The Recipe Binder traveled over the Pacific (Night Two of New Dinner Recipes)

The first glance at my recipe binder is not a pretty sight......dis-colored, smudged, food grimy stains, bulging at the seams...........
It has sat on my counter when the bowl and beaters did not match- absorbing the flecks of liquid (or mashed potatoes) that were sent flying.  It has been opened and shut hundreds of times as new recipes were crammed in leaving the binding flimsy.  It has sat on 8 different kitchen counters as we moved over the years. When we moved to Hawaii, I could not bear to put it in the container with the rest of our house hold goods to be shipped across the Pacific so instead packed it in my luggage.  It's been 38,000 feet in the air, it's made it's way through airports......It's sat in rental cars, hotel rooms, and a cruise ship (we took an Alaska cruise just before moving to Hawaii- It was in the same luggage that went to Alaska and then off to Hawaii)- Besides my Bible, I have never hauled a book/binder around with me more!

The recipes inside are precious- Some coming from Matt's family, some coming from my family, some coming from friends, some from Pampered Chef, Taste of Home, Ree Drummond (Pioneer Woman), or cooks.com.....For the most part, the recipes that make their way into this book have been personally tried and deemed delicious by my family.  Night 2 of some new recipes I tried this past week is now added to the recipe book- It was so good I passed it on to my sis and her family as a meal (except I substituted the 7 up biscuits for Buttermilk Biscuits).
The Broccoli Cheese soup is creamy and a wonderful way to end a winters day.  The 7-up Biscuits (found on Pinterest) are easy to make (plus a nice addition served warm with the soup).

ENJOY!

Broccoli Cheese Soup

Ingredients

• 1 stick butter
• 1 whole onion, diced
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 cups whole milk
• 2 cups half-and-half
• 1 pinch nutmeg
• 4 heads broccoli, cut into florets
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 cups grated cheese (mild Cheddar, sharp Cheddar, Jack, etc.)
• 2-3 cups diced ham (Steph added- not in the original recipe)
• Chicken broth, if needed

Directions

Melt the butter in a pot over medium heat, and then add the onions. Cook the onions for 3 to 4 minutes, and then sprinkle the flour over the top. Stir to combine and cook for 1 minute or so, then pour in the milk and half-and-half. Add the nutmeg, and then the broccoli, a small dash of salt and plenty of black pepper.

Cover and reduce the heat to low. Simmer until the broccoli is tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Stir in the cheese and allow to melt.

Taste the seasonings and adjust if needed. Then either serve as is, or mash with a potato masher to break up the broccoli a bit, or transfer to a blender in two batches and puree completely. (If you puree in a blender, return the soup to the heat and allow to heat back up. Splash in some chicken broth if needed for thinning.)

_________________________________

7UP Biscuits

 

2 c Bisquick mix
1/2 c sour cream
1/2 c 7up
1/4 c melted butter
Preheat oven to 450º

 

Cut sour cream into your Bisquick mix, then add 7up - it will make a soft dough. Now sprinkle your counter with a little Bisquick mix then add dough and pat it out.
Melt butter and pour it into a 9" square baking pan. Cut your biscuits up and arrange them in pan on top of melted butter.
Bake 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.