Creamy Broccoli Cheese Soup

At the end of a snowy day, after watching the blizzard rage outside and snowshoeing in it, there is nothing quite so satisfying as a bowl of delicious soup. During my daily dilemma of what to make for supper I remembered that I had a bag of broccoli in my freezer and hadn't had one of my favorite soups in a long time: Cream of Broccoli. I used to steer away from making cream soups, because in my frugal mind they require a lot of milk and cheese (aka expensive ingredients. Yes I know I'm ridiculous). After working in a kitchen for 3 1/2 years, however, I realized that some cream soups turn out just fine when started with a broth.

With that in mind, I hauled out my dutch oven (best pot I own and I highly recommend adding one to your kitchen) and filled the bottom with frozen broccoli. I then added some diced onion, mined garlic, and shredded carrots for color, and made my own broth combination. After it simmered for 30 minutes or so the broccoli was soft and the some of the broth had evaporated. I then added enough milk to give it a creamy look, and next made some roux.

 Roux is a thickening agent used in many soups, gravies and stews.

It consists of a liquid, either fat or water, mixed with flour to create a paste. I used canola oil for the liquid and added enough flour to make it thick, yet pourable from my measuring cup. I whipped this into my soup and let it thicken a bit before adding some cheese. Once the cheese had melted and was thoroughly combined, it was done. One taste test proved it to be delicious…and cheap! My favorite! 

Ingredients

3 cups frozen broccoli

1 Tbs minced garlic

1/2 cup chopped onions

1/2 cup shredded carrots

2 cubes chicken bullion (can sub vegetarian chicken seasoning)

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp celery salt

2 tsp parsley

1/2 tsp fresh dill

Enough water to more than cover above ingredients

1 to 1 1/2 cups milk

Roux (see above)

1/2 cup cheese of choice (I used taco style)

Next time the winter blues are getting you down, stop and make yourself a bowl of this delicious soup and watch them melt away with each mmmm, yummy sound coming from your mouth :)

My Personal Superfood

We live in a  society that wants everything right now. From Keurig coffee machines that will brew a cup in less than a minute to iPhones that allow the user to make purchases simply by scanning your fingerprint. With all of the things we try to cram into our already busy day, we're always looking for ways to take shortcuts in order to get what we want faster.

The subject of health and diet is no exception. There are more ways to obtain food quickly than we can put a number on. Whether its fast food chains, precooked food you can take home from the grocery store, or simply going out to eat to save the time necessary to cook a meal, Americans have a plethora of choices when it comes to food that fits into our busy lifestyle. The problem with living such a busy life is that it denotes we eat food that fits into our timetable instead of food that promotes our well being. Our health becomes the victim, fallen by the wayside. Because of this problem, countless adds pop up on our electronic devices stating "Try this new diet pill that will shed pounds a day," or "Find out the one food to never eat in order to lose belly fat." Having a degree in Nutrition Science taught me the truth beyond the numerous diet fads out there. You can't solve the root of a problem by only treating the outward manifestations.

Eating a healthy diet is a lifestyle choice. I do it because I want my body to perform at its best, the way God intended it to. I want to be able to participate in the activities I love and feel good doing it. I could go on and on about how important it is to eat a healthy, well balanced diet, but instead I would like to focus on the most important meal of the day: breakfast!

I didn't always eat a well balanced breakfast. It usually consisted of coffee and a bowl of cereal, maybe a piece of toast for a little variety. Basically the main food group I was eating from in the morning was grains. By the time mid morning came around, however, I was starving, leading to snacking, usually from that same food group - grains (crackers, more toast, etc). Even though I was aware there was a problem with the meal starting my day, I ignored it. Combine this problem with hereditary digestive issues, inherited from my mom, it turned into a problem that put me in the ER one beautiful Sabbath morning, in extreme amounts of pain, mentally kicking myself (because I sure as heck couldn't physically do it at that point) for being so careless with my diet. I won't go into details about the exact medical condition I had, but if you really want to know, email me and I'll share it with you.

After that I decided my diet needed a change, and it needed to start with the first meal of the day. I began making fruit shakes. It started on a whim, just to see how it was, and it turned into a staple of not only my morning meal but also Adam's. Adam and I are no exception to the typical busy American couple, so it is difficult for me to make the time to eat at least a cup of fruit, yogurt, and orange juice separately, in addition to my beloved coffee and toast. I found the answer to my time and digestive problems in those fruit shakes. I vary the ingredients depending on what I have available, which in the winter is usually more frozen fruits than fresh, but a few things I add no matter what: bananas, yogurt (greek for extra protein, if I can get my hands on it), blueberries and orange juice.

We were given a bag of fruit that was getting ripe faster than it could be eaten, so this morning's shake turned out especially delicious and pretty.

Ingredients:

2 Fresh Bananas (can use frozen)

1/2 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)

1 apple (I peeled it but you don't have to)

1 peach

1 nectarine

4 strawberries

1 6 oz yogurt (fruit flavored or plain)

3/4 cup fresh baby spinach, 

a dab of our very own raw honey (of course!)

and enough orange juice to cover it all almost to the top

It turned out delicious! That one large glass of fruit shakes gets a lot of fruit, protein, and even a little veggie into my morning meal, and its oh so good. :) I have also added flax seed meal for a little extra fiber, but the shake alone does wonders for my digestive system. I have a friend who has also discovered the benefits of shakes for digestive health, so I encourage you to try it. Its worth the effort and expense I assure you.

Dusty Travelers

We've done an awful lot of traveling in the past couple months. Our 15-18 hour hauls back and forth to South Carolina have grown to more than I can count. Some people just can't believe we drive that trip. "How can you drive that far?" "Are you going to keep driving that trip, or will you start flying?" "Isn't it just awful to be in the car for that long?"

I guess some people just enjoy traveling and road trips more than others. As a kid, I spent many long hours in the back of my parents vehicle during our annual trips to Florida and Virginia Beach. I had my bed all made up, complete with pillows, blankets, gameboy, and a host of other activities to keep me busy. I was rarely bored, and loved every minute of it. As an adult I don't get to enjoy the comfort of that "backseat bed," but I still enjoy life on the road. As much hype as there is over flying, I really can't stand waiting in line for boarding passes, waiting in travel lounges, waiting to get on the plain, waiting for baggage claim, and then waiting again for a rental car. By the time you add in the extra hours you spend leaving your house early to arrive at the airport 2 hours prior to departure, finding a parking spot and walking in, and actual flight time, its not really as short as a 2-3 hour flight. Lucky for me I married a husband who likes road trips as much as I do. And we certainly chose an occupation that requires a lot of it.

Typically on the way south we travel during the day. Its easier to start a week of bee work with a fresh nights rest. On the way home, however, our routine has become traveling at night after finishing bee work. It usually begins with a trip to Waffle House, to fuel up on food and coffee. Let me just say that Waffle House has great coffee!

Its not as easy to find good coffee in the south as it is at home, and Waffle House has it! We then take turns driving, Adam usually goes first while I sleep for a few hours, and then when he gets tired we switch.

Everyone has their own techniques that work for keeping them awake on those lonely, quiet miles on the interstate in the middle of the night. The only thing that really works for me is putting earbuds in, blasting Adele and the few other artists I've downloaded on my phone, and head banging enough to make my hair swish nicely, all while Adam sleeps peacefully in the passenger seat.

(People can say what they want about Apple products not matching up with competition lately,

but they've done a darn good job with their earbuds! Its like surround sound stereo 

in my head!)

Having something to munch on always helps too. After a couple hours my head isn't capable of much more banging, the candy I've been sucking on has left a sour taste in my mouth, and sleep threatens to overtake me despite the music still blaring away in my ears. At that point we switch, somewheres around 2-2:30, and I leave Adam to finish the rest of the predawn hours.

What do you use to keep you awake on the road? What's the longest road trip you've ever taken? What is your favorite snack on the road?

Vermont - Winter Playground

As I look out my window this morning, snow is gently falling, adding to the foot and a half we already had from the last couple of storms. Growing up in Vermont means that I LOVE snow! I love how beautiful it is, and I love how many sports become available to me with its presence. So it really amazes me how many Vermonters hate snow. I'm not just talking about transplants. I expect people who moved here from southern states to view the fluffy white stuff with disdain. There are, however, many native born Vermonters who watch snowfall with disgust instead of pleasure.  I'll admit that having to go out early every morning, brush off the car, and many times shovel the driveway before work, did not always add to my attitude about snow. Now that my mornings are a bit slower, however, I am in awe of watching the snow fall, covering everything in a blanket of pure white. I realize I am quite spoiled now, as we live off a long driveway, hidden from the road, complete with ancient tractor and attached plow. I don't drive in snowstorms unless I have to, and will often bum a ride into town off Adam if he's going. I mean, why not save the gas and spend some extra time with my hubby? :)

The entire time we were in the south this last time I had to hear about the big blizzard of 2015 sweeping up the coast of the Northeast. I listened and watched with jealously as the North got dumped on with snow. To my pleasure, however, our particular part of Vermont didn't receive much during that storm, and got most of its now after we got back. More snow is coming on a daily basis, starting consistently on Sabbath.

Forecast:
               Saturday night - 1-3 inches,
               Sunday - 1- 3 inches,
               Sunday night - 1-3 inches,
               Monday - 1-3 inches,
               Monday night - another inch

So you know what that means??? The snowboard is coming out of storage next week, and we'll be making tracks with our snowshoes this Sabbath! We were given the awesome present of Bromley Sun Passes from my parents this Christmas. We get a free day out of it, plus a discount every time we go after that. If I had a dime for all the times in past years I've gone boarding on sub-par trail conditions simply because it was when I had planned time off….well, lets just say there were a lot of times. Getting to pick the perfect day to snowboard, right after multiple days of continuous snowfall is just another blessing of being self employed. When the weather is good, we can hit the slopes! The little coffee shop Adam and I love in Wilmington, VT is closed 2 days midweek every week merely for their convenience of hitting the slopes while the tourists are far and few between! If you're ever in that neck of the woods, by the way, I highly recommend going there. Its called Folly Foods, right on the main drag in the town of Wilmington. Great coffee, food, and amazing people that run it.

For those of you who enjoy snow as much as I do, I wish you every opportunity to get out and play in it! And for those of you less fond of it, cuddle up next to your wood stove (or a friends if you don't have one), shut the curtains, and turn on a warm-weather movie!

Travel Preparations

As I look out my window the wind is billowing clouds of snow off the roof, sending them in cyclones across the yard. The sun is warm, but the weather forecast predicts another night dipping below zero. This winter has found me far less grumpy about such nights, as the house we now live in is more than adequately insulated to withstand such temperatures. While I do still have to get up in the middle of night to put wood in the fire, the wood stove is much easier to maintain than the wood boiler in the other house, thus my nightly routine consists of 5 minutes instead of 45, a welcome change.

This isn't an ordinary Friday afternoon for us, involving merely preparations for the end of week and Sabbath, but also for our trip to South Carolina on Sunday. We'll be going for 2 weeks this time, instead of 1. We're also traveling heavier than usual, as we are taking the truck, trailer, skid steer, and a good deal more food than usual. As the wife of the beekeeping duo we meet up with in South Carolina is staying in NY for this trip, I will be taking on the responsibility of feeding the crew of us (3 adults and 2 very hungry teenage boys). So for those of you wondering if my food service days have gone to waste, I assure you they have not! We are also taking our canine companion for his first time south. We're very excited to not have to be separated from our cuddle buddy for this longer stay! No more shivery nights, as he will likely be lying right between us with his head on the pillow. ;)

It will be a busy and productive couple of weeks down there as we prepare to send the bees to California to pollinate the vast acres of almond orchards. As hard as it was for me to leave the North the first several trips south in the middle of the holiday season, this one is slightly easier, as the holidays are past, and warmer weather is waiting to greet us in the South. :) We'll enjoy it for all of you up here! Still hoping there is snow upon our return home, however, because we have a lot of snowboarding we want to do in February!

Do your best to stay warm Northern friends! We'll send you some sunny rays from the south while we're away!

Sometimes Extroverts just don't "get" Introverts

In my adult years, I've become well acquainted with the definitions of Extroversion and Introversion. I have taken a number of Facebook quizzes and test, personality tests (both general and very long and specific), that have told me again and again that I fall into the introverted category. I know many people that have the same results I do from these test, that understand the many ways Introverts can be misunderstood. Even still, for those of you who did not find themselves on that side of the test results, this post is for you.

As an introverted kid, being an only child was like a dream I didn't know I'd had come true. I was never bored, which was a quandary to my cousins who came from multi-child families. I loved spending time reading, doing crafts, or just wandering around outside alone, talking to myself and playing made-up games. Having quiet time by myself was something I relished. Now don't get me wrong. I was not a hermit child. I did have friends and cousins, and played with the wildest of them. My best friend growing up was a big time Extrovert, which helped draw me out of my shell and teach me social skills. But as much as I spent time socializing with other kids my own age, I still craved alone-time.

As a teenager I tended to surround myself with friends who, like myself, were less outgoing than our piers. Partying was definitely not an interest of mine. (No I'm not talking about typical partying, since I went to an Adventist school, although there was that too.) Large social gatherings which involved mingling with a lot of people I didn't normally hang out required expending a lot of energy, so I usually only attended such things if it was required by the dorm.

As an adult, I find that it is not always easy to find the alone time I often crave. When its available, I snatch it up, relishing the quiet time to recharge my social batteries. What Extroverts just don't always understand is that if I am quiet, silent, or seemingly unsociable, it is not necessarily because something is "wrong," but that my social reserve battery has been depleted and needs to be charged. Being overtired is a trigger for me. Most of the time, it doesn't seem like work to be social with others. If I'm tired or have spent a lot of time in crowded environments, however, it begins to take more and more energy to put on the "bubbly" persona. If my social reserve continues to deplete without being charged with quiet alone-time, I will likely keep words to a minimum in socializations, doing my best to not seem rude, but not always succeeding.

Having quiet time for morning devotions is also a must for me. Often that time is interrupted, which can throw my mood, and sometimes my whole day off. I continue to strive to make that specific alone-time with God possible, because I know it refocuses my mind and attention back on Him, restoring my good mood and social battery for the day.

In short, if there are times where I have offended those around me by not being my normal "bubbly" self, I'm sorry. I don't do it on purpose. I have nothing against you that makes me not talkative. I may just need time to relax in a restorative environment (usually home), and build up my social reserves.

Keeping In touch….

Is hard to do. I, quite frankly, am terrible at it. I know all of my long distance friends know this to be true! Facebook truly is the only thing I actually keep up on, and even then I only post things on there once in a while.

I decided that with so much in our lives changing, and me having more time at home than I previously have, it is high time that I keep up on this blog on a regular basis.

A lot of you that are a part of my mailing list received our Christmas letter. For those of you who didn't, I thought I'd highlight the big changes in our year briefly.

Adam and I have long been yearning for the opportunity to work together on an occupation that would allow us to work primarily from home and for ourselves. We prayed about it a lot, and it became clear that beekeeping was one of those occupations. Since Adam's family has owned and operated a small beekeeping business for 16 years or so, we already had the basis to begin making that happen. Over the last several years, Adam and his Dad Jim have worked hard expanding the business to a size that would support all of us. This year we were able to see a lot of fruit from that hard work.

All summer long, Adam and I continued at our day jobs while working afternoons and evenings with the bees. By the end of the summer we had gone from 40 or so hives, to almost a full tractor trailer load. Our house had been on the market since the end of January, and we all were anxiously awaiting it being sold so that the rest of our plans could come about. As in so many life-changing things, God taught us a lot of patience and reliance on Him through all that waiting. There were times when we weren't sure if it would all work out, if everything we'd worked so hard for and dreamed about would actually come about. But as with so many other times in our lives, God pulled us through when were were least expecting it. In less than a month, God sold our house to our neighbor's new employee. On October 28th we moved a half mile down the road into the house Adam grew up in, and began work on building Adam's parents a log cabin in the front field of that land.

A week after selling the house, I was able to quit working at BPI, and prepare to take the bees to South Carolina with Adam (he had already quit Dailey's in September). Everything worked out in just the right time. Since then we've made a few trips to South Carolina for the bees, and while we are back in Vermont we work feverishly on Jim and Gail's cabin to get them in as soon as possible! We're hoping to have them in maybe in another month or so.

We are currently getting ready to head to South Carolina again this week to check the bees. We hope and pray that all of you have had a Merry Christmas and will have a Happy New Year in 2015, one that challenges us to seek a deeper relationship with Jesus, who makes this entire life here on earth worth living.