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Cream of Broccoli Soup

Cream of Broccoli Soup

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Yield: 4 to 6 Servings

Adapted from: Elizabeth E. Skipper
Fall 1987
  • 1lb broccoli, cleaned & stalks peeled, florets and stalks separated
  • 6cups chicken stock
  • 2TBS butter
  • 1medium onion, chopped
  • 2TBS cornstarch mixed in 2 TBS water
  • 1cup heavy cream
  • salt/pepper

Chop the broccoli stalks into small pieces.
Bring the broccoli stalks and florets and chicken stock to a boil and simmer until the broccoli is very tender.
In the soup kettle, melt 2 TBS butter and sauté the onion until translucent.
Purée the onion, broccoli and cooking liquid in a blender or food processor.
Return the purée to the pan. You can pass it through a chinois or very fine strainer to make it even smoother.
Make a slurry with the water and cornstarch and stir it slowly into the simmering soup. You will see it thicken almost immediately.
Just before serving. add the heavy cream and heat it through, but do not boil.
Check and adjust the seasoning if necessary.

Community Group Pasta

Community Group Pasta

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with Chicken, Broccoli, Sun-Dried Tomatoes & Cream Sauce 😊

Yield: 4 Servings
Scott Nowell

Circa 1994: This started as a church potluck meal, and it still works well 30 years later. It also makes a nice, simple family meal.
Updated to describe the version served at 28-Sep-23 Community Group.
You can use your imagination on this and replace the chicken with shrimp, sausage or beef. Also any pasta and vegetables can be used. Just be sure to barely cook it to al dente so it doesn’t get too soft in the assembly.

Chicken:

  • 2TBS cooking oil, divided
  • 1lb chicken breasts, boneless skinless
  • salt & freshly ground pepper
  • 1-2tsp Italian seasoning
  • 8oz Rotini, Penne, etc.
  • 8oz broccoli, small florets

Assembly:

  • 2TBS garlic, minced
  • 1cup julienned sun-dried tomatoes, oil reserved
  • 2TBS oil from sun-dried tomatoes
  • 1-2TBS butter
  • ½cup reserved pasta cooking liquid
  • 1cup heavy cream
  • 1-2tsp dried basil or Italian seasoning
  • ½cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
  • salt & pepper
  • 1TBS Italian flat leaf parsley, chopped

For serving:

  • Parmesan cheese shredded


Cook broccoli and pasta:

Bring one gallon of water to boil in a large pot. Add 1 TBS salt and broccoli. Cook until starting to soften (about 2 minutes), remove to a bowl of ice water with a spider.

Return water to a boil and add pasta. Cook until just al dente, a minute or two less than manufacturer’s directions. Reserve a cup of the starchy cooking water, then drain and set pasta aside.

Cook chicken:

While the pasta is cooking, cut the chicken into bite sized pieces. Season chicken with salt and pepper and a good sprinkle of Italian seasoning. Be generous.

Heat a TBS each of reserved sun-dried tomato oil and cooking oil until hot in large sauté pan. Add the chicken and sauté until cooked through. About 2-3 minutes. You should get some nicely browned pieces. Remove chicken from pan and set aside.

Assembly:

Return empty pasta pot to medium heat, add a TBS each of reserved sun-dried tomato oil and cooking oil. Add 2 TBS of minced garlic. Sauté for 30 seconds. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and basil or Italian seasoning, stir and sauté for another 30 seconds.

Add ½ cup reserved pasta cooking liquid and cooked chicken to pan and cook until heated through, 2 to 3 minutes.

Return pasta and broccoli to pot. Mix.

Add cream and 1-2 TBS butter. Mix and heat until hot and pasta is well coated. You can add more pasta cooking water if needed.

Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve:
Transfer to a serving dish and top with parsley.

Serve with additional Parmesan cheese if desired.

We served this with a tossed green salad with Italian dressing and Cheesecake Factory dark bread, followed by Hermit Cookies with vanilla ice cream.

Marsala Mushroom Chicken Skillet

Marsala Mushroom Chicken Skillet

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with Broccoli and Peas

Yield: 2 Servings

Chicken & mushrooms with a creamy Marsala sauce mixed with broccoli and peas served with pasta.

Needed more sauce, so all of the sauce ingredients below are now doubled.

  • 6oz noodles
  • 6oz cremini mushrooms
  • 1shallot
  • 6oz broccoli florets
  • 12oz boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 1TBS flour
  • 6oz dry Marsala wine
  • 8oz light cream
  • 2tsp chicken Better than Bouillon
  • 2oz peas
  • olive oil
  • salt & pepper

Prepare the Ingredients:

Cut mushrooms into ¼-inch slices.

Peel and halve shallot. Slice thinly.

Cut broccoli florets into bite-sized pieces.

Pat chicken breasts dry and, on a separate cutting board, cut into 1″ dice. Season with ¼ tsp salt and ¼ tsp pepper. Place diced chicken and flour in a mixing bowl and toss to coat.

Noodles:

Bring a gallon of water to a boil. Add 1 TBS salt, stir and add noodles. Cook as directed on box.

Sear the Chicken:

Place a medium non-stick pan over medium-high heat and add a drizzle of olive oil. Add chicken to hot pan and stir occasionally until seared on two sides, 3-4 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Chicken will finish cooking in a later step. Keep pan over medium-high heat.

Cook the Vegetables

Add 2 tsp olive oil, mushrooms, and shallot to hot pan and stir occasionally until lightly browned, 2-4 minutes.

Add Marsala and stir occasionally until mostly evaporated, 2-3 minutes.

Stir in cream, broccoli, 2 oz water, demi-glace, ¼ tsp salt, and a pinch of pepper until combined.

Finish the Skillet

Return chicken and any accumulated juices to pan. Bring to a simmer. Once simmering, stir occasionally until sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon and chicken reaches a minimum internal temperature of 165°F, 6-7 minutes.

Add peas and stir until warmed through, 1 minute.

Serve:

You can mix the pasta into the skillet and get it all coated or serve over the pasta. Divide between plates.

Beef Tenderloin with Shrimp

Beef Tenderloin with Shrimp

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with Tarragon Cream Sauce

Yield: 2

Adapted from: Hello Fresh

Pan-seared steaks, smooth mashed potatoes and garlic shrimp are cooked to perfection and topped with a creamy Tarragon mustard sauce.
Prep: 5 Cook: 35

  • 12oz beef steak
  • 10oz shrimp
  • ¼oz tarragon
  • 8oz heavy cream
  • 1½tsp black peppercorns, crushed
  • 10oz yellow potato
  • 1TBS Dijon mustard
  • 8oz broccoli, florets
  • 1oz beef broth concentrate
  • ¼oz parsley
  • salt & pepper
  • 1tsp cooking oil
  • 1TBS butter

Roast broccoli:

Cut broccoli into bite-sized pieces. Toss broccoli with 1 TBS oil on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Season with salt. Roast in the top of the oven, until golden-brown, 12-14 min. Meanwhile, cut potatoes into ½-inch pieces. Roughly chop parsley and tarragon leaves.

Cook potatoes:

Combine potatoes, 2 tsp salt and enough water to cover (approx. 1 inch) in a large pot. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium. Simmer, uncovered, until fork-tender, 10-12 min. Meanwhile, drain and rinse shrimp, then pat dry with paper towels. Pat steak dry with paper towels, then sprinkle over peppercorns and season with salt.

Cook steak:

Heat a large non-stick pan over medium-high heat. When hot, add ½ TBS oil, then steak. Pan-fry, until golden, 2- to 3-min per side. Remove pan from heat, then transfer steak to another baking sheet. Roast in the middle of the oven, until cooked to desired done-ness, 5- to 9-min.

Cook shrimp:

Heat the same pan over medium heat. When hot, add 1 TBS oil, then shrimp and half the parsley. Cook, stirring occasionally, until shrimp just turns pink, 3- to 4-min. Season with salt. Transfer shrimp to a plate. Cover with foil to keep warm and set aside.

Make tarragon sauce:

Add 1 TBS butter and swirl the pan to melt. Add broth concentrate, mustard, half the tarragon, ¼ cup cream and ¼ cup water. Stir together, scraping up any browned bits on bottom of pan, until thickened slightly, 1- to 2-min.

Finish and serve:

When potatoes are done, drain. Return to the pot, off heat and mash in ¼ cup cream until smooth. Stir in remaining parsley and season with salt.

Slice steak.

Stir any steak juice from the baking sheet into the sauce.

Divide steak, shrimp, mashed potato, and broccoli between plates.

Spoon sauce over steak. Sprinkle remaining tarragon over plate.

Shrimp & Broccoli with Brown Sauce

Shrimp & Broccoli with Brown Sauce

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Yield: 2 Servings

Wok of Life

Shrimp and Broccoli was one of the most often ordered dishes at Wok of Life’s family Chinese restaurant.

  • 12oz shrimp (21-25); peeled, deveined, and butterflied)
  • 10oz broccoli florets
  • ½cup low sodium chicken stock (warmed)
  • ¼tsp granulated sugar (or brown sugar)
  • 2tsp soy sauce
  • ½tsp dark soy sauce
  • 1TBS oyster sauce
  • ½tsp sesame oil
  • ⅛tsp white pepper
  • 2TBS canola oil
  • 2cloves garlic (chopped)
  • 1TBS Shaoxing wine
  • 1½TBS cornstarch (mixed with 2 TBS water)


Prep:

First, prepare the shrimp and broccoli. Next, in a medium pot, set 4 cups of water to a boil.

Premix sauce:

While that’s happening, mix the chicken stock, sugar, soy sauces, oyster sauce, sesame oil and white pepper and set aside.

Slurry:

Make a slurry by mixing 1½ TBS cornstarch with 2 TBS water in a small dish. Set aside.

Blanch:

Blanch the broccoli for 30 seconds. Remove and drain.

Let the water return to a boil and blanch the shrimp for 15 seconds. Remove and drain.

The shrimp will be about 60-70% cooked.

Stir-fry:

Heat the wok over high heat. Pour 2 TBS of cooking oil around the perimeter of the wok, stir in the garlic, and add the Shaoxing wine. Next, add the chicken stock mixture. Bring the sauce up to a boil and add the shrimp and broccoli back to the wok.

Once everything comes to a boil, drizzle in the cornstarch slurry until the sauce thickens and starts to cling to the shrimp and broccoli. There should not be any standing sauce, although you can adjust this depending on your personal preference.

Serve with steamed white rice!

Shrimp Tempura Bowls

Shrimp Tempura Bowls

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with Sesame-Roasted Broccoli & Quick Pickles

Yield: 2 Servings

Crispy tempura shrimp drizzled with Sriracha-spiced sauce, sesame-flecked broccoli, and quick-pickled cucumbers on topof steamy rice.
Prep: 10 min, Cook: 45 min

  • 1mini cucumber
  • 2TBS mayonnaise
  • 1tsp garlic powder
  • 1TBS sesame seeds
  • 5tsp white wine vinegar
  • 2scallions
  • 1oz apricot jam
  • 1tsp sriracha
  • ½cup white rice
  • 8oz broccoli florets
  • 10oz shrimp
  • 6oz tempura batter mix
  • salt & pepper
  • ½tsp sugar
  • 1tsp cooking oil plus more for frying
  • 2TBS butter

Pickle cucumber & prep:

Adjust rack to top position and preheat oven to 425°F. Wash and dry produce.

Trim, peel, and halve cucumber lengthwise, thinly slice cucumber crosswise into half-moons. In a small bowl, combine sliced cucumber, vinegar, ½ tsp sugar, and a pinch of salt. Set it aside.

Trim and thinly slice scallions, separating whites from greens.

Make sauce & cook rice:

In a second small bowl, combine mayonnaise, jam, Sriracha, half the garlic powder, 1 tsp water, and a pinch of salt.

Melt 1 TBS butter in a small pot over medium-high heat. Add scallion whites, cook, stirring, until softened, 1 minute.

Add rice, ¾ cup water, and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce to a low simmer. Cook until rice is tender, 15-18 minutes.

Keep covered off heat until ready to serve.

Roast broccoli:

While rice cooks, cut broccoli florets into 1-inch pieces if necessary. Toss on a baking sheet with a drizzle of oil, half the sesame seeds (save the rest for serving), salt, and pepper.

Roast on top rack until golden-brown and crispy, 15-20 minutes.

Carefully toss with half the scallion greens.

Mix batter & coat shrimp:

Meanwhile, rinse shrimp under cold water, pat very dry with paper towels. Season with salt.

In a large bowl, combine tempura mix, remaining garlic powder, 1⁄3 cup cold water, and ½ tsp salt.

Tip: If needed, add more water 1 TBS at a time until it reaches a pancake batter-like consistency.

Stir shrimp into batter until fully coated.

Cook shrimp:

Heat a ¼-inch layer of oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pan over medium high heat.

Once oil is hot enough that a drop of batter sizzles when added to the pan, working in batches, add coated shrimp in a single layer. Cook until golden-brown and cooked through, 2- to 3-minutes on the first side and 1- to 2-minutes on the second side.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate. Immediately season with salt and pepper.

Finish & serve:

Fluff rice with a fork, stir in 1 TBS butter and season with salt and pepper.

Divide rice between bowls. Top with shrimp, quick pickles (draining first), and broccoli. Drizzle shrimp with sauce, sprinkle with remaining scallion greens and remaining sesame seeds. Serve.

Pasta with Chicken & …

Pasta with Chicken & …

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Sun-Dried Tomatoes, Broccoli & Cream Sauce

Yield: 4 Servings

Scott Nowell

Circa 1994: Another church potluck meal. It makes a nice, simple family meal. Either the broccoli or the sun-dried tomato can be eliminated or increased as desired. (hint: double the tomatoes)

Use your imagination on the type of pasta and protein, shrimp, pork, beef. Just about anything will work.

Chicken:

  • 1TBS oil
  • 1lb boneless chicken breasts
  • salt & pepper
  • 1tsp Italian seasoning

Pasta:

  • 8oz Rotini, Penne, etc.

Vegetables:

  • 8oz broccoli, small florets
  • ½cup sun-dried tomatoes oil reserved, sliced
  • 2TBS oil from sun-dried tomatoes
  • 2TBS pine nuts, toasted (Optional)

Cream sauce:

  • 1cup heavy cream
  • 1tsp dried basil
  • salt & pepper

For serving:

  • ¼cup Parmesan cheese shredded
  • ½oz Italian flat leaf parsley, chopped fine

Broccoli and pasta:

Bring one gallon of water to boil in a large pot. Add 1 TBS salt and broccoli. Cook for until starting to soften (about 2 minutes), remove to a bowl of ice water with a spider.

Return water to a boil and add pasta. Cook until just al dente, a minute or two less than manufacturer’s directions. Reserve a cup of the starchy water, then drain and set pasta aside.

Chicken breasts:

While the pasta is cooking, season chicken with salt and pepper and a good sprinkle of Italian seasoning.

Heat oil until hot in large sauté pan. Add chicken breasts and brown on both sides for 2-3 minutes until nicely browned. Remove chicken from pan and set aside. Wipe out and set pan aside, it will be used later. Slice each chicken breast on an angle in 3 – 6 slices. Chicken will finish cooking later.

Assembly:

Return pasta pot to heat, add cream, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer 2 to 3 minutes until reduced and thickened slightly.

Add tomatoes and basil, stir. Return sliced chicken breasts to pan and simmer until cooked through 2 to 3 minutes.

Return pasta to pot. Add toasted pine nuts, is using. Mix. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Transfer to a serving dish and top with Parmesan cheese and parsley.

Balsamic Rosemary Pork Chops

Balsamic Rosemary Pork Chops

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with Pesto Garlic Toast & Broccoli

Yield: 2

Sauteed pork chops with a saucy coating that includes fresh rosemary, tangy balsamic vinegar, and creamy garlic herb butter. Complemented with a side of pesto-garlic-herb toast and roasted broccoli.

Needs a replacement for the pesto garlic toast.

Prep: 5 Cook: 20

  • 8oz broccoli florets
  • 10oz pork chops
  • 2TBS garlic herb butter
  • ¼oz rosemary
  • 1demi-baguette
  • 1oz chicken stock concentrate
  • 5tsp balsamic vinegar
  • 4TBS pesto
  • salt & pepper
  • 2tsp sugar
  • 1TBS cooking oil

Roast broccoli:

Adjust rack to top position and preheat oven to 425°F. Wash and dry produce.

Cut broccoli into bite-size pieces if necessary. Toss on a baking sheet with a drizzle of oil, salt, and pepper.

Roast on top rack until browned and tender, 15-20 minutes.

Prep & cook pork:

Meanwhile, strip rosemary leaves from stems, finely chop leaves until you have 1 tsp.

Pat pork dry with paper towels and season all over with salt and pepper.

Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add pork, cook until browned and cooked through, 4- to 6-minutes per side.

Turn off heat, transfer pork to a cutting board. Wipe out pan.

Make pan sauce:

Heat a drizzle of oil in same pan over medium-high heat. Add chopped rosemary, cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 seconds.

Stir in stock concentrate, vinegar, ¼ cup water, and 2 tsp sugar. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly reduced, 3- to 4-minutes. Season generously with pepper.

Turn off heat. Stir in half the garlic herb butter until melted (you’ll use the rest in the next step).

Finish & serve:

Mix pesto with remaining garlic herb butter.

Halve baguette lengthwise and toast, spread cut sides with pesto garlic herb butter. Season with salt and pepper. Halve diagonally.

Thinly slice pork crosswise.

Divide pork, pesto garlic toast, and broccoli between plates. Top pork with balsamic rosemary pan sauce and serve.

Steakhouse-Style Pork Chops

Steakhouse-Style Pork Chops

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with a Creamy Pan Sauce, Roasted Potatoes & Lemony Broccoli

Yield: 2

Tender pork chops are coated in a bold and savory steak spice, seared, then drizzled with a creamy pan sauce. For sides, roasted potatoes and lemony broccoli
Prep: 10 Cook: 35

  • 12oz potatoes
  • 1½TBS sour cream
  • 1oz beef stock concentrate
  • 1yellow onion
  • 1lemon
  • 25-oz pork chops
  • 1TBS bold & savory steak spice (see below)
  • 8oz broccoli florets
  • 2tsp cooking oil
  • 2tsp butter

Prep:

Adjust rack to top position and preheat oven to 425°F. Wash and dry produce.

Dice potatoes into ½-inch pieces. Cut broccoli florets into bite-size pieces if necessary. Halve, peel, and mince half the onion and slice the other half. Zest and quarter lemon.

Roast potatoes:

Toss potatoes on one side of a baking sheet with a drizzle of oil, salt, and pepper

Roast on top rack for 5 minutes (you’ll add the broccoli then).

Roast broccoli:

Once potatoes have roasted 5 minutes, remove sheet from oven.

Carefully toss onion slices into center of pan with a drizzle of oil, salt, and pepper.

Carefully toss broccoli on empty side with a drizzle of oil, salt, and pepper.

Return to top rack until potatoes are golden-brown and broccoli is tender, 15-20 minutes more.

Cook pork:

While veggies roast, pat pork dry with paper towels, tenderize both sides of pork with a jaccard, season all over with salt, then coat with as much Steak Spice as will stick.

Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add pork and cook until browned and cooked through, 4-6 minutes per side.

Tip: If crust begins to brown too quickly, reduce heat to medium.

Turn off heat, transfer pork to a cutting board. Wipe out pan. Transfer to a cutting board to rest.

Make sauce:

Heat a drizzle of olive oil in same pan over medium heat. Add minced onion, cook, stirring, until softened and lightly browned, 3-4 minutes.

Stir in stock concentrate and ¼ cup water. Bring to a simmer and cook until slightly reduced, 2-3 minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in sour cream until combined. Season generously with pepper.

Finish & serve:

Toss broccoli with lemon zest.

Thinly slice pork crosswise.

Divide pork, potatoes, onion slices and broccoli between plates. Spoon pan sauce over pork. Serve with lemon wedges on the side.

Bold and Savory Steak Spice Blend

  • 1part red chili flake ¼ tsp
  • 1part crushed coriander seed ¼ tsp
  • 2parts crushed dill seed ½ tsp
  • 3parts crushed mustard seed ¾ tsp
  • 4parts dried minced garlic 1 tsp
  • 4parts crushed black pepper 1 tsp
Sweet ’N’ Spicy Apricot Chicken

Sweet ’N’ Spicy Apricot Chicken

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with Broccoli & Garlic Rice

Yield: 2

Chicken cutlets drizzled with a tangy sauce of apricot jam, ponzu sauce, Sriracha, and butter. Aromatic garlic rice, plus tender roasted broccoli for the sides.

Saved the Sriracha until plating. Added it just to my sauce. If spicy isn’t important you can leave it out. The sauce is good without it.
Prep: 5 Cook: 25

  • 1clove garlic
  • 10oz chicken cutlets
  • 1tsp Sriracha
  • 8oz broccoli
  • ½cup jasmine rice
  • 1oz apricot jam
  • 2½tsp ponzu sauce
  • salt & pepper
  • 1TBS cooking oil
  • 2TBS butter

Prep:

Adjust rack to top position and preheat oven to 425°F. Wash and dry produce.

Peel and mince or grate garlic. Cut broccoli into bite-size pieces if necessary.

Cook rice:

Heat a drizzle of oil in a small pot over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds. Stir in rice, ¾ cup water, and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low. Cook, covered, until rice is tender, 15-18 minutes.

Keep covered off heat until ready to serve.

Roast broccoli:

Meanwhile, toss broccoli on a baking sheet with a drizzle of oil, salt, and pepper.

Roast on top rack until browned and tender, 15-20 minutes.

Cook chicken:

While broccoli roasts, pat chicken dry with paper towels. Season all over with salt and pepper.

Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken, cook until browned and cooked through, 3- to 5-minutes per side.

Tip: If chicken cutlets are on the thicker side, reduce heat to medium and cover, cook 5- to 7-minutes on second side.

Transfer chicken to a cutting board to rest.

Make sauce:

Add jam, ponzu, Sriracha (or save for plating), and ¼ cup water to same pan over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring, until thickened, 1- to 3-minutes.

Tip: If sauce seems too thick, stir in more water 1 tsp at a time.

Turn off heat and stir in 1 TBS butter. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Finish & serve:

Fluff rice with a fork, stir in 1 TBS butter. Season with salt and pepper.

Slice chicken crosswise on a diagonal.

Divide chicken, broccoli, and rice between plates. Spoon sauce over chicken and serve.