Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Raspberry Muffins

1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
1 1/8 cups sugar
2 eggs
3 cups flour, divided
3 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
pinch baking soda
1 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups fresh raspberries
sugar (opt.)

Cream the butter with sugar and add eggs.  Reserve 3 Tblsp. of flour and combine remaining flour with baking powder, salt & soda.  Combine milk and vanilla.  Alternately add the milk and flour mixture to the creamed butter and egg mixture.  Sprinkle reserved flour over berries and gently fold into the creamed mixture.  Bake at 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.

One of the things I LOVE about Facebook is whenever friends post about a yummy recipe that they've just tried.  I got this from Rochelle Bartschi, who was a friend of mine in my previous ward.  She had just made these for her sons for breakfast & she even let them spread homemade raspberry jam on their muffins!  To me that sounds divine!  Still, these muffins taste just as good plain or with butter.  Tyler came home from work with a raspberry bush only a couple of weeks after we first moved into our house because he's wanted to grow our own raspberries for as long as he can remember.  Now I'll know what to do with any extras if they become too numerous!  :)

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Broccoli Cheese Soup


1 1/2 cubes butter
2-3 bunches broccoli, chopped (I used a full 16 oz. bag of frozen broccoli & just defrosted in the microwave).
1/2 cup flour
3 14-oz. cans chicken broth
2 cups heavy cream
8 oz. Velveeta
1/2 tsp. salt
pepper to taste

Melt butter in saucepan and add chopped broccoli.  Heat on high for 3-5 minutes, then stir in flour.  Gradually add chicken broth while stirring.  Cover & simmer 10 minutes.  Stir in heavy cream.  Heat & add Velveeta.  Add salt & pepper & serve.  

I apologize for the picture.  I know it's bad & my camera isn't the greatest!  Whenever it starts to get a little nippy outside I start making homemade soups at least once a week, sometimes more because they taste SO GOOD in the cold weather!  I've been looking for a really good broccoli/cheese soup recipe & I finally decided to try this one, which was found on a blog called Eighteen 25.  
Everyone in my family LOVED this soup & the next time I make it I'll definitely put it into bread bowls instead when it's time to serve it.  Yum yum YUMMY!  :)