Best Ever Broccoli Soup

We occasionally babysit the son of a friend. He is several years older than the Cave Toddler. As we were making dinner tonight we realized we had him tonight but didn't know if he would be here during dinner so we tried to add volume to the broccoli soup we planned on tonight. This recipe was the result. It is so inexpensive and easy and results in a decent volume of soup. It feels like velvet in my mouth. I love broccoli soup so much and this has, honestly, been the best recipe I have made this far.

Creamy Broccoli Soup

1 lb frozen broccoli florets
1 head cauliflower, roughly chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
4-5 tbsp melted butter
salt and pepper to taste
4-5 c chicken stock
1-2 oz cream cheese (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Toss broccoli and cauliflower in butter and salt and pepper. Roast for 20 minutes or until tender.

Puree with stock and cream cheese, if using. I like to heat a little more over the stove but it is ready to serve as is.

The cauliflower and cream cheese add a nice creaminess to it that I absolutely LOVE. It is almost like broccoli velvet in my mouth. I don't know. Just the best broccoli soup I have ever had. Give a shot, so easy, so yummy.

Garlic Pulled Pork

Garlic Pulled Pork (A favourite of Cave Dad)

Pork shoulder (about 4 lbs)

1/2 tsp cumin

1 tbsp garlic powder

6 garlic cloves, peeled

Juice of 1 lime

1 onion, sliced

1 bay leaf

salt and pepper to taste

Mix cumin, garlic powder, lime juice, and salt/pepper to taste in a small bowl. Place sliced onion in the bottom of the crock pot then put the shoulder on top of it. Rub spice mixture all over the pork. Score the pork in six places and insert the garlic cloves. Top with bay leaf and cook on low for 10-12 hours, until it pulls apart easily with a fork. Serve with juices.

We like to do this over night then pop it in the fridge in the morning so it is cool enough to pull with my hands. We also like to puree the juices with the cooked onions and garlic cloves to make a gravy of sorts.

Pair with chopped lettuce, tomatoes, and diced green bell peppers to make a garlic pork salad.

Meal in a Meatloaf

Meal in a Meatloaf

1 lb ground beef

1 lb ground pork sausage

1 onion, chopped

1-2 carrots, finely chopped or grated

1 parsnip, grated

Small head/bunch broccoli, chopped small

1/2 green pepper, chopped

1 medium tomato, chopped

1/2 tsp. Salt

1/4 tsp. Pepper

1 egg

1 garlic clove, minced

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients together, pat in two loaf pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes or until cooked through. (Meat thermometer should read 165 degrees or higher.)

Chicken Soup - The Ultimate Comfort Food

Chicken Soup

2 tblsp cooking fat

2 cloves garlic

1 onion

1-1 1/2 quart chicken stock/broth

2 c celery (about 4 stalks)

2 c carrots (about 3-4 carrots)

A few shakes of dried parsley (optional)

1-2 lbs chicken meat, cooked and shredded (sometimes we just chop and cook it)

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

Heat a large pot of medium head and add in the cooking fat. When hot, stir in garlic and onions and saute. When onions are slightly translucent add the stock, celery, carrots, parsley, and chicken. Sprinkle salt and pepper and give one good stir. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and let simmer for 1 hour stirring occasionally.

Roasted Tomato Soup

Thought you could never have a velvety, creamy, smooth tomato soup after giving up dairy? Think again! The other vegetables help give this soup the creamy goodness we have come to know and love from tomato soups without any of that pesky dairy.

Roasted Creamy Tomato Soup

2 onions, roughly chopped

3 carrots, roughly diced

2 stalks of celery, roughly diced

3 cloves garlic, peeled

6 tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and roughly chopped

1/4 cooking fat, melted (we used lard)

3+ c chicken stock

3 tblsp fresh herbs of choice (we used basil, marjoram, and thyme) minced

Preheat oven to 400F. On a baking sheet, add the onions, carrots, celery, garlic and tomatoes. Drizzle with melted cooking fat and salt and pepper to taste. Roast the vegetables in the oven until the carrots are tender, about 25 minutes.

While the vegetables are roasting, add the herbs to the stock in a large pot and simmer.

Once vegetables are done roasting, puree using a blender, food processor, or immersion blender adding in the stock. Depending on how think you like your soup you may need more stock to thin it out. You can either serve it now or let it simmer a little longer to get the herbs infusing with the blended vegetables.

Stuffed Peppers

Stuffed Peppers

6 bell peppers, assorted colors

4 strips thick bacon, chopped

1/2 lb ground pork

1/2 lb ground venison/beef (we used beef because we don't currently have venison)

1/4 c celery, diced

1 c onion, diced

1/4 c garlic, minced

1/2 c green onion, chopped

2 large eggs, beaten

Cut tops out of bell peppers and remove inside seeds. Dice tops and save for later. Soak peppers in boiling water for five minutes to soften. Cook bacon in large skillet until cripsy to render the fat. Once brown, remove from skillet and set aside for later. Add ground deer/beef and pork to skillet. Using a wooden spoon, chop meats well to incorporate. Once meat is thoroughly browned (10-12 minutes), add celery, onion, garlic, and reserved pepper tops. Saute for another 10-15 minutes until onions are cooked. Preheat oven to 350. Mix green onions well with the meat filling. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly in bowl. Once cooled, fold in the beaten egs and season to taste with black pepper. Stuff peppers generously with mixture. Place in oven and cook until brown on top (about 30 minutes).

Crock pot varition: Grease inside of crock pot with cooking fat and place the filled peppers in the crock pot. Cook on high for 1-2 hours, until the meat mixture is set(ish, you just want the eggs cooked).