Recipe Time: Slow Cooker Broccoli Cheese Soup

Fall has arrived...and so has the season of soup! 

It is so comforting to be able to come home after a long, cold day and wrap yourself up in your softest, cozy blanket and sink yourself into your plush couch and enjoy a large bowl of warm soup. And it doesn’t get much better than having dinner basically ready and waiting for you when you get home.

Who doesn’t love a good slow cooker dish? This soup is amazingly easy, it’s incredibly delicious and hearty and it’s perfectly cheesy. This is definitely a new slow cooker favorite for me. Enjoy!

Slow Cooker Broccoli Cheese Soup

3 hrs to cook • Serves 6

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup butter, sliced
• 1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onion
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 6 Tbsp all-purpose flour
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 (12 oz) cans evaporated milk
• 5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 5 cups small diced broccoli florets
• 1/8 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 12 oz sharp cheddar cheese, freshly shredded (or more to taste)
• 2 oz Parmesan cheese, freshly & finely shredded

Directions

• Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and saute until they begin to soften, about 3 - 4 minutes. Add garlic, flour and season lightly with salt and pepper then cook, stirring constantly, 2 minutes. While whisking, slowly pour in evaporated milk (whisk well to smooth). Cook mixture, stirring constantly until it begins to thicken then pour into a slow cooker along with chicken broth, diced broccoli and thyme. Cover with lid and cook on HIGH heat for 2 1/2 - 3 hours or low heat for 6 hours.
• Turn heat to warm (or off) and stir in heavy cream, then add in shredded cheddar cheese and Parmesan cheese and stir to blend. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve warm.
• 
  

@KelleyAmstutz

/kel.amstutz

KAMSTUTZ09

Recipe of the Day: Hungarian Chicken Paprikas & Dumplings

Hungarian Chicken Paprikas & Dumplings

Ingredients

3 Tbsp  Vegetable Oil
1 Vadalia Onion, Chopped
1 Whole cut up Chicken, skin in tact
2 Tbsp Sweet Paprika
3 Chicken Bullion Cubes (1 per cup of water added)

Add later to broth:
1 pt Sour Cream
1/2 Pt Water
4 Tbsp Flour
3 Tsp Seasoning Salt

For Dumplings:
4 Eggs
3 Cup Water
6 Cup All Purpose Flour
1 Tsp Salt

Directions

• In a large pot place the oil and chopped onion. Cook over medium/high heat until translucent.(you don't want them brown, just tender) 
• Take off heat. 
• Add the Paprika.  Mix it well.
• Put chicken parts in the pot and brown slightly with the onion/paprika mixture.(do it in batches if you have to and add additional oil in small amounts if needed)

NOTE: I buy a whole chicken and cut it up myself. Make sure the chicken pieces you use are whole with the skin in tact. It adds to the flavor.

• Add water to almost cover chicken. Bring to a boil, and add chicken bullion cubes ( a good rule is 1 cube for every one cup of water...just eyeball it. Also add the Seasoning Salt. 
• Cover and simmer for 25 minutes with a regular pot, or about 15-20 minutes with a pressure cooker.
• While the chicken is simmering,Mix the sour cream,water and flour together with a hand mixer or a Kitchen-aid mixer. Whip it very smooth and set aside.
• When the chicken is done,remove the chicken pieces to a colander to cool.
• Slowly add the sour cream mixture a little bit at a time to the broth, stirring constantly to incorporate into the broth.

OPTIONAL: You can de-bone the chicken, or leave the pieces in tack. I spoil everyone and skin and de-bone it and add it back to the sauce.

FOR THE DUMPLINGS:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
• In a mixer combine eggs,water and flour and salt. Mix together to form a soupy dough. 
• When water is boiling, scrape the dough into the water a spoonful at a time. This is easier if you dip the spoon onto the boiling water,so the dough will not stick to the spoon. 
• After you scrape the dough into the boiling water, they should cook for about 7 minutes. When they rise to the surface, they are done. 
• Drain and rinse. It makes alot of dumplings! But that is ok, they will be gone in no time!
• Serve up a big helping of dumplings, and pour sauce over them. Serve with the whole chicken pieces, or if you de-bone it, it will be placed in the sauce.

 All of my senses come alive....truly a wonderful comforting food!

@KelleyAmstutz

/kel.amstutz

KAMSTUTZ09