Cheesy Vegetable Chowder

I have been waiting for fall since Spring.  As I get older it becomes more and more of my favorite season.  When I was younger I loved summer...but I'm over that.  

I love the cool crisp weather and being able to bundle up in a hoodie.  I love all of the beautiful colors and smells that autumn brings.  I love ALL things pumpkin, and now I love soups and chowders!  This week I believe fall has arrived.

The weather change has been wonderful!  However, going from 90 degrees to 70 degrees in a day has caused major allergies.  My husband and I have caught the crud!  So I was FINALLY able to have an excuse to start my chowder addiction.  Horrible excuse though lol.

This Cheesy Vegetable Chowder definitely got us hooked!  I have made three huge batches of it in two days!  Yes, it's that good!  It's full of broccoli, potatoes, celery, carrots, mushrooms, and more!  So yummy I couldn't have just one bowl!!

My husband got sick right before I did so I decided to try this out. He and the girls ate it all before I was able to get a full bowl.  The next day I got sick and begged for him to learn to make it for me.  He wasn't going for it :(  So....I went to the store and made it myself.  It was worth every bit of the Wal Mart chaos!  Now, I have some to freeze for next time! Woop! Woop!

Cheesy Vegetable Chowder

By: Crystal Barrett

August 14, 2014

About 8 servings                                                          (Click here to Print)

Ingredients 

6 tbsp unsalted butter

1/2 an onion - yellow - finely chopped

1 cup finely chopped carrots

1 cup or 1 stalk finely chopped celery

1 package sliced baby bella mushrooms

3 cloves minced garlic

2 peeled and chopped potatoes

4 cups Swanson chicken broth

1 1/2 tbsp flour

1/2 c water

2/3 c milk

2 cups finely chopped broccoli

2 or more cups of shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Directions 

-  In a huge pot, melt butter on medium heat.

-  Add onions and garlic.  Saute until onions are transparent.

-  Add celery, carrots, and mushrooms to the pot.  Stir occasionally and saute until carrots and celery is tender.

-  Add the chopped potatoes and then the chicken broth to the pot.  Bring to a boil.  Let boil for about 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender and can be easily stuck with a fork.

-  In a small bowl mix flour with the water.  Add this mixture to the pot.  This should thicken up the chowder within a few minutes of simmering.

-  Add milk and broccoli and simmer until the broccoli is tender.  This only takes about 5-7 minutes.

-  Take the pot off of the heat and add cheese.  Stir well and serve.

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Bacon and Cheese Barbeque Chicken

Somehow I turn everything healthy into not so healthy! It's not on purpose I promise!  I just think of things and they somehow all seem to add fat or calories! I had planned on making chicken the other night...plain barbeque chicken.  Then I had the bright idea to idea bacon and cheese!

It was such a great idea!  It was freakin delicious!

My husband and dad weren't so happy! They have been on a diet for a while now and I have been kind of ruining that for them.  The chicken looked, smelled, and tasted too delicious for them not to try!  My husband even went back for a second breast!

I plan on adding a few things next time to make this even better than it is (which seems impossible).  But for now I'll share what I have so far :)

Bacon and Cheese Barbeque Chicken:

4 boneless chicken breasts
cheddar cheese
1 bottle Sweet Baby Rays Barbeque Sauce
4 pieces of thick cut bacon

Cover bottom of a 9 x 13 glass dish with barbeque sauce.

Place a piece of bacon down.  Put a chicken breast in the middle so the chicken is laying in the center of a piece of bacon...making a t shape.

Coat chicken in barbeque sauce and poke with holes so the sauce with soak through chicken.

Put a slice of cheddar cheese on top of chicken then wrap entire breast with the bacon.  I cut my cheese slices in half so the cheese would cover entire breast when melted.

Do this with the rest of the breasts.

Cook in oven on 350 for about 45 minutes.

Take out of the oven and check to make sure the chicken is done.  Add a little more shredded cheddar cheese and barbeque if desired.

Place back in oven on broil.  Let broil for about 5 -10 more minutes or until cheese is brown and bacon is crispy.

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