Copycat Panera Broccoli Cheese Soup

This soup is a fall and winter staple at our house.  In fact, I posted about it in my first blog post ever.  I am reluctant to do this but here is the link: Number One.  Please refrain from laughing/judging.  I had no idea what I was doing! Umm, I still don't.

Anyway, this soup is pretty stinking close to the real deal.  I found it ions ago (aka probably 3 years ago) in the Food Network Magazine.  I thought it was worth a try and we have been slurping it up ever since.  

As many good things start...this one does with butter.

Chop up a small onion while your butter melts.

Add the onions to the melted butter.  Let these cook for about three minutes or until they become translucent. 

Add in the flour

And stir it around to coat all of the onions.  Cook the "flour taste" out of the flour for about two minutes as well.  Keep stirring, you don't want that to stick to the bottom of the pot.  Talk about a mess...

Pour in the half and half

And chicken stalk.

Then the seasonings.  A few bay leaves, black pepper, salt (not pictured because it sunk) and nutmeg--the secret ingredient.  Anyone else say that like the guy on Iron Chef?  No? Okay, moving on...Let this simmer for about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare your broccoli.  Clean it and cut it into small florets.

Prep the carrots as well.  Peel and slice into bite sized discs.

After 20 minutes, add the broccoli

And carrots.  

Let this simmer for another 15-20 minutes depending on how you like your veggies.  I'm not a fan of soggy soup veggies so I was closer to the 15 minutes.  Do what you like.

Meanwhile, grate some cheese.  Yeah, I know, this isn't sharp cheddar cheese.  I totally thought I had some in my fridge...turns out it was of the speckled variety...oh well.

After the veggies are cooked to your taste, remove the bay leaves...all of them.

This step is optional but I like to do it.  Remove half of the veggies into a bowl

And blend the heck out of the remaining soup.  If you don't have one of these handy immersion blenders, just pour the remaining soup (probably in batches) into a blender.  It serves the same purpose...If you want a totally chunky soup, skip this step completely.  I won't judge.

Add the whole veggies back to the pot

And toss in the grated cheese.

Stir and heat all the way through.

Ladle into bowls.

And dig in.

That is a bite of broccoli cheese deliciousness.

Copycat Panera Broccoli Cheese Soup

6 tablespoons butter
1 small onion, diced
1/4 flour
2 cups half and half (fat free is okay but the consistency is a little different--it still tastes good)
3 cups low sodium chicken broth
3 bay leaves
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
4 cups fresh broccoli, cut into small florets
1 cup carrots, cut into bite sized discs
2 1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese + additional for topping


Start by melting the butter in a large pot.  Add the onions and saute until translucent. Add the flour and cook for about 2 minutes to get the floury taste out.  Pour in the half and half and chicken broth.  Add the bay leaves, nutmeg, salt and pepper.  Let this simmer on low, covered for about 20 minutes.

After twenty minutes, add the broccoli and carrots.  Let this simmer for an additional 15-20 minutes or until they have reached your desired doneness.

After the veggies have cooked, remove half of them into a different bowl.  Using an immersion blender or regular blender working in batches, blend the veggies until smooth.  Return the whole veggies into the pot.

Add the cheese and heat through.  If the soup is too thick, add additional chicken broth.

Sprinkle and serve with cheese on the top.

Enjoy!

Recipe slightly adapted from: Food Network.com

Cheesy Broccoli and Chicken Pizza

If you follow me on twitter or know me personally, you are aware that this is a very busy time for me at my "day job."  Between preparing for the school year to begin and squeeze in some fun things this week I haven't had a chance to catch my breath.  

Last night I was in need of making something to fit three criteria: 1. EASY 2. HEALTHY 3. SATISFYING.  Not only did I want to make something for Mr. Schwartz and I for dinner I remembered this contest that called for the "Ultimate Weeknight Dinner."  Flash back to my school days, I'm a total procrastinator...the deadline for the contest is today.  Old habits die hard.  : ) 

First we make the cheese sauce.  This is the only part of the recipe we really have to "make."  Start by melting a bit of butter (this looks like I lot, I modified the recipe below) in a sauce pan on medium heat.

Once the butter is melted, add some flour.

Stirring constantly, cook the flour taste out of the flour.

Add some milk and stir.  Reduce the heat to low.

Grate some cheese

And shred some chicken.  I used a rotisserie chicken but you could use any type of chicken you prefer.

Another time saver--ready to bake pizza crust.  I'm a bigger fan of Trader Joe's ready  made pizza dough but, TJ's is not close to my house :(.  This did just fine.

Prepare the pizza peel with a bit of cornmeal.  If you aren't using a pizza stone, flip a jelly roll pan upside down and add the cornmeal to that.

Roll out the dough the best you can into a "pizza like shape."

This is the "pizza like shape" I came up with.  Let's just call it "rustic."

Add the cheese to the sauce

Along with some cayenne pepper.  Add as much or as little as you would like.  We like things spicy and for now we don't have any kiddos at our house.  If you do, just scale back on the cayenne.

Cook up some broccoli, I just popped it in the microwave for about a minute--I despise soggy broccoli.

Then assemble the pizza...spread the cheese sauce on the dough

Top with a generous amount of chicken

Then the broccoli and additional shredded cheddar cheese.  I guess in my rush to eat this I forgot to take a picture.  Pop this in a preheated oven at 450 degrees for about 11 minutes.

This cheesy wonder will be the result. Do you see that roasted goodness on that piece of broccoli--I die.

This is the perfect weeknight dinner...it includes everything protein, veggies, dairy and starch.

If anything can get kiddos to eat veggies just call it pizza and put cheese on it.

You can thank me later.

Cheesy Broccoli Chicken Pizza

For the cheese sauce:
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/4 cup flour
1 cup milk
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
3 generous shakes of cayenne pepper (optional)

Start by melting the butter/margarine in a medium sauce pan on medium heat.  Once it is melted, add the flour.  Stir constantly for about 3 minutes or until the gummy flour taste is cooked out of the flour.  Whisking constantly to avoid lumps, add the milk.  Once this is incorporated, turn the burner down to low and add the cheese and cayenne.  That's it, cheese sauce is finished!

For the pizza: 

Cheese sauce 

1 Roll refrigerated pizza dough

2 tablespoons cornmeal

2 chicken breasts (I used rotisserie chicken)

1 1/2 cups broccoli

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. 

Place the broccoli in a microwave safe bowl and cook on high for about a minute.  Shred the chicken into large bite sized pieces.  

Roll out the pizza dough into your desired shape.  Place on a pizza peel or inverted jelly roll pan that has been generously dusted with the cornmeal.  Spread the cheese sauce over the dough.  Top with the chicken, broccoli and cheese.  

Place in the oven on a pizza stone or directly in the oven if using a jelly roll pan.  Bake for about 10 minutes then check on the pizza.  It should be turning golden brown and the cheese should be melted.  If it needs a few more minutes add a minute at a time.  Mine took about 11 minutes.  

Remove from the oven, slice and enjoy! 

**Note, you can switch things up very easily with this recipe.  Adding ham and using swiss cheese would be great!  Get your kids involved and let them make individual pizzas to their liking.  Flip one side of the pizza over on top of it's self, pinch the edges together and make it into a calzone.  The possibilities are endless!!**

Recipe by: Mrs. Schwartz 

Easy Pork and Noodle Stir Fry

Sometimes you just have to make do with what you have.  A few nights ago I had veggies, pork and ramen noodles.  Needless to say, the cupboard, well, pantry was bare and we were in serious need of some groceries.  That's when I came up with this dish, quick, easy and packed with flavor semi-homemade style.  I love these kinds of meals. 

Start by thinly slicing a few pork chops and popping them into a large skillet on medium high heat with a drizzle of canola oil.  Season with salt and pepper.

Once they are fully cooked and are starting to turn golden brown, remove them from the pan and set aside.

Thinly slice an onion and pop it into the same pan.

Do the same with a red pepper.

Cook up two packages of ramen noodles.  Yes, that stuff you used to eat lived off of in college.  Drain it and set aside--toss those salty flavor packets unless you can come up with a good use for them.  I can't...yet.

Toss in a head of broccoli cut into bite sided florets.  Let this stir fry for a few minutes.

The pork goes back in.

Toss the noodles in as well.

Grab your go-to seasoning mix.  This was the first time I used this flavor (I love their Fried Rice seasoning) and it was solid.  

Mix it up according to the package directions--this one needed just water and soy sauce.  Pour it over the whole shootin' match.

Give it a good toss to coat.

And voila, dinner is served.

Happy Monday.

Easy Pork and Noodle Stir Fry


2 boneless pork chops, thinly sliced
Salt and pepper for seasoning
Drizzle of canola/vegetable oil
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1/2 red pepper, thinly sliced
1 head of broccoli, cut into bite sized florets
2 packages of ramen noodles, flavor packets discarded
1 packet of seasoning mix, I used General Tso's + ingredients to make this (soy sauce + water)

Start by preheating a large skillet with a drizzle of canola/vegetable oil on medium high heat.  Once the skillet is hot, add the pork and season it with salt and pepper.  Fully cook the pork and remove it once it starts to turn golden brown.  Set aside.

Into that same skillet, add the onion and red pepper.  Stir fry for about 3 minutes or until they start to become tender.  While the onion and red pepper stir fry, boil water to make the noodles and cook per the directions on the package.  Drain and set aside.

Add the broccoli to the skillet with onion and red pepper and stir fry again for a few minutes.  Add the pork back to the pan as well as the noodles.  Mix up the sauce and pour over everything in the skillet.  Toss to coat.

Serve in bowls and enjoy!

Recipe by: Mrs. Schwartz