I remember when I was younger, I couldn’t wait until it was Friday, not because it was the end of the school week as I loved school, but because sometimes my mother bought takeout food home for dinner. I would ask for my favorites like Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, or a family sized box of KFC Potato wedges that I was shocked to find out is no longer on the menu. Now, fast forward all of these years later, I continue this tradition some Fridays, but I do it now for convenience because if there are no leftovers from Thursday night, I am not cooking on Friday unless I really have to. As an adult I prefer homecooked meals. Having a homecooked meal is special because you get to make food that is appetizing to you all while saving money. I enjoy cooking and putting my own special flair on dishes as well as trying new things following a recipe. With this month being self-care awareness month, this week’s task is to…
COOK SOMETHING YOU ENJOY/
FOLLOW A NEW RECIPE
The fall is here and more days will be spent inside with more time to cook up a nice meal. Some of the recent dishes I’ve been perfecting after initially following recipes are Broccoli Cheddar Soup and Tomato Sauce. With the Broccoli Cheddar soup, I always enjoyed Panera Bread’s version but I don’t have one close to home, so I found some recipes online and I now make my own. I have now perfected it after making more than a few times, so that means I can now share it with others without fear.
With my tomato sauce, I originally got the recipe from a former co-worker who was Italian, and I sat on it for about 2 years before finally trying it during the pandemic and I haven’t looked back since. Whenever I catch tomatoes on sale at local grocery stores or if I go to wholesale stores I buy a lot so I can make almost one large pot full to make large dishes of pasta or sometimes two different types or even pizza.
In the end, cooking can be therapeutic and it’s something you make with love for the art of cooking or for the love of your stomach that growls and tells you it’s hungry. Other dishes such as tacos, pepper steak, and macaroni and cheese are on rotation from the usual everyday meals as well, so what’s that dish you enjoy? Buy those ingredients and treat yourself with a meal made with your heart to sooth your soul (or your stomach).
Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Ingredients: Carrots (Pre-Shredded or you can buy whole and shred yourself), Broccoli, Mild Cheddar Cheese, Heavy Cream, Chicken Broth, Onions, Flour (All Purpose or Alternative), Butter
- Using the butter, sauté the carrots and onions until lightly browned
- Add about 1 cup of flour to the sauté mix
- Add about 1 1/2-2 cups of Chicken Broth and 1 1/2-2 cups of water
- Add 1 1/2-2 standard sized packs of Broccoli and let boil until Broccoli is tender
- After cooking let it sit and cool for about 15-20 minutes
- Add 1-1 1/2 cups of heavy cream
- Add cheese and stir until melted into soup.
Tomato Sauce
Ingredients: Tomatoes, Olive Oil, Sugar, Garlic (fresh or dried), Basil (fresh or dried)
- Cut up tomatoes into quarters and puree in the blender
- Sauté onions and fresh garlic in olive oil (Optional when using fresh ingredients only)
- Pour pureed tomatoes into pot, add powder seasoning (ex: garlic and basil), 1/2 cup of olive oil, and 1 cup of sugar.
- Let sauce boil until it thickens on medium heat monitoring every 15-20 minutes