Cold weather = Soup weather!!!

Although it was a nice "warm" 40 some degrees yesterday...it went back down to a high of 17 today...and boy was it cold!

I accomplished a lot today...not all that was on my to-do list...but pretty close! I'm happy!

I had PLANNED to make Broccoli Cheese, Chicken and Rice, and Potato Soup today...but only accomplished 2 of the 3 before I got exhausted! That's a lot!!! (as well as doing dishes and laundry and preparing the next part at the same time and not starting until almost 4 b/c of other things...like visiting the Harpst Salon for a cut and highlight and getting groceries.)

I had a bowl of Broccoli Cheese and it was YUMMY! This was the EASIEST and FASTER soup I've made from scratch!!!!


I JUST finished the Chicken and Rice...it doesn't look as good...didn't try it since I had already eaten dinner...but next time, I'll still add more water then I did to start with...doesn't look like soup too much...huh?

Recipes (just for you Jen!:)):

Broccoli Cheese Soup:

4 heads of broccoli, chopped
16 oz Velveeta cheese, chopped (I used 16 oz of shredded cheddar cheese)
2 cups onions, chopped
4 cups water
2 cans cream of celery soup
2 cans cheddar cheese soup (I swear I've seen this before but couldn't find it at Walmart..used Campbell's Broccoli Cheese soup)
1 can cream of mushroom soup

Mix chopped broccoli and onions and 4 cups of water and boil. Allow mixture to boil for 5 minutes. Pour 2 cans of cream of celery, 1 can of cream of mushroom, and 2 cans of cheddar cheese soup into mixture. Stir and turn heat to low. Put chopped Velveeta cheese on top slowly while stirring.

I turned the heat off after the cheese was melted...but some of the onions were still a little crunchy when I ate it...so maybe cook a little longer unless you don't care. :)


Chicken and Rice Soup:

1 Chicken (it says a Hen is best split in half - I used 2 split breasts)
2 onions (mine were baseball size)
5 stalks of celery
salt & pepper
1 cup rice

Place chicken with bones into an 8 qt stock pot
Cover GENEROUSLY with water
Peel an onion and put into pot (it said to leave the root ball on...I didn't - I quartered and tossed in)
Add about a tablespoon of salt
Break 2 stalks of celery in half and toss in (I put all 5 in)
Boil for about 2 hours (I did 1 1/2 hrs) until the meat starts falling off the bone
Remove chicken from the pot
Force cool the stock in a sink full of ice water (not necessary until it looks like a alot of fat in broth)
Strain the stock
Discard bones and veggies (I kept the veggies)
Return stock to pot
Chop remaining onion and celery and add to stock
Remove bones, skin, and fat from chicken, chop to bitesize pieces and add to stock
Bring stock to a boil
Add about a cup of rice (I also at this point added 2 more cups of water...and there's still not much broth there)
Add fresh ground pepper (I just used black pepper...)
Soup is ready when rice is cooked.

If want Chicken Noodle - instead of the rice (obviously) cook all ingredients for about 1/2 hr and add the noodles you want and cook for 1 minutes LESS then suggested time.

The Chicken and Rice is a long recipe and such but it LOOKS good and SMELLS good...just not real "soupy"... hmmmm..