter in a large bowl until well blended. Beat in pumpkin, egg, and vanilla until smooth.
Gradually beat in flour mixture. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto prepared cookie sheet.
Bake for 10-12 or until edges are firm. Cool on cookie sheet for 5 minutes, then remove to wire rack to cool completely. Drizzle glaze over cookies.

To make glaze, combine powered sugar, milk and vanilla. Stir until smooth.

Makes about 18 large cookies.

Apple Bread Pudding

 Sometimes I think my favorite thing about fall is the desserts. I mean, who can resist all the apple, pumpkin, and other flavors of the season??

Not me, so yesterday while in the kitchen, I made one of my very favorite desserts, Apple Bread Pudding. I love making bread puddings of all kinds, and apple flavor is one of my grandchildren's favorites.

And of course, that vanilla bean ice cream on top of it is a little piece of heaven.



 Making bread pudding is so easy, and you probably have all the ingredients in your fridge and pantry.
Adding an apple to the basic recipe, will make your kitchen smell delicious. The mix of apple and cinnamon coming out of the oven is one of my favorite fall scents.



 I usually make bread pudding in a casserole dish. But I found these cute heart shaped baking dishes at less than half-off at World Market. I couldn't resist them!

Recipe for Apple Bread Pudding:

Ingredients:

6 cups stale bread, torn into bite sized pieces
2 cups milk
2 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 cup of chopped apple pieces

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Lightly butter a 9x9 glass baking dish, or 6 ramekins.

Put bread pieces in medium bowl. In another bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, vanilla and cinnamon. Add the mixture to the bread. Mix together well. Add chopped apples.
Mix apples into bread mixture. Let this sit for half an hour, giving the bread a chance to absorb all the milk.

Place bread mixture in glass baking dish. Bake for 35 minutes, or until top is golden brown, and knife inserted into center comes out clean.

Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

Serves 6.



I originally posted this last October, and it's truly one of my all-time favorite fall desserts, so I thought I'd share it again.

Kielbasa Vegetable Soup

I'm really not quite sure what's up with the weather here in Seattle. Normally by this time of year, we have cooled down with cloudy skies and drizzles of rain. Instead, we have been having 80-plus degree weather. And because I like those gray skies, I am more than ready to welcome in fall.

To at least make me feel a little bit like fall is coming, last night I made some great tasting soup. This hearty Kielbasa Vegetable Soup is packed with sausage and veggies, including potatoes, corn, onion, carrots, and celery.

 One of the things I love about making soup is the fact that you can be free to substitute other ingredients if you don't quite have everything on hand. Whatever veggies you choose to put in this soup, they will go beautifully with the rich broth. And the Kielbasa sausage lends a delicious flavor, and makes this meal very filling.

Recipe for Kielbasa Vegetable Soup

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil
8 ounces fully cooked Kielbasa or Polish sausage, diced
1 small onion, diced
6 medium all-purpose potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes
2 cups frozen, whole-kernel corn
2 cups chicken stock
1 celery stock, diced
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1-1/2 cups milk
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, plus extra cheese for on top of soup

Directions:

In a large soup pot, cook kielbasa and onions in olive oil until lightly browned. Transfer to a plate and wipe fat from pan.
Add potatoes, corn, chicken stock, celery, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper to pan.Bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer, cover, 15 minutes until vegetables are tender.
Add milk, cheese, onions, and sausage. Cook, stirring over low heat until cheese is melted and soup is heated through.

Makes 6 servings.