Tis the season for cooler temperatures and changing leaves, but that also means new germs and runny noses. The girls finished their first full week of school last week and Morgan already came home with a runny nose by Wednesday. She bounced back quickly; however, she shared it with big sister, Laney who unfortunately had it turn into more of a head cold. Luckily she had the weekend to recover since it didn’t really start to take her down until Friday evening. So with that said, before I share 2 more of our favorite fall soups, I want to share with you a recipe for a copycat Medicine Ball tea like you can order from Starbucks.
This weekend was spent doing lots of yard work as well as a few projects around the house. We sold our kitchen table and trimmed up several trees which meant lots of cutting of limbs before stacking everything on the road in front of the house.
Copycat Medicine Ball Tea
3/4 c water
3/4 c lemonade
1 bag Teavana Jade Citrus Mint Tea
1 bag Peach Tranquility Tea
2 tsp honey (this is more to taste, so feel free to add more or less for your liking)
1/8 tsp peppermint extract (optional, this helps to decongest but leave it out if you’re not a fan of extra mint flavor)
Combine water and lemonade and heat until hot, either on stovetop or in microwave. Steep tea bags in hot lemonade mixture for 2-3 minutes. Remove tea bags. Pour into a mug, add in honey and peppermint extract. Stir to combine. Enjoy warm.
20 Minute Broccoli Cheese Soup
1 tbsp butter
1 small onion, diced
1 cup diced carrots
3 cups fresh broccoli
2 cups chicken broth
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp garlic powder
salt & pepper to taste
2 tbsp flour
1 1/2 cups light cream (I use evaporated milk)
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese
1/3 cup fresh parmesan cheese
In a large saucepan, cook butter, onion and carrots over medium heat until onion softens (about 3 minutes). Add chicken broth, broccoli and seasonings. Simmer until broccoli is softened (about 8 minutes). Remove 1 cup of veggies, coarsely chop and set aside. Using an immersion blender, blend remaining vegetables and broth. Place flour in a small bowl. Add cream a little at a time, stirring until smooth. Bring blended veggie mixture to a boil and whisk in cream mixture. Continue whisking until thick and bubbly, about 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in cheeses and reserved chopped vegetables. Serve immediately.
Kale Soup
2 lbs of ground Italian sausage
2 yellow onions
3-4 russet potatoes
1 cup of half&half
1 large bunch of kale (we always do fresh, not frozen.. just what we prefer!)
1 cup of small shells (noodles)
3 cartons of chicken broth- the large rectangle ones
2 tablespoons of minced garlic
1 teaspoon of chili flakes
1 teaspoon of onion powder
1 tablespoon of dried basil
1 table spoon of dried oregano
1 teaspoon of garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste (I only use the Himalayan pink salt)
3 large tablespoons of butter
I got this recipe from another blogger, Katy Roach (@livingmybeststyle). We tried this last fall and it is so good! Here is how she says to prepare the soup:
In a large pot, cook meat, diced onions, all spices, garlic, and butter. Cook until meat is almost fully cooked, then add all cartons of chicken broth. Turn stove down to lowest heat possible and let sit for 4-5 hours. This time is pretty much up to you… if doing in a crockpot, let sit until you get home from work, or whatever your situation is. I let mine sit on low from about 10am-4:00pm usually. About an hour before wanting to serve, dice potatoes into 1 inch chunks, dice up kale, and poor both into the pot, along with the cup of half and half, and shells. Cook on low to medium heat until you are ready to serve or potatoes are cooked through. We top ours with fresh parmesan, and eat with dinner rolls!
What types of recipes do you want to see next? Drop a comment below. Have a great week!
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