It's Friday! FOOD Friday :)

So this past week I have been experimenting in the kitchen. I don't do it an awful lot because I am not great at it. Mostly I am a "just follow the recipe" kind of girl.

However, my daughter has decided that she will eat broccoli and carrots . . . as long as they are in Panera Bread's Broccoli Cheddar Soup. Which costs $5 per bowl. And requires me to be in town. And to go to Panera Bread during lunchtime.

So I decided that I would try to find a similar recipe so I could make it at home. I stumbled over this blog and recipe when one of the members of the MOMS Club pointed me in that direction. The soup was good, and Nora ate some of it . . . but I wanted to try and get it closer to the Panera Bread recipe so that she would devour it, and thus devour all the vegetables inside! So here's my modified version of her (Crock Pot) Broccoli Cheddar Soup:

1 Bunch Broccoli, chopped finely, but with some inch-long pieces thrown in.
1 can evaporated milk
1 can condensed Cream of Broccoli Soup
2 cups of water
4 Chicken Bouillon Cubes
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. minced onion
dash of seasoned salt
pepper to taste
1 cup Shredded Carrots
16 oz. Velveeta Cheese, cut into chunks
1-2 Tbsp. Cornstarch

Place all ingredients except Velveeta and cornstarch in crock pot and stir.
Cook on low about 6 hours.
1/2 hour before eating, stir in Velveeta
15 min. before eating, mix 1 Tbsp. cornstarch in with a little cold water and add to crock pot. Turn heat up to high and stir.
After 15 min. add another 1/2-1 Tbsp. cornstarch mixed with a little cold water if it's not thick enough for you.
Serve!

My version was thicker and less garlicky, plus I added yummy carrots. It was almost Panera Bread-like! It was so close, in fact, that when I gave it to Nora she asked "Where the bread?" :)

Also this month, I tried a different version of an English Muffin Pizza. Many of you know that if you take an English Muffin, throw on some pizza sauce and cheese, and bake it for about 15 minutes in a 350 degree oven, that you have a quick and easy mini-pizza for a heavy snack or small meal. That's all fine and good, but I modified my own white pizza recipe to work for English Muffin pizzas, and it was pretty good! :) So here it is - White English Muffin Pizzas:

*2 Whole Wheat English Muffins, halved - for a total of 4 mini-pizzas
*3 Tbsp. Light Cream Cheese - softened (I heat mine for 20 sec. in the microwave)
*3 Tbsp. Light Cottage Cheese
*1 tsp. Pizza Seasoning (I used Penzey's - YUM! Tastes like a pizzeria!)
*1/2 tsp. parsley
*1/2 tsp. Oregano
*Shredded Mozzarella

Preheat oven to 350. Place each half of the muffins on a baking sheet. In a bowl mix the cream cheese, cottage cheese, and seasonings together. Spread mixture evenly over English Muffins. Top with cheese and bake for about 15 minutes. Serve warm!

Hope you enjoy these! YUM!

Until next time . . .