Sunday, March 23, 2014

Baked Brie

I absolutely LOVE brie cheese. It's got a great, mild flavor and it's very smooth and creamy...bake it up with a berry sauce on top and it's to die for!! This is a super easy recipe you can throw together in minutes and it's sure to impress any crowd! Sorry I didn't take a lot of pictures but I promise it's easy enough that you won't need step by step pics. Give it a try for your next get together!

BAKED BRIE WITH RASPBERRY SAUCE

What you need for the baked brie:
1 large wheel of brie (or 2 small- I always get mine at Sam's Club so I use one large ~16oz)
12-14oz of raspberries (really any berry would work, I like how the raspberries break down so if you use strawberries, you may want to cut them down a little)
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup water
1/4tsp dried mustard
1/4 tsp ground allspice
1/4tsp ground cloves
1/4tsp ground ginger
Crackers or apple slices for dipping

To make the baked brie:
1. Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F. Line a pie pan with foil or parchment paper.
2. Mix the berries, water and spices in a large sauce pan.
3. Turn them on medium heat and warm until the berries burst- about 15 minutes.

4. Cut the skins off of the top of the brie (I do the tops and sides but leave the bottom)
5. Pour berry mixture on top of the brie and bake for about 10-12 minutes, until the cheese is hot and melty.
6. Serve with crackers or apple slices.

ENJOY!

Saturday, March 1, 2014

Broccoli, Cheese and Rice Soup

Hi Everyone! I wish I could say 'Spring is in the air! Let's make a fresh, springy recipe to celebrate the warmer temperatures! Unfortunately, we're on the brink of expecting another 5-6 inches of snow tonight into tomorrow. I'm sure I speak for everyone in the Midwest when I say that we're SO sick of this weather! Since more cold weather is upon us, I thought another comfort classic was in order. I don't know about you, but I love broccoli cheese soup! Whenever we go to Panera it's pretty much a given that this is part of my you-pick-two. I found this recipe for broccoli cheese and rice soup about 2 years ago and I've been making it every winter since! Sometimes we get bread bowls to serve it in, or just have a breadstick on the side. Even just plain is really yummy, too! Try this recipe out while you're snowed in at home over the next few days; I promise you'll keep this one in your recipe book for winters to come!

BROCCOLI, CHEESE and RICE SOUP

What you need for the soup:
1 cup chopped onion
2 tablespoons of butter
1 can cream of mushroom (or whatever your favorite is) condensed soup
1/2 soup can of milk
1 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese 
1 1/2 cup cubed Velveeta cheese (I always use the 2% kind but whatever you have is just fine)
3 cups chicken broth (more if you like a soupier soup ;)
20 oz chopped broccoli (I always buy fresh and chop it up but frozen will work, too)
2 cups cooked rice

To make the soup:
1. To begin, get your rice going right away. I always make one cup uncooked which usually results in a bit more than 2 cups cooked but I like the soup a little thicker.
2. While rice is going, melt butter in a heavy duty saucepan; add onions and cook until translucent. 
3. Chop your broccoli and Velveeta while the onion is sauteing. 

4. Once onion is cooked, add condensed soup, cheese and broccoli to the pan. Cook on medium heat until well combined and cheese is melted (about 10 minutes).
5.  Finally, when rice is done, add that to the cheese mixture along with your chicken stock and broccoli. (*NOTE: To make this recipe all vegetarian, use vegetable broth.) 
6. Simmer on low heat for about 30 minutes until soup is to a consistency you like.
7. Serve with chopped green onion, sour cream and/or shredded cheese.

ENJOY!!