It's more of a chowder, but I need to get it down on paper before I forget it.
8 cups water
4 cubes chicken bouillon
1/3 c butter
1/2 onion, diced
1 clove garlic, finely diced
3 cups fresh brocolli, about 2/3 of a pound??? not exactly sure
1-2 potatoes, peeled, cubed (I used 1 and a half large Costco potatoes, about 2 cups worth)
1 carrot, shredded
1-2 cups chicken breast cut in 1/2 inch cubes (I used 1 breast from a Costco rotisserie chicken)
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 c sour cream
1 c whipping cream
1 c monterey jack cheese shredded
1 c colby jack cheese shredded
2 c medium cheddar shredded
These prep directions are a little confusing, but this is exactly how I did it.
Bring 8 cups water to a boil, add 4 cubes bouillon and cover, keep boiling on med-low heat.
In a frying pan, melt butter and saute onion and garlic, keep on low heat
Boil cubed potatoes in a bowl in the microwave for 8 minutes - they should be just barely tender enough to stick a fork in, but not soft or mushy.
Add fresh broccoli to the boiling chicken broth and boil covered on medium heat for 5 minutes. Add salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Stir.
Add potatoes, carrots, and chicken and boil covered on medium heat for 5 minutes.
Mix sour cream and whipping cream. Add to soup, stirring occasionally for 3 minutes.
Add cheese to soup, one cup at a time, stirring for 30 seconds between cups to melt evenly.
Turn heat to low, let sit 5 minutes, and serve.
I pulled out a scoop of cheese-less soup for me, and it was really good. I don't usually like cheesy things, but the bowl of cheesy soup almost tasted better than the cheese-free soup. Either way, it was really really good.
Try it, you won't be disappointed, unless you mess it up by burning the onions or something.
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
The grass is greener
I've mowed lawns since I was 8. I used to go with my dad and brother out to his office and help mow and trim the lawn. Since then I've mowed lawns for the following people: parents, Grandma Lamb, Grandpa Meibos, landlord, Mother-In-Law, Grandfather-in-Law.
I have very particular methods when it comes to mowing lawns, so I'd like to share them.
Low cut lawns might look better, but they don't feel better. When you lay a blanket on the lawn, you want some cushion under your blanket so you can lay there for a while and enjoy whatever you are laying on the lawn for - a cool evening, watching clouds, throwing a ball up in the air to yourself until you miss it and give yourself a black eye.
Trim before you mow, and trim every time you mow if you don't want the lawn to look goofy. I did not say edge - you should only edge your lawn once a month. Edging is cutting a straight edge along the sidewalks. It only has to look that good once a month, like before you host a baby shower or something like that.
Never cut the grass in the same pattern two weeks in a row. If you're too lazy to mix it up, you deserve to have a crappy looking lawn. It may just be the placebo affect, but I think lawns look better and grow better when they are cut in a different direction each week.
Raise the mower up to just below the top notch. Why? Three reasons. First, long grass feels better all around. Second, if you don't catch the clippings every week, long grass will provide a better area to catch the clippings and create a better thatch. Thatch will help retain water when you water, so the grass will actually grow greener and stay looking better. Third, if something comes up and you can't mow, longer grass doesn't look uncut as soon as short grass... so you can be lazy like you want to be when you don't feel like doing the job.
I have very particular methods when it comes to mowing lawns, so I'd like to share them.
Low cut lawns might look better, but they don't feel better. When you lay a blanket on the lawn, you want some cushion under your blanket so you can lay there for a while and enjoy whatever you are laying on the lawn for - a cool evening, watching clouds, throwing a ball up in the air to yourself until you miss it and give yourself a black eye.
Trim before you mow, and trim every time you mow if you don't want the lawn to look goofy. I did not say edge - you should only edge your lawn once a month. Edging is cutting a straight edge along the sidewalks. It only has to look that good once a month, like before you host a baby shower or something like that.
Never cut the grass in the same pattern two weeks in a row. If you're too lazy to mix it up, you deserve to have a crappy looking lawn. It may just be the placebo affect, but I think lawns look better and grow better when they are cut in a different direction each week.
Raise the mower up to just below the top notch. Why? Three reasons. First, long grass feels better all around. Second, if you don't catch the clippings every week, long grass will provide a better area to catch the clippings and create a better thatch. Thatch will help retain water when you water, so the grass will actually grow greener and stay looking better. Third, if something comes up and you can't mow, longer grass doesn't look uncut as soon as short grass... so you can be lazy like you want to be when you don't feel like doing the job.
Monday, July 18, 2011
It's my blog...
You all ask me about things all the time, but you didn't ask me about this.
I intend this blog to be my place to dump my random musings about all the stuff I come across in my life that I usually only discuss with Kristi. But some of the stuff she doesn't want to have to listen to, so here it is.
And that's that.
I intend this blog to be my place to dump my random musings about all the stuff I come across in my life that I usually only discuss with Kristi. But some of the stuff she doesn't want to have to listen to, so here it is.
And that's that.
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