Monday, January 4, 2010

Soup makes me Happy

Dear Friends,
I love soup!
I look forward to fall and winter so I can make heart warming pots full of soup.
My family loves soup too, especially Tyler. I get so tickled at him when he starts to smell the soup simmering on the stove. Yum he says, is it ready yet?
This soup is a new recipe I tried, Cheeseburger Soup. Oh creamy and delicious. I was so glad that I had dried some herbs this summer. I sprinkled in my own dried basil right before I served it. And now is a perfect time to use my snowman dishes!

I have had this set of dishes for about 14 years. This little snowman never fails to melt my heart. When Tyler was just 2, I would make homemade French toast for him every winter morning, served on a little snowman plate. What a wonderful memory.
What goes wonderfully with homemade soup?
Why, homemade bread of course!

I adore dilly bread and whipped up batch and baked it in my flowerpot baker!
Fresh and hot from the oven with a little butter...

Oh be still my heart!

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~*Cheeseburger Soup *~
1/2 lb. ground beef, 3/4 C. chopped onion, 3/4 C. shredded carrots, 3/4 C. diced celery, 1 tsp. basil, 1 tsp. parsley, 4 Tbs. butter, divided, 3 C. chicken broth, 4 C. peeled & diced potatoes, 1/4 C. flour, 8 oz. Velvetta, 1 1/2 C. milk, 3/4 tsp. salt, 1/4 C. sour cream
***
In a large saucepan, brown hamburger; drain and set aside. In the same saucepan, saute onion, carrots, celery, basil and parsley in 1 Tbs. butter until vegetables are tender, about 10 min. Add broth, potatoes and beef; bring to boil. Reduce heat;cover and simmer until potatoes are tender. Meanwhile, in a small skillet melt remaining butter. Add flour; cook and stir for 3-5 minutes or until bubbly. Add to soup; bring to boil. Cook and stir for 2 min. Reduce heat to low. Add cheese, milk, salt and if you wish pepper; cook and stir until cheese melts. Remove from heat; blend in sour cream. Yields 8 servings.


~*Easy Dilly Bread *~
3 C. all-purpose flour, 1 pkg. active dry yeast, 1 1/4 C. milk, 2 Tbs. sugar, 2 Tbs. butter or margarine, 2 tsp. dried dill seed or dill weed, 2 tsp. instant minced onion, 1 egg
***
In a small mixer combine, 1 1/2 C. of the flour and the yeast. In saucepan heat milk, sugar, butter, dill, onion and 1 tsp. salt just until warm, stirring constantly to melt butter. Add to dry mixture and add egg. Beat at low speed with electric mixer for 1/2 minutes, scraping bowl. Beat for 3 minutes at high speed. By hand, stir in remianing flour. Cover and let rise until double (30-45 min.). Stir down. Spread evenly in a greased 9x5x3-inch loaf pan ( or flower pot baker). Let rise until nearly double (about 30 min.). Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Cover loosely with foil if bread browns too quickly. Remove from pan and let cool. Makes 1 loaf.

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~*~
It is very wintery here at Hickory Hollow and it is very cold!
It snowed almost all day yesterday. Made for a very cozy day tucked inside.
I have been doing a little thrift store shopping and have found some lovely cozy sweaters. Every day when I snuggle into one, I remember years ago when my Grandma told me I was a sweater girl. Yes, Grandma B. I am a sweater girl. I am glad there are so many to choose from at my favorite stores!

~*~
I have also had a challenge trying type, my little Socks cat climbs on my lap and kneeds my arms, she is doing it right now with her kitty purr motor on! Oh my, we just Eskimo kissed, her little nose and mine! She also likes to prance on the computer desk, and I can't see a thing! I'd rather she stay on my lap all warm and fuzzy! I do love my pets.

~*~
Hope you are tucked in safe and sound wherever you may be!

Love,
Jill

13 comments:

Crystal Rose Cottage said...

Hi Jill.....Hope your holidays were wonderful! It is good to see you again! It is snowy and cold here in Ohio too. Your soup looks delicious and the bread heavenly! I can taste it with melted butter oozing from it! My diet started today so I guess I better get that butter image out of my head! Have a great day and stay warm!~Hugs, Patti

Stacey said...

Hi Jill. :) Your soup looks yummy. I have stew slow cooking in the oven today. It smells wonderfu! It's so nice to be at home when it's snowy and something good is cooking.

I'm glad you are back with us.

Sharon said...

So good to see you again, Jill! Your soup and bread looks wonderful and I'm ready for them both. Here in Central Alabama we are headed for 0 degrees tomorrow night!!! Thought for sure you'd post the recipe for the soup and bread! :( Could you post them next time? Don't have the lovely snowman dishes or flowerpot bread baker but I'd love to have the recipes anyway. I'll figure out some way to bake that bread. Stay warm and keep those pets close by.
Sharon

trish said...

Hi Jill.
Your soup looks just delicious and especially fresh baked bread. :o)
Tomorrow will be my day tucked inside and I am looking very forward. :o)
- Trish

Melinda said...

Happy New Year to you.
Your soup and bread sounds devine.
Especially since it is COLD here in Kansas. A big whopping 10 with a wind chill of 0.

Stay warm and cozy.

Melinda

Diva Kreszl said...

your soup and bread sound like the perfect meal for today!!! save me some okay?

Salmagundi said...

Hi Jill! How about a LOT of butter on that yummy-looking bread? We eat a lot of soup, too. I like the idea of having supper all ready at 5:00 pm on a cold winter evening. Take care and stay warm. Sally

Barb said...

So good to have you back, Jill. Beautiful post.

Barb ♥

Sharon said...

Thanks for the recipes, Jill. I'm off to the grocery store this morning and will be cooking them tomorrow if all goes well. We are expecting snow here in central Alabama tomorrow and Friday so that soup will be perfect!!!
Sharon

Anonymous said...

Happy New Year!
I love soup but I especially love the bowls....I'm a sucker for snowmen!

The Feathered Nest said...

Oh Jill, your recipes sound so YUMMY!!! I can just smell them now! And the snowman bowl...I bet your little sweetie just loves eating his soup from them ~ thank you so much for the recipes, I'll definitely have to give them a try, hugs and love, Dawn

Unknown said...

Yummmmmm....the soup sound delicious and that bread....ahhh, to die for. Gotta love that you have the little pot to back it in TOO!

Happy New Year from Houston, TX!

Countrygal...At Home In Texas said...

Your blog is wonderful! I have some
of the same things you have. I now have some ideas for using them as part of my decor. Thanks!

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