Broccoli Cheese Soup

1 tablespoon melted butter
1/2 medium chopped onion
1/4 cup melted butter
1/4 cup flour
2 cups half-and-half cream
2 cups chicken stock (2 cups water 4 tsp knorr chicken boullion)
2-3 cups frozen broccoli- chopped or blended
1 cup carrot, finely grated
8 ounces grated sharp cheddar cheese
salt and pepper

Directions:
Sauté onion in butter. Set aside.
Cook melted butter and flour using a whisk over medium heat for 3-5 minutes. Stir constantly and add the half & half.
Add the chicken stock. Simmer for 20 minutes.
Add the broccoli, carrots and onions. Cook over low heat 10-20 minutes.
Add salt and pepper to taste. Can be puréed in a blender. Return to heat and add cheese.


adapted from: http://www.food.com/recipe/panera-broccoli-cheese-soup-150384

Baked carmel chocolate drizzled popcorn

½ cup Butter

2 cups Brown Sugar

½ cup Corn Syrup

1 tsp Salt

½ tsp Baking Soda

1 tsp Vanilla

3 bags Popped popcorn

In a sauce pan melt butter, sugar, corn syrup, and salt together. Bring to a boil and boil for 5 minutes. Take pan off the heat and add baking soda and vanilla.

Pour over popped popcorn and mix as well as you can. Spread caramel popcorn onto 2 greased cookie sheets and bake in the oven.

Bake @ 250 for 1 hour mixing every 15 minutes. Take out and let cool.

While cooling, make chocolate mixture.

2 cups Chocolate chips (any flavor you like)- This was way to much for me- I probably used half of it.

2 TBS Vegetable Oil

Melt in a small sauce pan over the stove. Once melted and smooth, drizzle chocolate over the caramel popcorn. Let the chocolate set, break into pieces, and serve.

Lemon Garlic Tilapia

4 tilapia fillets
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
pepper to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Spray a baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
Rinse tilapia fillets under cool water, and pat dry with paper towels.
Place fillets in baking dish. Pour lemon juice over fillets, then drizzle butter on top. Sprinkle with garlic, parsley, and pepper.
Bake in preheated oven until the fish is white and flakes when pulled apart with a fork, about 15-20 minutes depending on thickness of fish.

peanut butter banana smoothie

from 100daysofrealfood.com
1 1/2 frozen bananas
1/4 c. peanut butter
1/2 c. milk

blend until smooth

Makes 1 1/4 cup serving

Whole Wheat Banana Pancakes

from 100daysofrealfood.com

2 cups whole-wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
½ teaspoon of fine sea salt
1 tablespoon honey
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 ¾ cups milk (you can use any kind – skim, 2% or whole)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted + butter for frying
2 ripe bananas, mashed

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir until well mixed and then make a well (hole) in the center of the bowl by spreading the flour mixture to the sides of the bowl. Pour the honey, eggs, milk, and 2 tablespoons of melted butter into the well, then gradually whisk from the center outward until the ingredients are well combined but still a little lumpy. Do not over mix the batter. Very gently fold in the mashed bananas (and/or other berries).

Preheat a non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Pour pancake batter into pan.

When the pancakes have begun to bubble in the center and the underside is golden brown, flip them. Cook until the 2nd side is golden brown. Serve with warm syrup. And freeze the leftovers for another day!

WHOLE WHEAT CHOCOLATE CHIP OATMEAL COOKIES

from: chef-n-training.blogspot.com

1 ¼ cups brown sugar
1 ¼ cups sugar
1 ¼ cups butter
3 eggs
1 ¼ teaspoon baking soda
1 ¼ teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 ¼ teaspoon salt
2 ½ cups white wheat flour
2 ½ cups oats
2 ½ cups semisweet chocolate chips

Cream butter and sugars.
Beat in eggs and extract.
Stir in dry ingredients and then chocolate chips.
Scoop rounded tablespoonfuls onto greased (or lined) baking sheets.
Bake at 350 for 10 minutes

Crockpot chicken

from: 100daysofrealfood.com
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon thyme
½ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon cayenne (red) pepper
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 onion
1 large chicken

Directions

Combine the dried spices in a small bowl.
Loosely chop the onion and place it in the bottom of the slow cooker.
Remove any giblets from the chicken and then rub the spice mixture all over. You can even put some of the spices inside the cavity and under the skin covering the breasts.
Put prepared chicken on top of the onions in the slow cooker, cover it, and turn it on to high. There is no need to add any liquid.
Cook for 4 – 5 hours (for a 3 or 4 pound chicken) or until the chicken is falling off the bone. Enjoy!