Creamy Vegetable Cheese Soup

My family never tires of soup. We eat soup even in 110 degree weather. This recipe has to be one of my favorites. It is loaded with vegetables and is cheesy and creamy. To quote Ina Garten, "How bad can that be?" I made several changes, but I got the idea from the following blog. If you have time, check out the blog for more easy and delicious recipes!

Source: Adapted from: http://recipeindulgence.com

Ingredients:

4 carrots, peeled and sliced
6 celery stalks, sliced
1 onion, diced
4-6 potatoes, cubed
1 bunch broccoli, chopped
2 cups chicken broth (I used 4 cups)
1/4 cup butter (1 tbsp)
1/4 cup flour
4 cups milk (2 cups 1% milk)
16 ounces Velveeta cheese, cubed

Directions:
1. Boil carrots, celery, onion, potatoes, and broccoli in water until tender (about 10-15 minutes). (I boiled the veggies in the chicken broth for added flavor instead of water.) 2. In another pot, melt butter over medium heat, then stir in flour until smooth. Whisk in about 2 1/2 cups (2 cups) of the milk until sauce thickens and boils.
3. Add cheese to milk sauce and let it melt.
4. Put 2 cups of soup in a blender and puree until smooth, then return to the remaining soup. This adds an extra creamy texture without adding extra fat.
5. Add the milk/cheese sauce to the soup and stir.

Zucchini and Farro Gratin

I know I have said before that I try to make several meatless dishes per week because they tend to be cheaper and frankly, I don't like meat too much. I am so glad that I married someone that doesn't need meat and potatoes for every meal or he would starve in my house!
I recently came across a lovely little blog that suites my tastes very well. If you want to see recipes that are unique and photos that are stunning, check out the blog that is the source of the recipe. This dish was wonderful! I love that it was healthy, but so decadent! I didn't use farro because I couldn't find it so I used long grain wild rice instead, which I highly recommend! I would eat this once a week if I though that I could get away with it. I made this as a main dish, but it would be a great side dish as well.

Source: http://closetcooking.com

Ingredients:
1 tbsp oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
1 c milk ( I used 1%)
2 c zucchini, grated
2 c cooked farro or other grain
1/4 c parmigiano reggiano, grated ( I used asiago)
3/4 c Gruyere cheese, grated ( I used mozzarella)
salt and pepper to taste
1 c bread crumbs ( I used panko)
1/4 c grated asiago or parmesan cheese for the top

Directions:
Heat oil on a pan.
Add the onion and garlic and saute until tender and fragrant, about 5-7 minutes.
Melt the butter in a saucepan.
Whisk in the flour and continue whisking until it turns a golden brown.
Whisk in the milk and simmer until thickened.
Mix the onions, white sauce, zucchini, farro and cheeses. Season with salt and pepper.
Pour the mixture into a 8 inch baking pan, coated with cooking spray. Top with panko and cheese.
Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven until golden brown and bubbly, about 30 minutes.

Cool Veggie Pizza

I have been to several Pampered Chef parties where this was served and I have always loved it, but never made it. I thought that it would make for a easy and fairly healthy weeknight meal. It was delicious and my family loved it. I would recommend it to anyone beacuse of its ease and versatlity.

Source: The Pampered Chef

1 8 oz can crescent rolls ( I used reduced fat)
1/2 tsp mayonnaise ( I used light)
8 oz cream cheese, softened ( I used light)
1 tbsp Pampered Chef Dill Mix ( I omitted and used Italian seasoning instead)
You can use any combination of veggies that you like, but I used carmelized onions, sauteed mushrooms, chopped broccoli and chopped red peppers.

Directions:

Spread the crescent rolls onto a baking sheet and press the seams together with your fingers. Bake at 350 degrees F until lightly browned.

Mix together the mayo, cream cheese and seasoning.
Top the cooled dough with the cream cheese mixture and the veggies.

Serves 6