Cheddar Broccoli Soup - A Pioneer Woman Recipe

I love soup.  Especially velvety, creamy soups loaded with cheese.  I didn't have half & half so I used 6 cups of whole milk, versus the 4 cups of whole milk and 2 cups of half & half.  You will need the following:

• 1 whole Onion, Diced
• 1 stick 1/2 Cup Butter
• 1/3 cup Flour
• 4 cups Whole Milk
• 2 cups Half-and-half
• 4 heads Broccoli Cut Into Florets
• 1 pinch Nutmeg
• 3 cups Grated Cheese (mild Cheddar, Sharp Cheddar, Jack, Etc.)
• Small Dash Of Salt (more If Needed)
• Freshly Ground Black Pepper
• Chicken Broth If Needed For Thinning (I didn't need it)

This is definitely not a soup for you health-nuts

I love the smell of onions sautéing in butter!

 It took about  40 minutes on low for my broccoli to get to the proper tenderness.

When a recipe calls for three cups of sharp cheddar cheese, 
you really can't go wrong!

I forgot to take a final picture of it before we devoured it.  Let's just say, it was delicious!  I did use my immersion blender after adding the cheese and blended it down so there wasn't huge chunks of broccoli.

Preparation Instructions

Melt butter in a pot over medium heat, then add the onions. Cook the onions for 3 to 4 minutes, then sprinkle the flour over the top. Stir to combine and cook for 1 minute or so, then pour in milk and half-and-half. Add nutmeg, then add broccoli, a small dash of salt, and plenty of black pepper.

Cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the broccoli is tender. Stir in cheese and allow to melt.

Taste seasonings and adjust if needed. Then either serve as is, or mash it with a potato masher to break up the broccoli a bit, or transfer to a blender in two batches and puree completely. (If you puree it in a blender, return it to the heat and allow to heat up. Splash in chicken broth if needed for thinning.)

I served it with fresh french bread and it made the perfect cozy dinner on a cool night!

Easy Peasy Salsa

About 12 years ago my hubby and I were out on a houseboat with my brother and their friends on Lake Shasta.  His friend Chad made this delicious salsa and when I saw how easy it was, it became my go to recipe.  In fact, I've never made another salsa.

All you need is a food processor and the following ingredients:
7-9 Roma Tomatoes (remove the inside meat & seeds)
Cilantro (varied amount depending on your taste preference)
1 Jalapeno or Serrano Chili (with or without seeds depending on your heat preference)
1/2 Yellow Onion
2 Garlic Cloves
1 Can of Mexican Stewed Tomatoes
Salt and lime to taste

Cut and deseed jalapeno, cut into quarters

Add Cilantro (I use about a half of a bunch without the stems)

Add roughly chopped onion

 Cut tomatoes in half, removing the inside "meat"

Roughly chop two cloves of garlic

Add can of stewed tomatoes, slightly drained

Add the juice of a half a lime

Add a pinch or two of sea salt

Pulse the ingredients in your food processor to the desired consistency.

Ta-da! Serve with your favorite tortilla chips!

Thanks Pinterest....

What happens when you are a stay at home mom and realize that your twins' first birthday is just over 4 months away?  Prior to Pinterest, you'd probably start thinking about a theme or just file it away in the back of your brain that it's coming up and know you'll need to start planning something in a couple months.  But no, now, thanks to Pinterest, I've turned into a crazy person looking up ideas, planning and scheming.  Yes, I've already picked a date, now let's hope the weather cooperates because let's face it, my house isn't big enough if it decides to rain. It's going to be a Boots & Bows BBQ to celebrate these little munchkins.  Is it crazy that I've already picked a date and a theme? I don't think so.  Crazy would be waiting til the last minute to pull something together.

Look at these eyes! No, I did not alter them.

On another note, I mentioned that I pretty much idolize The Pioneer Woman recently.  I made a few of her recipes this week (both desserts).  The first was her peanut butter pie.  I cut the recipe back from 1 and 1/4 cups of powdered sugar to 1 cup and it was still incredibly sweet.  I think I will attempt it again but will be the powdered sugar back even further.  The second one was a non-traditional blackberry cobbler.  This one was a keeper for sure.  My hubby said it was the best dessert I've made.  I personally cannot wait to make it next summer with fresh peaches.  Sorry I don't have pictures of either, I spaced on taking photos of them in all the chaos of Christmas.

Happy Friday!

Our First Christmas

I've had to hold back tears several times over the past few days.  This year though, it's tears of joy, excitement and pride.  Every time I have looked at our gorgeous family photo or watched my rapidly growing babies play, I've had a huge smile cross my face and tears well up in my eyes.

I love this photo of our family.  I think I may have already shared one very similar to it from our photo shoot, but this one was on our Christmas card.
 

I love Waterford Crystal and I love Mumm Champagne.  Add the two together in front of a Christmas tree on December 23rd after all the presents are finally purchased and wrapped and it's a thing of beauty!

Some people (like my husband) say I went overboard for the babies only being 7 months old, but truth is, if they weren't here there would still be this many gifts under the tree.  There would be just a few differences.  For one, my world would not be complete and the toy quads and rocking horses would not be there.

 This little girl finally cut her first tooth and has been a trooper through it all.  With her second one on the way, you can tell she's uncomfortable, but she's still as sweet as can be.

 This picture sums up my little man lately.  He is fully on the move, already pulling himself up to a stand while holding onto things and trying so hard to stand and walk on his own! I wish he could understand me when I tell him 7 months is too early and to slow down.

I had hoped the fight over presents wouldn't start for a few more years, but as you can see, they are already at each other.  It was more about the bows and paper though than the gifts inside.

We took the babies to Christmas morning mass.  I wasn't sure how they would handle it, especially with Peyton teething and Lukas wanting to be exploring everything on his own.  Unless he is tired, he really isn't interested in being held much lately. They did surprisingly well.  We made it through 45 minutes of the hour long service.

Isn't she the cutest??

I know I'm getting older and officially a mom now because honestly, I was as excited about the La Creuset cookware that my wonderful husband got me and the newest cookbook from my idol Ree Drummond, The Pioneer Woman as I was the day I got my Louis Vuitton handbag a few years ago.  At least twice a week I make one of her recipes that I've seen by recording her show on Food Network.  If you had asked me what "famous' person I wanted to have dinner with a couple years ago, it would have been Kobe Bryant (go ahead insert inappropriate comments here).  Now, hands down, it would be Ree.  She has actually inspired me to start photographing the world around me and blogging more.

This is the aftermath on Christmas night.  Makes me tired just looking at it!  You should have seen the kitchen, boy o boy, that was a disaster.  Luckily for me, my sweet sweet hubby did ALL of the dishes while I got the babies down for the night.

Less than 12 hours later, the tree is gone, laundry is started and the decorations are packed up until next year.   I hope everyone had a beautiful holiday, surrounded by family, love and traditions!

Tis the Season

Last week one of my greatest dreams came true.  I got to order Christmas cards with MY family on them.  I didn't go to the store and pick up two boxes of ho-hum cards like I have in the years past.  I got online, spent hours looking through templets and ordered cards with my gorgeous family on them.  The anticipation of waiting for the UPS man today, makes it almost feel like today is Christmas.

One of my dearest friends is a fabulous photographer and we were blessed with snow fall a few days before our pictures were taken.  I knew I wanted them taken at a tree farm and the snow was a total bonus that living on the coast, I never really thought would be possible.  I anxiously kept an eye on the weather the days leading up to the day we had our pictures done.  I honestly wasn't sure how the babies were going to handle being outside while it was 30 degrees. Luckily for us, they were total troopers!

We've come to expect this look from my little Moose, 

but I absolutely LOVE this photo of him.  

I sat next to Shannon as she edited this photo

 and she really didn't have to do much to it.  

She is that good and he is this cute!

I'm pretty sure his eyes get bluer every day

I searched and searched for something for Peyton to wear that was cute and girly but

nothing I found was warm enough for the conditions we were working with.

  I also could not find a headband for her that fit her head.  

They were either all too tight or too big.  

Oh well, she's cute no matter what!

This picture captures our family perfectly.

Since the day we brought the twins home, 

I've seen this true and honest smile on my husbands face 

more than I have in the 12 years before they were born.  

This man was destined to be a father and a husband.  He excels at both.

He is my best friend, my rock 

and gives me the strength I need to raise two rapidly growing babies.

I can't imagine a life without him and wake up every day thanking God for him.  

He works his butt off for us so I can stay home with the babies 

and attempt to be a stellar stay at home mom and wife.

I've been struggling a lot lately with grasping the fact that we won't be spending Christmas with my family back in California.  A friend of mine texted me this morning reminding me that THIS is my family now.  It's time to think about what traditions I want to carry on from my childhood and which ones we want to start with our kids.  For now, I know for sure I will carry on my grandma Marge's Swedish Meatballs and Chex Mix and overflowing stockings from grandma and grandpa Rasmusen.