This is literally the best broccoli cheese soup I have ever had in my life. It's amazingly simple and free from any of the "cream of" soups and pre-packaged crud people seem to be so desperately avoiding these days. It started as a recipe from a co-worker. I have no idea where she got the recipe, but I've modified it to perfection. It is by no means light, but it's a perfect dinner for a chilly night with some rolls or (drumroll, please) a BREAD BOWL. Oh heavens, the bread bowl.
Broccoli Cheese Soup
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup all purpose flour
8 cups chicken broth
2 (14 oz) bags frozen broccoli florets
1 onion, diced
1 tsp black pepper
1 cup heavy cream
4 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Combine butter and flour with fork.
In large soup pot, combine broth, broccoli, onion, and pepper. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer for 20-25 minutes or until broccoli and onions are tender.
Add butter mixture, stirring until soup has thickened. Slowly stir in heavy cream. Add cheese 1 cup at a time, mixing well after each addition until cheese is melted.
I hope you enjoy it!
"Love came when Love was Ready." Those lovely words were spoken just before Jonathan and I officially became man and wife in 2006. You really have to know our history to know how much those simple words mean to us. Follow us for our story; we're writing it every day!
Friday, December 28, 2012
Thursday, December 27, 2012
All You Need Is Love
Last night when I was bathing Dane, he decided to "swim" in the tub. It was pretty darn cute, but I'm certainly biased. Here was our conversation:
Dane: "I'm swimming, Mommy!"
Me: "Wow! Where did you learn to swim like that?!"
Dane: "Because I just am. Because you love me, Mommy."
Woah. Talk about a feel good moment. Now, this isn't supposed to be a look-what-an-awesome-mom-I-am story. I do the best I can, but there are moments when I feel like packing him up and sending him to Gramma's house. Like tonight, when we were eating broccoli cheese soup (recipe here) and he tells me "I don't like broccoli. I love broccoli. Mommy, you made yummy soup. Mommy, I don't like soup. I only want bread." It's just that I had this realization that if our kids know that we love them because we tell them a million times a day in words and gestures, then they can do anything. And that makes you remember that yes, there are ten times minimum in day when you're frustrated to the point of tears, but your job is so worthwhile. Your job is so important, the most important. And if your kids know you love them, you're doing it right regardless of the hundreds of things you've done wrong since the day of their birth.
Dane: "I'm swimming, Mommy!"
Me: "Wow! Where did you learn to swim like that?!"
Dane: "Because I just am. Because you love me, Mommy."
Woah. Talk about a feel good moment. Now, this isn't supposed to be a look-what-an-awesome-mom-I-am story. I do the best I can, but there are moments when I feel like packing him up and sending him to Gramma's house. Like tonight, when we were eating broccoli cheese soup (recipe here) and he tells me "I don't like broccoli. I love broccoli. Mommy, you made yummy soup. Mommy, I don't like soup. I only want bread." It's just that I had this realization that if our kids know that we love them because we tell them a million times a day in words and gestures, then they can do anything. And that makes you remember that yes, there are ten times minimum in day when you're frustrated to the point of tears, but your job is so worthwhile. Your job is so important, the most important. And if your kids know you love them, you're doing it right regardless of the hundreds of things you've done wrong since the day of their birth.
Monday, December 17, 2012
The Short Version....
This was my day. In light of recent circumstances that put everything into perspective, I was able to laugh at the day (and myself) and realize that it was just a bad day. And not even a bad day, just an unorganized, poorly executed, nutty mess of a day. I'll try to give you the short version story.
It started just after 5:30 this morning. My car wouldn't crank. This is completely my fault, like everything else today. I knew that my key was wearing out about a year ago, but it hasn't been giving me any issues, and I didn't want to drive to the dealership in the next town to have a new key cut. Well, we can call that poor choice #1 of the day. This meant I had to wake up my family, get them dressed, take Dane to daycare and Jonathan to work, and get myself to work.... two hours late.
Once I get to work, I call the pediatrician's office to make an appointment. Dane had been acting strangely on Thursday afternoon and Friday morning, but by the time I picked him up on Friday afternoon, he seemed back to his sweet self, so I figured I had nothing to worry about. He's 2. Two-year olds are moody. Everyone knows this. Plus, he never ran a fever and he's been eating and sleeping normally. (You see what I'm doing here? I'm already trying to explain away bad decision #2 -- not taking him to the pediatrician last week.) Anyway, on Saturday afternoon I noticed some drainage in his ear. He's had a ruptured eardrum before (on Christmas Day 2011) and it looked exactly like that. I figured it was that again, and having been there before, I know there's not really much to be done but check to make sure the hole doesn't need to be patched. Always preferring to take Dane to our pediatrician rather than sit in a waiting room with staph and flu and goodness knows what else, and the fact that he was back to his old self helped me make the decision to just make him an appointment today.
The pediatrician's appointment is scheduled for 3pm. Perfect. That leaves me enough time deposit my paycheck, drive to get my new key cut, go to the Sprint store to have them fix my phone (another thing I've put off for far too long), pick-up Dane from daycare and take him to the doctor. Except I drive ten miles past the bank before I remember I need to go to the bank (dumb ass move #3). Turn around. Make deposit. Drive to dealership. Get key cut. Drive to Sprint. The computer at Sprint was down so they couldn't process the insurance claim on my phone. I tell them I need to leave to pick up my son for an appointment and they tell me to stop back by after his appointment.
At Dane's appointment, I'm asked which ear I spotted the drainage in. I cannot for the life of me remember. I suddenly feel like one of those celebrity moms who leaves their child with a nanny all day. Except I'm not skinny, stylish, or rich. Erg. I'm told he has a raging ear infection, complete with puss, and will need antibiotics. I feel like a complete terd. I've taken my child to the pediatrician for stupid nothings in the past and I miss when he actually needs to go. Phooey on me.
I stop back my Sprint to process the claim on the phone, hit the pharmacy, and head home. I get home at 4:30pm and decide to see if the new key fixes the car issue. But the new key isn't anywhere. I call the dealership. They've been trying to reach me to tell me I left the key on the cashier counter (again, it's the next town over). There's #4.
I think, "no problem". I'll run to the dealership with Dane and call to ask Jonathan to pick up something for dinner on his way home. Dammit. I have his car. So at 4:30pm, I call Jonathan to tell him that I have to run to the dealership before they close to get my key (in the opposite direction of his work) and then I'll be there to pick him up. The entire trip, Dane is hysterical, crying that he wants to go to Owen's house. No changing the subject or lying about Owen not being home (again, phooey on me) will console him.
An hour later, family piled into the car, we head to Moe's to have an enjoyable meal. When we get home, I fully expect to end this day on a high note by cranking up my car with the new key. Except it doesn't crank. Well, poop.
It started just after 5:30 this morning. My car wouldn't crank. This is completely my fault, like everything else today. I knew that my key was wearing out about a year ago, but it hasn't been giving me any issues, and I didn't want to drive to the dealership in the next town to have a new key cut. Well, we can call that poor choice #1 of the day. This meant I had to wake up my family, get them dressed, take Dane to daycare and Jonathan to work, and get myself to work.... two hours late.
Once I get to work, I call the pediatrician's office to make an appointment. Dane had been acting strangely on Thursday afternoon and Friday morning, but by the time I picked him up on Friday afternoon, he seemed back to his sweet self, so I figured I had nothing to worry about. He's 2. Two-year olds are moody. Everyone knows this. Plus, he never ran a fever and he's been eating and sleeping normally. (You see what I'm doing here? I'm already trying to explain away bad decision #2 -- not taking him to the pediatrician last week.) Anyway, on Saturday afternoon I noticed some drainage in his ear. He's had a ruptured eardrum before (on Christmas Day 2011) and it looked exactly like that. I figured it was that again, and having been there before, I know there's not really much to be done but check to make sure the hole doesn't need to be patched. Always preferring to take Dane to our pediatrician rather than sit in a waiting room with staph and flu and goodness knows what else, and the fact that he was back to his old self helped me make the decision to just make him an appointment today.
The pediatrician's appointment is scheduled for 3pm. Perfect. That leaves me enough time deposit my paycheck, drive to get my new key cut, go to the Sprint store to have them fix my phone (another thing I've put off for far too long), pick-up Dane from daycare and take him to the doctor. Except I drive ten miles past the bank before I remember I need to go to the bank (dumb ass move #3). Turn around. Make deposit. Drive to dealership. Get key cut. Drive to Sprint. The computer at Sprint was down so they couldn't process the insurance claim on my phone. I tell them I need to leave to pick up my son for an appointment and they tell me to stop back by after his appointment.
At Dane's appointment, I'm asked which ear I spotted the drainage in. I cannot for the life of me remember. I suddenly feel like one of those celebrity moms who leaves their child with a nanny all day. Except I'm not skinny, stylish, or rich. Erg. I'm told he has a raging ear infection, complete with puss, and will need antibiotics. I feel like a complete terd. I've taken my child to the pediatrician for stupid nothings in the past and I miss when he actually needs to go. Phooey on me.
I stop back my Sprint to process the claim on the phone, hit the pharmacy, and head home. I get home at 4:30pm and decide to see if the new key fixes the car issue. But the new key isn't anywhere. I call the dealership. They've been trying to reach me to tell me I left the key on the cashier counter (again, it's the next town over). There's #4.
I think, "no problem". I'll run to the dealership with Dane and call to ask Jonathan to pick up something for dinner on his way home. Dammit. I have his car. So at 4:30pm, I call Jonathan to tell him that I have to run to the dealership before they close to get my key (in the opposite direction of his work) and then I'll be there to pick him up. The entire trip, Dane is hysterical, crying that he wants to go to Owen's house. No changing the subject or lying about Owen not being home (again, phooey on me) will console him.
An hour later, family piled into the car, we head to Moe's to have an enjoyable meal. When we get home, I fully expect to end this day on a high note by cranking up my car with the new key. Except it doesn't crank. Well, poop.
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