Thursday, November 4, 2010

Avery's Easy Cheddar Soup

Holiday Grind_Paperback

A congrats to MLK's own Cleo Coyle for the release of HOLIDAY GRIND in paperback! It’s a wonderful book, everybody—and you’ll love the recipes in the back. Pick up a copy for the holidays! Yourself...a friend...a gift.


And don't forget to enter MLK's Krista Davis's COOKIE CONTEST. [See link on right.]





And now to our regular programming... :}

[Don't we have a lot of fun, diverse activity on this blog?]


My husband and I were lucky enough to go on a vacation recently.
I had been running so fast and so long to launch The Long Quiche Goodbye,
(and move to another state) that I'd forgotten how to breathe and smell the roses along the way. [Or in this case plumeria.]

Yes, he took me to one of our favorite places in Hawaii, and we swam in the ocean, golfed, and watched sunsets, READ!!!! Lucky lucky me. [Also luckily we had some discount coupons and mileage racked up. Major cost savers.]




Anyway...

it was heaven.

When I got home, (as you all know when you get home from a vacation), I met a MOUNTAIN of mail, laundry, chores, and (in this fast-paced world) email. In a nanosecond, I was back to not breathing. So I decided we had to have an easy easy easy dinner. One of my favorites is soup. With everything in it. This one was inspired by one of my Facebook pals: Diane Davis.


All it takes is mushroom soup (I use a gluten-free brand), cheddar, broccoli and chicken. A little spice and a little love and it's ready to go in minutes! [If the chicken is cooked ahead. Sometimes I'll make chicken breast ahead, dice it and freeze it.]

And this soup so tasty.

So if you're at all like me and going at a rat-race pace, please remember to breathe, take it easy when you can, smell the roses or whatever might be blooming in your yard or house...

and enjoy life one moment at a time.

EASY MUSHROOM CHEDDAR SOUP

Ingredients:

(Serves 2)

1 16 oz. carton your favorite mushroom soup

1 cup chicken breast, cooked and diced

1 cup broccoli, diced

1 cup white cheddar, shredded

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon white pepper

6 crustini toasts for decoration

Directions:

Cook chicken breast in oven, wrapped in foil, for 45 minutes. Remove and cool, then dice. [This can be made days ahead. If frozen, thaw to room temperature.]

In saucepan, bring 6 cups of water with 1 teaspoon salt to boil. Dice the broccoli and toss into boiling water. Cover and cook 3 minutes. Pour off water and replace lid for 3 minutes. Drain broccoli again. Set aside.

In a large saucepan, pour in mushroom soup. Bring to gentle boil, turn down to simmer. Add chicken and broccoli to the pot. Cook 3-5 minutes until ingredients are hot. Add the white cheddar and seasonings. Stir until incorporated.

Pour into individual soup bowls. Garnish with paprika.

Serve hot with crustini or crackers.


Enjoy!






So what is your all-time favorite way to relax??

* * *

If you'd like to know more about The Long Quiche Goodbye and want to download a few other recipes from me (on recipe cards), click on this link to my website: Avery Aames. I've posted recipes in the "morsels" section. There's lots of other fun stuff, as well. And sign up for the fan club to get in on the next contest...coming soon.


12 comments:

  1. How can you make beer cheese soup without beer???

    But I love the idea of chicken in the cheese soup.. that's a winner.

    Island living is wonderful... people live like that every day (but the real world has it's appeal too)

    ... welcome back

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  2. Great recipe! I love these easy recipes...and we're having a cold, rainy day here, so soup sounds like a real winner. Thanks Avery!

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  3. oh, Avery - your trip sounds heavenly, and I am beyond jealous! Cold and rainy here in the NC mountains, with snow in the forecast for the weekend. A perfect weekend for this lovely soup of yours - Thank you!

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  4. I'm so glad you had an chance to get away and unwind, Avery!

    Thanks for this recipe. I know some people who would love it!

    ~ Krista

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  5. Beer cheese soup? A Year (Dave), who mentioned beer??? LOL Though this soup might taste lovely laced with some white wine. Hmmm.

    ~Avery

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  6. You and I are in sync, Avery. My post tomorrow shares a couple of similarities with yours today. I love this variation on mushroom soup. Did I ever tell you about the first time I was pregnant and at the same time caught a stomach bug (maybe bad food)? My husband and I were at a hotel that weekend (oh, fun!) and once the worst had passed, I asked him to get me some chicken broth and/or ginger ale to help keep me hydrated and fed. He came back with mushroom soup and orange pop because that's all he could find. Gotta love him.

    Took me a while to regain my taste for mushroom soup. But I do love it. And I love easy recipes.

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  7. Oh, Julie, mushroom soup and orange pop? Oh, my! LOL (Snort!)

    Avery

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  8. Avery - First of all welcome back! I LOVE how you remind us all to "breathe" -- with holidays coming, so many of us are going to feel crazed and overwhelmed; stressed and burdened. Keep reminding us, okay. Nothing is as important as hugging the ones you love. :) Marc and I are on a soup kick right now and this is just perfect. Love your idea to add white wine. (Dave, I almost always agree with you, but I'm saving my beer for bread recipes -- and boiling up hot dogs.)

    Finally, thank you SO much for the lovely and generous mention of my new release. I really enjoyed THE LONG QUICHE GOODBYE and am looking forward to the next entry in your cheese shop series. When is it, by the way? Do you have release month that you're willing to share? Welcome back again and...

    Have a delicious day,
    ~ Cleo

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  9. Your soup sounds so comforting on a rainy day like we are having. I love reading on vacation. It's so relaxing.
    Sam

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  10. Rainy days and soup are just the best combo. Enjoy!

    Cleo, I do have a release date. It's May 3. And the title is Lost and Fondue. I just received my cover art and love it. It'll be up on my website this next week.

    Hugs to all,
    ~Avery

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  11. What a delicious sounding recipe...in fact I have all the ingredients and will make it Saturday..I'm going to add some sherry to ours, however!
    Thanks, Avery!

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