Remember Me?

Pin It Now! Hey guys!

I trust that you all had a fabulous Christmas! Wait, what? Who am I? You don't remember me? It's me! Emily! Yes, yes, I know I haven't blogged in ages. Well... that's because December has proved to be the craziest month ever!

But guess what, people, I'M BACK! And boy do I have 12 trillion recipes for you! So bear with me as I get back into the groove of things!

Christmas is a joyous time, isn't it?! A time of love and happiness being surrounded by those who mean so much to you. It is also a time of over eating, hiccup, which gives you reason for a New Year's Resolution after you've realized you've gained those 2 (alright 5) pounds. Those 2 (okay, okay 5) pounds are always SO worth it though, aren't they?

Here's a great recipe to get you started on your way back to your pre-Thanksgiving/Christmas shape!

Broccoli Soup
Adapted from: February 2011's Eating Well
Yields: 8 servings


Ingredients
1 TBS unsalted butter
1 TBS extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium white onion, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 TBS fresh thyme, chopped
8 cups of broccoli, chopped (stems and florets)
2 cups water
4 cups low or no sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup half and half (optional)
1/2 tsp salt
Fresh ground pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Heat butter and oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat until the butter melts.
2. Add onion and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 4 to 6 minutes.
3. Add garlic and thyme. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 10 seconds.
4. Stir in broccoli. Add water and broth; bring to a lively simmer over high heat.
5. Reduce heat to maintain a lively simmer and cook until very tender, about 8 minutes.
6. Puree the soup in batches in a blender until smooth. (Use caution when pureeing hot liquids.) Stir in half-and-half (if using), salt and pepper.