Crockpot roasted broccoli cheese soup

Ingredients
1 (32 ounce) bag frozen chopped broccoli - I paid extra for the florets one
2 (10 ¾ ounce) cans cheddar cheese soup
2 (12 ounce) cans evaporated milk
½ Teaspoonish of Garlic Powder
2 Clove of Minced Garlic
2 cups or so Cheddar Cheese plus extra for garnish
2 med carrots grated
1 Tablespoon of Butter or Margarine
½ Teaspoonish of Onion Powder
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 Cup of Chopped Onions
1 to 2 teaspoonish better than bullion chicken
Water about 10oz
1 teaspoon  paprika
Nutmeg  bit less 1/2 teaspoon
Crushed red pepper flakes
Salt
Pepper this is extra for veg

Instructions
Roast broccoli in oven with garlic powder onion powder crushed red pepper alt pepper 425 for 30 min.  Then chop to bite size pieces. (This amounts of spices are extra then listed above)
Heat up a skillet on medium heat and melt butter - Sautee onions for about 10 minutes. Add garlic and cook for one minute. Add all the spices and leave an extra 30 seconds or so
Place All INGREDIENTS in the Crock Pot. Cover and cook on low 4-5 hours.
Garnish with extra Cheddar Cheese Enjoy :)

You know you're in Idaho when....

So I missed blogging for you all yesterday as I had to take my mum and grandma to doctors appointments and I just couldn't get coordinated enough as the gym showed me that morning. So. I am at the doc with my mom for her back and we are waiting in the waiting room when these two old bittys start extremely loudly chatting. Apparently they both have shot themselves with their own firearms...Yep you read that right. All I could think is once you start shooting yourselves you should either a) take a class on firearm safety or b) have your guns locked up! They had to both be in their mid to late 70s I'd say. One lady shot herself a few years ago in her foot and almost blew it off and the other was there to get her cast taken off for shooting her .22 through her hand...she was trying to clean it she said. Crazy. And trust me if you know me you know what I think about firearms and our rights...I am all for everybody having them. It's our right. But as the daughter of one of those 2 ladies we would be having a chat I think...They were both really chatty about their experiences let me tell you. And loud! everyone just looked at them in disbelief. We were luckily taken back for my moms appointment and w/in 2 hours of leaving she was scheduled for surgery the next morning. We had to head over the hospital for pre surgery stuff last night so she could get in today. I am excited for her since now she won't be hurting anymore! In fact I am writing this as I sit in the waiting room waiting for her to be finished.

My grandmothers appointment wasn't as exciting but she is still a hoot at hers. Her doc office just gets a kick out of her. I wore a dress she made in the 70s and she had to parade me around like a doll haha! I love this dress btw. It makes me feel so feminine like Jean Terriany in the Ghost and Mrs. Muir. I just love that movie...It's an old Black and white. Well anyway my grandma and papa who came down later ended up staying for dinner along with about 4 other people not including my parents and I. Luckily I made enough dinner! We had sauerkraut and BBQ sausages along with strawberry pie.

German Sauerkraut

1 bag or jar (do not use can) sauerkraut
1 tsp white pepper
1 tsp cardamom
1 med onion finely chopped
1 apple pealed and finely chopped (can use applesauce as well)
White wine
1 tbs sugar
2 cloves garlic finely chopped or grated

drain and rinse off kraut well. Place in non reactive pan and add all your ingredients. Cover with wine and simmer for 1 hour. It's authentic and amazing! Next time I will probably use a little less pepper but my dad and everyone else likes things peppery. It was perfect with the grilled sausages. I would have cooked them in the kraut but I picked to small of a saucepot on accident.
Here are the left overs all sealed up in the lock n lock container.

 

Today we are having chicken and vegetable stew which I am so glad I pre made yesterday! Crockpots are your friend! I made this one with the whole chicken and this morning I skimmed off any extra fat on the top after I took it out and deboned it (the pic below has the fat in it as it is from making it last night). I even kept some of the chicken out for salads for lunch on Friday for some Asian chicken salads.

 

Chicken and Vegetable stew (Crockpot)

 

*All ingredients are approx. I like to just dump stuff in and eye ball it)

 

whole chicken

saffron

paprika

garlic cloves 2-3

1 med onion rough chop

4-5 med carrots large chopped

1 super large zucchini large chopped

1c sugar snap peas in the pods

1 tsp mrs Dash

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp garlic powder

salt

pepper

6 chicken bullion cubes

1/2 c chopped celery

1 tsp dried thyme

1/8-1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

4 sweet peppers halved and seeds and stems removed (the little mini ones that come in the bad with red, yellow, and orange)

water to cover

 

Place all the ingredients in and full to fill line of your crockpot (mines a 6qt oblong). Cook on low for 8 hours stirring occasionally. usually around hour 4 I taste the broth to make sure I don't need to adjust the spices a bit. Take out chicken and remove skin and debone. Place meat back in pot in large chunks. Skim off the fat at the top with a spoon and that is it! Dinner is served. 

 

 

I love doing the whole chicken because it adds so much extra flavor and I always reserve a bunch of the dark meat for lunches for the rest of the week.

 

Well my mom should be out of surgery soon so I am gona get off here and see my momma soon!

 

 

 

 



Pot Roast Mushroom Soup

Well I got my parents off to work this morning. Yep just like kids. Packed my dad a lunch, my mom some snacks (she eats at work), and put a chicken in the crockpot for lunches the rest of the week. Tonight though I am really looking forward to dinner. I have a super busy day ahead of my taking my grandmother to a few appointments but I am determined to make some pot roast mushroom soup for supper. I cooked a roast with vegetables for dinner yesterday and made sure to take about 2 cups worth of meat out for tonight. I always do. This soup is far to tasty to not. I can't remember where I found this recipe and I have tweeked it a bit since I first jotted it down but oh my it's one you will keep heading back for. When I have fresh herbs instead of the dried it tastes just the same it's just prettier with the fresh. Use 1 Tbs instead of a half with the fresh.

Pot Roast Mushroom Soup

3 Tbs light margarine or butter
1 small onion
2-3 cloves of garlic
1/2 Tbs dried thyme 
1/2 Tbs dried parsley
8oz sliced mushrooms
1/4 c flour of choice
1/4-1/2 cup of red wine
4 cups beef broth
2 cups chopped or shredded left over pot roast

Melt your butter in a large saucepan. Add onion and mushrooms. Cook for about 15-20 min until all the moisture has evaporated from the mushrooms. Add your dried thyme and garlic at this point. sauté an additional minute. Mix in flour for a min or so to cook the raw flavor out and then add the red wine to deglaze the pan. Add your broth, parsley, and roast beef bringing it to a boil and then simmer for 15min.

Normally I serve it with some nice crusty bread but today we are pairing it with a salad instead with my standard oil and vinegar dressing I make. I like mine more vinegary rather than oily so its like 1 part oil to 2 parts vinegar or so. I toss in some salt, pepper, and Mrs. Dash (no salt seasoning). and tah dah! you're done. Just make sure to whisk it really good to make sure its all emulsified I can't stand separated dressing! So versatile. You can change up the oils and the type of vinegar and your possibilities are endless. Some of my favorites are of course really really good olive oil and balsamic vinegar, or veg oil with rice wine vinegar and a dash of soy sauce.