Fifty-Two Dinners

One new recipe a week for a year. That was the original goal set as a New Year's resolution way back in 2009.

It didn't happen. Nor did it happen in the following years.

But I have continued posting and striving to try one new recipe a week. Some months it happens. Some months it doesn't.

And along the way I've picked up readers from across the country who occasionally pop in to see what's cooking.

Clearly there are better food blogs than mine.

But if you're looking for quick, easy, and healthy with a dash of humor... I'm glad to share what I can.


Friday, February 15, 2013

Cheesy Vegetable Chowder

Despite a few warmer days (we're in the 30's!), winter is still here.  And while that's the case soup is still on!  I was surprised to find a cheese soup for under 200 calories a bowl.  Granted, it's not REALLY a cheese soup like Panera's Broccoli Cheddar, but it's close enough for me.


INGREDIENTS


2 Tablespoons butter
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 cup finely chopped carrot
1 stalk celery, finely chopped (feel free to add more celery if you like celery; I don't, so I don't add much)
1 Tablespoon minced garlic
4 cups chicken broth (I usually use a mixture of low-sodium chicken broth and broth made with chicken soup base because it gives it such nice flavor)
2 large baking potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 Tablespoon flour
1/2 cup water
2/3 cup milk
2 cups chopped broccoli
2 heaping cups shredded cheddar cheese


DIRECTIONS


Melt the butter in a large soup pot.  Add onions, carrots, and celery and saute over medium heat until tender.  Add garlic and cook 1 or 2 additional minutes.  Add chicken broth and potatoes, bring to a boil, and cook until potatoes are tender.  Mix flour with water, add, and simmer until soup is slightly thickened.  

- Trick I learned the hard way- take your pot off the heat before adding dairy products!- otherwise you'll get gritty soup!-

Add milk and broccoli and cook until broccoli is just tender and soup is heated through.  Stir in cheese, allow to melt, and serve.


VERDICT

Get out the tupperware containers- this makes a lot of soup!  It reheats well and is a great light lunch, not to mention a great dinner with the addition of some fresh Italian bread.

NUTRTION

So.... I used the recipe database on myfitnesspal.com to get the calorie count.  If you use the allrecipes.com version of this recipe, it's 180 calories a cup.  But if you use this recipe that came from Pinterest.... I have no idea.  Let's just call it 180.

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