Broccoli and Cheese Soup

Another yummy recipe from "Yummy".

Broccoli and Cheese Soup
Be sure to use oven proof soup bowls as you will need to melt the cheese topping either in a microwave, oven toaster or conventional oven.
Serves 8-10
Prep time 10 minutes
Cooking time 20 minutes

3T butter
2T minced onion
2C fresh broccoli (with stems)
4 cloves garlic
1t dried oregano
4C chicken broth
1C grated Cheddar cheese
1/2C milk
1C cream
grated mozzarella cheese

1. In a pot, heat the butter then sauté onions and broccoli until onions are translucent.
2. Add garlic and oregano and sauté for a minute.
3. Pour in chicken broth and simmer, uncovered, until broccoli is tender. Cool.
4. Transfer mixture to a blender and add Cheddar Cheese. Process until smooth.
5. Return the soup to the pan and add milk and cream. Stir for 2 minutes over low heat.
6. Pour soup into bowls then top generously with mozzarella cheese.
7. Microwave or broil until the cheese is melted.
   
8. Serve piping hot.

Yummm, I just looove cheese and my little missy loves Broccoli. This is just perfect for us!
Wanna try it too?

Twitter Hop June 24th and New Monetizing Opp

Join Twitter Hop Thursday to get more followers on your twitter!

Would you like more Twitter followers and be introduced to more neat blogs and businesses out there? Come and join us!!

1. Add your Twitter to the MckLinky (you only have to add it to one and it will appear on all).

2. Click on the Twitter for the six hostesses and follow each of them on Twitter. We will follow you back.

3. Follow as many people on Twitter as you like, but make sure to leave comments with links so they’ll know where to follow you!

***New this Week*** We have selected a Twitterer of the Week from last week’s entries and the lucky winner is Mom State of Mind!!! They will be in the #6 spot! We will choose next week’s winner from everyone who participated today.

Please only add your Twitter url. All other entries will be deleted. Thank you!!!

Many thanks to the following for hosting this linky:




And, I've discovered a new opportunity. For those who are actively monetizing their blog, you might be interested in sponsored reviews. I haven't had the chance to do any work for them or anything yet but wanted to share this opp in case it works out for you. Click on their badge below to know more about them.



Join the twitter hop here:

E-book giveaway!

I'm joining Ask Ms Recipe's E-book giveaway!


Good thing about this is it's open to the whole wide world since it's an e-book. The book of course is copyrighted so it cannot be passed to anyone, if you win it. But since it's so easy to join, why not just take a chance and join with me. Let's get cooking!

Click HERE to take you to her post and join the contest. Contest starts June 21st and will end on June 28th at 5pm (whether it's EST, PST... I'm not really sure, sorry).

Good luck!

Potluck of sorts

Of sorts... doesn't sound good, right? Here's how it happened.

My uncle called last Monday to let us know that he wants a family get-together on Sunday (June 13th). It was to be a pool party in a private resort near our area. Not bad really, but the thing is, it's so hard to plan for food and drink sets when you have to coordinate with almost 5 people and rush it. They don't even reply on the same day you asked them! I had to go back and forth several times just to ask if they want a detailed menu planned or to at least match what everyone will bring.

Everyone in the family wasn't really choosy about food. What we were all after was some bonding time. Anyway, it was concluded that we just bring whatever we had that day, no plans, no arrangements. Just cook whatever you have and bring it as your "share". A Potluck of sorts.

As a result, what we had were hotdogs on sticks for the kids, ground pork afritada, grilled pork belly, steamed fish for the main food and drink all-you-can iced tea. My uncle also brought fruits from a province they visited earlier in the day. We had pineapple, watermelon, and jackfruit for dessert... yum! Ah, the taste of summer!

The kids swam almost all day while the adults... well, ate most of the time. It was great and we enjoyed our time so much. We just didn't bank on hard rain coming down at 4pm so it was a little crazy packing everything up. Still, it was so much fun.

I just wish that next time will be a little more organized. It would be great if we had more assortment of food and drink choices for everyone, kids and adults alike. Actually, I would love to be able to bring some of those cookie baskets I saw online for the children to enjoy. Yes kids, because the adults will get to feast on chocolate baskets, yay! I've seen some great priced ones online and can't wait to try them out next time, if my funds will allow me. What's great is that they also have coffee k-cups available, and that is a must for everyone.. especially if you have kids to look after. I definitely need coffee, anytime, anywhere. Speaking of which, I need a cuppa, now, with some biscuits.

Lots of love. Happy munching!

Mailbox Monday June 14th

It's time for Mailbox Monday! Can't wait to subscribe to new and enjoyable bloggers!!



Hosted by Simply Stacie, This Mama Loves Her Bargains and A little of this A little of that…

Here’s how to join in the fun:

• Add your blog link to the linky
• Subscribe by email to the three hostesses. They will return the favour.
• Visit the other blogs on the list and subscribe by email to the ones that interest you. Leave them a comment with your blog link so they know you are subscribing from Mailbox Monday. Don’t forget to confirm your subscription!
  

Everyone is welcome to participate. Each week a new linky will be generated so make sure you stop by on Monday’s to add your blog.

Your blog *must* have a place for people to e-mail subscribe. We will be subscribing to everyone’s blog who participates. If there isn’t an e-mail subscribe option, your link will be removed from the linky.

Let’s have fun and meet (and read via email) some new blogs!!

Minestrone with Pork and Beans

Another soup from Yummy magazine that I'd love to try out for my little princess is this Minestrone with Pork and Beans. I'll try and cook this on Sunday, if I've recovered from our family get-together.

Minestrone with Pork and Beans
You don't need to stick to just the vegetables listed here. You can also add or substitute with others like mushrooms, bell pepper, zucchini, string beans and peas.
Serves 8-10
Prep time 10 minutes
Cooking time 20 minutes

3T extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, sliced
1 sprig parsley, chopped
1 to 2 stalks celery, diced
1 to 2 pieces carrots, diced
1 small head cabbage, cut into strips
1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
chicken broth or water
1 big can pork and beans
1T bacon fat
1 clove garlic
4-5 pieces fresh basil leaves or 1/2t dried basil
salt and pepper to taste
3/4 to 1c grated Parmesan cheese

1. In a large pot, heat the oil then sauté onions until translucent. Add parsley. Add the vegetables, one at a time, adding a little water or broth to cook them. When all the vegetables are in, pour in more broth to cover the veggies. Bring to a boil then lower heat and simmer the mixture.
2. Add pork and beans. Bring to a boil.
3. Mince together the bacon fat, garlic, clove and basil leaves. Stir into the cooked soup. Season to taste.
4. Ladle into bowls and served topped with grated cheese.

Sounds yummy, right??

Picadillo Soup

My grandmother made this a couple of weekends ago and my little one absolutely loved it. She got the recipe from a mini-magazine named "Yummy". Since it was so easy to make, cheap and delicious, I decided to ask the recipe from her to share with you.

Myra's Picadillo Soup
Serves 4
Prep time 10 minutes
Cooking time 30 minutes

1t oil
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 small white onion, chopped
1/2k ground beef
1t salt
dash ground pepper
6c water
3 small potatoes, diced
4 bunches petchay Tagalog or bok choy, roughly chopped
1 to 2T fish sauce (patis, or adjust your salt)

1. In a pot, heat the oil then sauté garlic and onions. Add ground beef and cook until browned. Make sure to break the meat into small bits.
2. Season with salt and pepper. Lower the heat to medium-low and simmer for 5-10 minutes or until the meat is cooked through and the extra liquid is reduced. Add water and simmer for 10 minutes.
3. Add the potatoes and let it boil for 5 minutes. Drop in the pechay then turn off the heat. Stir in 1 tablespoon fish sauce (or more salt). Add more fish sauce (salt) as needed. Serve hot.
   

Missing Mom's BBQ Spareribs

I was browsing through my grandmother's cookbook and chanced upon Spicy Honey BBQ Sauce. Immediately I was brought back in time. I miss my mom's BBQ Spareribs.

Good thing is since my helper left, she's been staying with me. She knows I can't move around the house with a 20-month old who's already in her terrible-two stage, so she helps me out with housework or looks after my little girl while I do house work.

The last batch she made was back in the 80's. She hasn't tried to do one again since her oven broke down years ago. Unfortunately, we haven't had the money to buy her a new one so she really can't clearly recall what she put in the marinade. She does say though that she has tasted a lot of good Spareribs since then, and with all the new innovations in the culinary market, it's not impossible to find a good ready-made BBQ Sauce.

Thing is, I also don't have an oven but it's one of those things I'm saving up for. I'd love to be able to do lots of baking stuff with my daughter as she grows up. I'd love to try experimenting and try to get a sauce mix almost similar to my mom's but with a twist. Since I'm an adult now, or at least I think so, I'd put in lots of Hot Sauce! At this stage in my life, I can't live without it! Okay, okay, I know I have a little girl, I'll definitely make a separate batch for her, sounds good right??

This post has got me craving for Ribs, or at least some kind of BBQ. Can't wait to hit the Sauce aisle at the grocery over the weekend!

You craving for some BBQ yet??? Thanks for visiting and hope you're having a great day/evening!