Well, it appears here in Western Washington that we are in for more rain. I just read that May has been the wettest and coldest it’s been in decades. And I believe it! I still haven’t filled my decorative pots with annuals or replaced some of my perennials that for whatever reason died an unseemly death this past winter. I will especially miss my big beautiful hearty fuchsia that bloomed continuously from early spring to late fall and greeted everyone as they started up the stairs that led to our front door.

Although I know I can buy a new hearty fuchsia plant, it will take years for it to grow to the same size as the one we lost. And it was just a plant. I can’t even imagine what it must feel like to be a parent of one of the hundreds of children who have died from senseless gun violence. I am truly beginning to mourn not only for all the people who have been killed or left behind to grieve, but for the possible death of our great nation.

Who in their right mind would choose the perceived right of an 18-year-old to own an assault rifle over the life of even one person? Why does a private individual, regardless of their age even need an assault rifle? When are we as a nation going to realize that words and sympathies expressed are not enough! What we need is action. We need politicians who aren’t beholding to the NRA and other wealthy, greedy contributors. Only by voting some of our current leaders out of office are we going to see any changes. And not just in gun control, but in the continuation of women’s reproductive rights, the reality of climate change, our hope of sometime soon realizing racial justice, etc. etc.

I don’t want anyone to experience the future it looks like we are heading into. Please do all you can to give our nation a future that we can all be proud of. Vote, think for yourself, and speak your mind. It’s hard to do and can leave you vulnerable to possible derision. But, if you are speaking from your soul and have other people’s best interest at heart, intelligent individuals will understand, regardless of whether they agree or not. And maybe, just maybe, they will think about what you have said.

Now, as far as this recipe goes, well, it’s easy to build, pretty darn healthy, and tastes really, really good. And yes, even if it is the end of May, a nice hot soup is still perfect for lunch or dinner. And thank you gimmesomeoven.com for the bones of this recipe.

As always, peace and love to all.

4 T. butter, divided  

¾ – 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into small bite sized pieces

½ tsp. seasoned salt

freshly ground black pepper

1 sm. onion, diced

2 med. carrots, diced

3 celery stalks (plus leaves), thinly sliced

6 cloves garlic, finely minced (yes 6)

¼ c. unbleached all-purpose flour

5 c. water

1 T. chicken base (I use Better Than Bouillon Chicken) 

1 c. uncooked wild rice, rinsed and drained

1 T. finely chopped fresh rosemary

2 bay leaves

½ c. milk 

1 lg. handful fresh baby spinach, roughly chopped

Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large Dutch oven or stockpot over medium-high heat.  Add the chicken, seasoned salt, and black pepper. Sauté just until the chicken is cooked through. Remove from pan and set aside.

Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and add the onion, carrots, and celery to the pan. Sauté for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add garlic and sauté for 2 more minutes, stirring occasionally.  Stir in the flour and sauté for 1 minute, stirring frequently.

Gradually pour in the water, stirring continuously to prevent clumps. Stir in the chicken base, wild rice, rosemary, and bay leaves. Bring soup to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer gently for 60 minutes or until the wild rice is tender. Stir frequently.   

Just before serving, stir in the cooked chicken, milk, and baby spinach. Bring back just to a boil. Taste and adjust seasoning.

And yes, I know most of you already have a favorite recipe for broccoli cheese soup. In fact, so do I. (Well, now I actually have 3 terrific recipes. Because there are already 2 really great versions of this classic on this site.) But I always enjoy changing things up a bit, hence my latest version. And this one contains a little bit of bacon. And how can you go wrong with bacon? Inconceivable. (Thank you Wallace Shawn.) Anyway, I was wanting to serve soup last evening, and broccoli cheese soup sounded like it would hit the spot. Which incidentally it did perfectly. A few oyster crackers as an accompaniment, and all was well with the world. (Well not really, but our little piece of the world was considerably enhanced by this terrific one dish meal.)

So, if you would like to serve an easy to prepare and soul satisfying soup to your family, I’d say give this recipe a try. There are more veggies in this version than in many, so, of course that’s always a plus. But it’s really the taste that’s foremost. And in the case of this soup, the taste and creamy texture is fabulous.

We just got back from spending a delightful week down in Long Beach, WA, staying at The Breakers where we had previously owned a couple of units when our grandkids were young. Owning the units allowed me to host “camp grandma” every summer for a couple of weeks. Some of my most pleasant memories. It also gave our adult “kids” a place to vacation with their children that didn’t cost them an arm and a leg. So, staying at The Breakers was kind of a nostalgic trip down memory lane. Of course, we routinely visit the area most years when we make our annual spring trailer trip down the Washington, Oregon, and California coasts. So, we are quite familiar with the better dining establishments on the Long Beach peninsula. And one of our favorites is the 42^nd Street Café. We have been going there now for almost 30 years. And it is still serving up high quality food in a cozy environment. We love it. So, although I got a break from cooking dinner, I still made breakfast and light lunches. But it was fun to get away. And the other 3 restaurants we visited – The Depot Restaurant in Seaview (just south of Long Beach), the Shelbourne Inn Pub (also in Seaview), and the Pickled Fish (in the Adrift Hotel) also served us wonderful dinners.    

So, as always, have fun in your kitchen. But take a break once in a while. Let someone else cook for you. It only makes you appreciate your time in the kitchen that much more. Plus, you get great ideas for dishes you would like to serve at home.

Peace and love to all.

2 T. unsalted butter

6 slices thick, meaty bacon, chopped

1 lg. carrot, grated

2 lg. celery stalks including leaves, finely diced

1 sm. yellow onion, finely diced

2 garlic cloves, finely minced

⅓ c. unbleached all-purpose flour

¾ tsp. dry mustard

½ tsp. paprika

1 tsp. seasoned salt

freshly ground black pepper

4 c. chicken broth

1 head broccoli, florets and peeled stems cut into small bite size pieces

½ c. whole milk  

½ c. heavy cream (or more whole milk)

16 oz. grated sharp cheddar cheese

⅓ c. finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano  

Melt the butter in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook until bacon is crisp. Remove to a bowl with a slotted spoon, reserving as much fat in the pot as possible.

Add the carrot, celery, and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the veggies are softened. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minutes. Sprinkle the flour, dry mustard, paprika, seasoned salt, and pepper over the vegetables and stir until no dry bits of flour remain. Let cook for a couple minutes.

Pour in the chicken broth a cup at a time, stirring constantly to prevent lumps. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook, covered, for 10 minutes.

Add the broccoli, milk, and heavy cream. Bring to a gentle boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook, covered, for another 10 minutes, or until the broccoli is soft.

Remove from heat and stir in the shredded cheddar a handful at a time. Stir in the Parmigiano Reggiano. Once the cheese is melted, stir in the reserved bacon, saving a bit to use as a garnish. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Serve hot! Crostini is great on the side. So are oyster crackers!