Broccoli Cheese Soup {recipe}

Let me just say this: I love broccoli cheese soup. A lot. It is my favorite soup, behind mushroom and loaded potato and... you get the point. My hubby on the other hand, not so much. It's the cheese that doesn't sit well with him. So when I make this, it's mostly all for me. Except last week we had some friends over for dinner and the soup was gone by the end of the night. Should I say they liked it? Well, just a little. 

So this soup is, again, easy-peasy to make. Like most of my recipes. I try to bring you easy-to-make, home-made-but-taste-like-from-a-restaurant ideas for great meals.

The basis for my recipe comes from here, tweaked a little to my personal taste.

Ingredients:
1 lb fresh broccoli
4 oz sharp cheddar cheese
2 medium onions
4 oz Swiss cheese
3 medium carrots
1 quart chicken broth
1/2 cup of flour
2 cups of milk
3 tbsp butter
6 oz heavy cream
salt and pepper to taste

Peel and grate carrots, dice the onions and grate the cheeses. Set aside

Pour the chicken broth in a heavy bottom pot and put it on low heat to slowly warm up and add the carrots
Melt the butter in a non stick skillet and add diced onions. Cook together for 5 minutes on medium heat until the onions become translucent.

Take half of the onions and add them to the broth. Add flour to the rest of the onions in the pan and whisk together. Start adding milk very slowly, constantly whisking after every 1/4 of a cup until it forms a roux. Set aside.

Cut broccoli florets discarding the stems and put into a medium heatproof dish. Pour enough boiling water to cover and let stand for 1 minute. (you can't really wash broccoli too well, so the boiling water will remove all the germs and dirt and it will not end up in the soup) Drain broccoli and add to the broth. Next add the roux and heavy cream then stir everything.

Little by little add the cheese while keeping the heat on simmer (or it will stick to the pot if you heat it the boiling point. Tried it. Trust me. Had to soak the pot for 3 days)

Add salt and pepper to taste. (Make sure you taste it before adding salt as the broth and cheese will add quit a bit of salt. Careful not to over-salt it.)

They Say

sweater, bag: H&M, cords: Lands End, shoes: Nine West

They say that surviving the first month with a newborn is the hardest part of parenting. They would know.
They also say that it's the hardest going from no kids to one. Then it gets easier they say. 

First they say to put the baby to sleep on his tummy. Then couple years later they go ahead and change it. Now they say that baby should always be sleeping on his back.

They say that you need to sterilize the water every time you bathe an infant up until he's three months old.

They say that you should definitely give co-sleeping a try. It's the way nursing was meant to be.

But then they say that the only place the baby should be sleeping in is his own crib.

They say that teaching baby to sleep through the night will decrease the milk supply.

Then they go on to say that children need schedule and disciple from the day one. 

Who are they? 

And why do they have so much to say?!
Why is it always something different?

They are your mothers, sisters, aunts, friends, other bloggers, experts, parenting books, lactation consultants and neighbors. They are the people behind you at the check out counter in the store and and your pediatrician.

They say what they know and only want the best. 

In the world of expert advice and sea of parenting books it's hard to navigate. 

But as mothers we have to make tough decisions and stick with them, standing up for what we believe in. So when they say something again, take the best and throw out the rest.

P.S. This video says it all. Must watch for all parents.
Too funny not to laugh

Fooled

blouse: Target, blazer,shoes: H&M, skirt: J.Crew, necklace: Forever21

We got fooled. Last week the weather was awful nice. Too nice for NY.
It was in fifties and the snow melted. It was gone. All of it.
On Monday night we got a snow storm advisory and the only time I wish the that they (the weather people) were wrong, they were right.
We got pounded on Tuesday.

It snowed. All day long, it snowed. It was snowing as if the Earth has forgotten that it's March and time for spring. That it's time to let those blooms come up.

On the other hand, it was a magical, beautiful world outside for a while. That is if you didn't have to leave the house all day. And we didn't. 

Hubby was off and we lounged with the little one all day watching re-runs of shows and having us some cinnamon buns. Of course, the buns didn't support my loose-weight-as-quickly-as-possible diet but they were pretty good. In the words of hubby they were 'fine'.

So although we got fooled into thinking that the spring is here, having hopefully one last stay-at-home snow day was great.

Now bring it on spring.
Have a great first day.

Sunday

top: Loft, cardigan:Gap, skirt: JCPenny, shoes: Nine West, necklace: Charlotte Russe

Another week. Another Sunday night (when I'm writing this post).

It's amazing how fast the time flies. Especially with a newborn. 

Sundays are our busiest days. Think getting a three course dinner for twelve out of town guests busy.

It goes like this. 

I feed Jonathan as hubby makes some coffee for himself and tea for me.

Then he burps and changes a diaper as I do my make up and hair.

Then I get baby dressed, and probably change again, as hubby dresses himself.

Then I get dressed (and hopefully something fits)

Somehow we manage to eat left over pancakes and bacon from yesterday and have some coffee/tea. 

Then strap the kid into the car seat, check the diaper count in the bag and off we go.

Come back. Have lunch. That is Jonathan gets his lunch first then we eat.

Maybe a nap.

Repeat routine from morning and off we go again for evening service.

By the time we get home that night we are beat.

The only way we (read: I) can survive a day like this is by planning ahead.

I get all the outfits picked out the night before and iron everything that needs to be ironed, then hang them on the door.

Then I get lunch ready to be set in the oven the next morning. I even pour water into tea cattle so all I have to do the next morning is to turn it on.

Don't get me wrong,

I love being in the service. I love the people.

 I love Sundays.

But they are just a tad busy.

Thank God there are Mondays.

Then it starts all over again. 

This Guy

Jonathan recognized his daddy right away. Awake and alert when hubby was talking to him.
Amazing! 

I just want to take a minute here and brag about this guy a little. The bigger of two. I suppose there are many mushy and overly lovely-dovey blog articles flying all over the net but here is another one.

Bear with me.

First of all, I love this guy. 

His ability to make me laugh. 

His willingness to be there for me. Every time.

His strong beliefs and unwavering convictions.

His few wise words.

His adorable, most sweetest baby talk to our son.

His willingness to sacrifice for our family.

His ability to notice the little things.

His ability to do those little things that matter the most.

His lion-like guard of our family. Of me. Of our boy.

His ability to say the sweetest, most meaningful things looking deep into my eyes, taking my breath away. 

But most of all, his natural ability as a father.

The day I found out I was pregnant, I couldn't keep it in. I had these great plans in mind of how I would tell him, but I was in such a shock that it was written all over my face. I had a storm of emotions and a hurricane of thoughts going through me but he was there to let me pour my emotions out.

Mind you, he's not the kind of guy that will be jumping up and down with excitement but he will rejoices in quiet of his heart. 

Then the very first ultrasound he was with me. And the second and third. I mean, this guy has been with me every step of the way. 

Then when it was time to make the tough decision - induction or no induction - he was so supportive. He didn't rush me or push me towards a decision. He was ever so patient and understanding of my battling mind and never ending "I don't know".

Once in the delivery room he was on the edge of his seat (I could tell) although he breathed tranquil spirit. He calmed me and constantly reminded of my breathing and relaxation techniques. 

Then came the moment.

Moment he became a father. 

Like with everything, he accepted our son with calm adoration and was present every single moment of the day ever since. 

As a right of passage first diaper was on daddy ;-)

Now that we settled into our new life and living with a baby in the house has become somewhat familiar, I realized how much he actually means to me. How I couldn't do it all without him. Without his sweet words of encouragement and reassurance. 

He truly is my rock.

Of course, he isn't perfect and there are days when he annoys me and drives me up the wall but I wouldn't have it any other way. 

Our life isn't perfect. We have our ups and downs. 

We may not have it altogether but together we have it all.