Broccoli Cheddar Potato Soup

It's been cold (50-degrees, this is California, people!) lately with a little bit of rain here and there.  Weather like this calls for a fireplace and a big bowl of thick, creamy soup.  This one, which I borrowed from SkinnyTaste, is hearty and satisfying without tasting "light".

Ingredients
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
2 1/2 cups fat free vegetable broth
1 cup fat-free milk
2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced small
salt and fresh pepper
4 cups (about 2 heads) broccoli florets, chopped into small pieces
2 cups 2% shredded sharp cheddar
1 tbsp parmesan cheese

Directions
Chop onion, carrot, celery, garlic in a chopper or food processor.

In a large soup pot, melt butter. Add chopped vegetables and sauté on low heat until soft, about 5 minutes.  Add flour, salt and pepper to the pot and stir until smooth.

Add broth, milk and potatoes and set heat to high until it comes to a boil, then cover and cook on low until potatoes are soft, about 10-15 minutes.

Add broccoli florets, parmesan cheese, and stir well. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Cook uncovered until broccoli is cooked, about 5 minutes. Add cheddar, stir well and remove from heat.

Using an immersion blender, quickly blend part of the soup for a quick second or two. If you don't have an immersion blender, remove about 1-2 cups of potatoes and broccoli, place it in your food processor, then add it back to the soup. This helps thicken it a bit.  If your soup turns out too thick, add a little bit more broth.

Servings: 4 • Serving Size: 1-1/4 cups • Old Points: 5 pts • Points+: 7 pts
Calories: 281.6 • Fat: 8.0 g • Carb: 33.0 g • Fiber: 5.0 g • Protein: 20.4 g

Best. Brownies. Ever.

Rich and fudgy with the perfect amount of chocolate frosting.  Amazing when they are warm and a'la mode.  Seriously, go make these right now.  You probably already have all the ingredients!

Ingredients

BROWNIES:

• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup baking cocoa
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

FROSTING:

• 3 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
• 3 tablespoons baking cocoa
• 2 tablespoons warm water
• 1 teaspoon instant coffee granules
• 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

Directions

• In a mixing bowl, beat sugar, eggs and vanilla with a whisk. Add butter; mix well. Combine dry ingredients; add to batter and mix well.
• Pour into a greased 8-in. square baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25-30 minutes or until brownies test done with a wooden pick. Cool in pan on a wire rack (or the top of the stove)
• For frosting, combine butter, cocoa, water and coffee; mix well. Gradually stir in sugar until smooth, adding additional warm water if necessary to achieve a spreading consistency. Frost the brownies and watch in amazement as they disappear!

A Sweet Birthday Treat

I've been really excited to share this one, but had to wait until I gave it to the recipient (my neighbor, Rachel) because she reads my blog.  It's my fun grown-up take on the popular "diaper cake" only it's made with...

CHOCOLATE!

Materials

43 Ghirardelli chocolate squares

1 8-inch round cake board

1 cardboard tube, cut to 4 inches tall

hot glue gun and glue

rubber bands

ribbon

decorations

Step 1: Glue tube to the center of the cake board.

Step 2: Using rubber bands, begin securing chocolate squares around the roll. I found it was easiest to put the rubber band around the roll and tuck the chocolates underneath.  You will need 28 chocolates for the bottom layer.

 Step 2a: I had the best luck with placing 5 chocolates on each of the "four sides" and then staggering the remaining 8 chocolates like an octagon around the outside layer.

 Step 3: Repeat for the top layer, only this time you will use 2 squares on each of the "four sides" and use 6 squares to make a hexagon for the outer layer; using a toal of 14 chocolate squares.

 Step 4: Secure 1 more chocolate square at the top to cover the tube in the middle.  Cover the rubberbands with ribbon, using either hot glue or double-sided tape.

 Step 5: Embellish!

Pumpkin Spice Cookies with Brown Butter Icing

I am obsessed with all things pumpkin. Recently, I made these amazing cookies and they were a hit in both mine and Hubby's offices. They are light, moist and cake-like with just the right amount of pumpkin flavor.

Photo: tryityoumightlikeit.wordpress.com

Ingredients
Cookies:

• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/4 teaspoons coarse salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 1/4 teaspoons ground ginger
• 3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 2 1/4 cups packed light-brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups canned solid-pack pumpkin (14 ounces)
• 3/4 cup evaporated milk
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Icing:

• 4 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
• 10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon evaporated milk
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Directions

Make cookies: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg in a medium bowl; set aside.

Put butter and brown sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Mix in eggs. Reduce speed to low. Add pumpkin, evaporated milk, and vanilla; mix until well blended, about 2 minutes. Add flour mixture; mix until combined.

Transfer 1 1/2 cups batter to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain tip (such as Ateco #806). Pipe 1 1/2-inch rounds onto parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing 1 inch apart. Bake cookies, rotating sheets halfway through, until tops spring back, about 12 minutes. Cool on sheets on wire racks 5 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire racks; let cool completely.

Make icing: Put confectioners' sugar in a large bowl; set aside. Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, swirling pan occasionally, until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Immediately add butter to confectioners' sugar, scraping any browned bits from sides and bottom of pan. Add evaporated milk and vanilla; stir until smooth. Spread about 1 teaspoon icing onto each cookie. If icing stiffens, stir in more evaporated milk, a little at a time.  Yields about 6 dozen.

Storage:  These do not store well in an air-tight container as they are super moist. They are best kept uncovered or covered with a paper towel at room temperature.

Pumpkin Cheddar Mac & Cheese

Sounds pure crazy? I couldn't agree more.  However, I am obsessed with anything that combines carbs and cheese. Mac and cheese, quesadillas, grilled cheese sandwiches, fondue...I could go on forever.  So, I gave Rachael Ray's Pumpkin Cheddar Mac & Cheese a try. The result? GREAT SUCCESS!  It is so creamy, gooey, pumpkiny and amazing.  The name is pretty off-putting though, so I'm renaming it Pumpkin Pasta Bake.  Not exactly creative, but definitely a little more appealing.

Courtesy of familyspice.com

Ingredients
1 pound whole wheat or whole grain short-cut pasta, such as rigatoni or penne
4 tablespoons butter
3 slightly rounded tablespoons flour
1 cup beef broth
2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
2 cups whole milk
1/2 teaspoon allspice
About 1 teaspoon ground mustard
A pinch of cayenne pepper
Ground nutmeg, to taste
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 14-ounce can unsweetened pumpkin purée
2 1/2 cups shredded sharp yellow cheddar cheese, divided

Directions
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt it and cook pasta to al dente. Drain and reserve. Preheat broiler.

Melt butter in a medium saucepot over medium heat. Whisk in flour, cook for 1 minute, then raise heat a bit and add beef stock. Reduce until almost evaporated then whisk in honey or syrup and milk. Season with allspice, mustard, cayenne, nutmeg, some salt and pepper. Thicken to coat spoon, a couple of minutes, then taste to adjust seasonings.

Whisk in pumpkin purée then stir in about 2 cups grated cheese with a wooden spoon until melted. Combine pasta with sauce and arrange in a 9x13 casserole dish or individual ramekins. Sprinkle remaining cheese. Broil to brown and bubble.  Serves 4-6.