Using sound judgment to be more self-reliant.
Broccoli, bacon and cheese salad is one of the few salads I’d occasionally pick up at the deli, but it’s amazing how much better it tastes when you make it at home with really fresh ingredients. I served some of this up for my extended family at Easter, and my brother said it was so good he wanted to eat the whole batch.
I regularly whip together some version of homemade cream of vegetable soup, but when I put together this creamy broccoli cheese soup with a hint of bacon, my husband and the boys said it was one of the best I’ve ever made. What’s the “surprise” ingredient? I raided the pantry for some dehydrated summer squash to use as an extra thickening agent. Eureka moment! It’s a great use for an abundant veggie, and adds a little more vegetable punch to the recipe, which is never a bad thing.
When broccoli is coming in fast and furious from the garden, I enjoy whipping up a batch of homemade broccoli soup. This recipe easy to make, and it includes other fresh garden veggies. We like having visible veggies in our soup, but if you want a smooth soup, feel free to puree it in a blender. Just be careful not to overload and splash yourself if you puree it while it’s hot.
Many years ago, when I had my first broccoli harvest from my very own garden, I was talking to my mom about the pesky green broccoli worms hiding in the nooks and crannies. She told me about the simple kitchen trick that she used that might just be the easiest way to get worms out of broccoli. Of course, you can eat the worms. My sister ate one last year on cooked broccoli and said it tasted like broccoli. 🙂 I’m just not that hungry – most of the time. I did fry up some one morning for breakfast with my eggs and broccoli.
This easy cheese quiche recipe comes together in minutes for a quick and filling meal. I like to make it in the summer when fresh produce is abundant, but it also works well with frozen or freeze dried veggies. If you want a heartier meal, feel free to add some diced ham or smoked turkey. We often opt for a cheese and broccoli quiche, but you can substitute other vegetables with good results. (More on this in a bit.) Lately, I’ve been using our duck eggs for cooking, and they give egg recipes a great golden color. (The yolks are HUGE, and the duckies love to go out foraging!)
