Cheesy Chicken Broccoli Soup

Ingredients:
2 diced yellow onions
4-6 minced garlic cloves garlic
1 cup butter
1 1/2 cup flour
16 cups of broth (I use water with bouillon cubes)
2 cans of chicken breasts or chop up a roasted chicken if in a hurry (optional)
1 large bag of frozen broccoli pieces (or fresh is fine - about 4 heads of broccoli)
salt & pepper to taste
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
2 cups milk
1 16 oz block of sharp cheddar cheese chopped into little chunks
1 cup grated mixed cheese

Directions:
Saute onion and garlic until tender. Set aside.  Mix flour and butter and cook over low heat (to make a roux).  It will be ready when it bubbles and starts to turn brown.  Mix together.

In separate pot, mix water and bouillon to make a broth.  After it is warm, add the roux mixture stirring the whole time so it doesn't clump up.  Add the chicken, broccoli, and spices and cook for around 30 minutes.  Add cheese and milk and stir.  When cheese is melted in, the soup is ready to serve.  Top with grated cheese.

This makes A LOT of soup (serves 16-20?).  We eat some fresh and freeze some for another day.  Warning, this has a kick to it so use less cayenne pepper if you'd like it more mild.

Lemon Muffins

Ingredients:

2 cups sugar
4 tbsp butter (1/2 stick)
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp lemon extract (or I used 5-6 drops lemon essential oil instead)
2/3 cup of fresh lemon juice
1 cup oil (I used canola)
6 eggs
zest of two lemons

3 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
Sugar Sprinkles (optional)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix sugar, butter, vanilla, lemon extract, lemon juice, oil, eggs and lemon zest. Add in and mix flour, baking powder, baking soda.  Put cupcake liners in muffin tin.  Fill to about 2/3 full.  I sprinkled sugar sprinkles on top of the muffins before baking.  Bake until cupcakes are done (don't overbake).  I think I baked them for 11-15 minutes but time will vary based on your oven.  You can also make this in a bread pan but you'd need to cook it longer and grease the pan first.  I did it both ways and like the muffins a lot more.  This recipe was originally supposed to be a copycat recipe for the Starbucks Lemon Loaf but I altered it a little and didn't use the glaze they suggested.  If you want to try the glaze, it is 2 cups powdered sugar, 4 tbsp skim milk, and 1 tsp lemon extract (or a few drops of lemon essential oil).  Combine those ingredients and pour over the cooled muffins or loaf.

Lemon Curd

1 cup of sugar

3 eggs

1 cup of lemon juice freshly squeezed (or frozen)

1/2 cup of butter (melted but cooled)

Zest from 2 lemons

Directions: Whisk eggs and sugar together, stir in juice, lemon zest and butter ... place in microwave for 2 mins then continue to stir after cooking another minute to 5 minutes until it thickens homemade lemon curd. CAN BE FROZEN UP TO A YEAR !!!!!

From my British friend, Maxine Arrington