BEST SOUP I EVER MADE

Yesterday we had our company Halloween party/Luncheon and I made a double batch of Broccoli Cheese soup. I have never received so many compliments on something I made as I did on that soup. People were going back for seconds and thirds! It really did come out amazing. And I created it all myself!!

Here is the original recipe:

1/2 cup butter

1 onion, chopped

2 (16 oz bags) frozen chopped broccoli

4 (14.5 oz each) cans chicken broth

1 pound Velveeta processed cheese cut in cubes

2 cups milk

1 Tablespoon garlic powder

2/3 cups cornstarch

1 cup water.

In a stockpot, melt butter over medium heat. Cook onion in butter till soft. Stir in broccoli and cover with chicken broth. Simmer till broccoli is tender, about 10-15 minutes. Reduce heat, stir in cheese cubes until melted. Mix in milk and garlic powder. In small bowl stir cornstarch with water until dissolved. Stir into soup. Cook stirring frequently until thick.

Then.... this is MY VERSION with all my tweaks:

1/2 cup unsalted butter

2 large sweet onions, chopped

1 cup white wine (I used Rodney Strong brand of Sauvignon Blanc which is a PERFECT cooking wine. The alcohol cooks out, don't worry)

2 large carrots, peeled and grated

1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder

1 tea thyme

3 (12 oz bags) of Fresh broccoli florets (in the produce section)

2 (32 oz ea) boxes of chicken broth

3 TB flour

3 TB butter

2 cups whole milk

1 pound Velveeta Cheese, cubed

2 cups of cheddar-jack shredded cheese

Melt the butter in a large stock pot. Saute the onions and carrot for about 5 minutes over medium heat. Add the wine and saute a few more minutes till the onions are soft. Add broccoli florets, garlic powder, and thyme. Cover with chicken broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer 20 minutes. Set aside

In another large pot, melt the 3 TB butter over medium heat. Add flour and stir until flour is lightly golden (about 2 minutes). Gradually whisk in the 2 cups of milk. Stir till smooth (there may be some lumps). Add the cheese and stir til cheese is melted.

Puree the broccoli mixture in a blender, just pulsing till smooth. If you want some chunks in it then don't puree the whole thing. Add to the cheese mixture. Heat over low heat until ready to serve. Tastes even better the second day. 12 servings.

ding dong, ding dong....

I'm thinking I hear wedding bells in the not so distant future.

It's going to be weird to think of my son Michael as being MARRIED.

Fortunately I like Bryttan very much.

Happy!

I am feeling so content. I am just HAPPY. I have not felt this way for a long time. It's so nice. Nice to have my best friend back in my life.

Nice to have a wonderful family. Smart, responsible, sweet children.

Nice to have a comfortable place to live (even if I don't own it... just rent it) and a good quality car to drive.

Nice to have many blessings in my life.

I'm content. I'm happy. I'm feeling at peace.

It's a GREAT feeling.

Welcome little one!

Newest member of my side of the family.... 6 pound 10 oz. baby girl Afton Elise Victoria Ralston.

Dang.... she's a cutie.

18 inches long.

sweet.

Feel good ditties.

I like to do things for people. I have a generous nature. Too generous some would say. But I always think of the scripture about if a man asks you for your coat, give him your cloak too, or if he asks you to go a mile with him, go two miles with him.

I also believe in Karma. Send out good and it will come back to you.

Back when Hurricane Katrina hit a few years ago, I somehow found a gal on the internet named Christine. I honestly do NOT know WHERE I found her, but I read her story of how she and her son (she was a single mom with a 4 year old boy) lost everything in the hurricane and they had to swim for their lives, and there were bodies floating in the water, and the devastation was awful.... and she lost family members, etc.... I wanted to help her. My son David and I sent her money, Walmart gift cards, clothing, personal items, and the one thing her son lost that was so hard for him was his little gameboy. So David donated his very own gameboy and all his games to this little boy that he didn't even know. It was a big sacrifice for David but he did it willingly and to this day he still remembers how good he felt about it. As a result, she and I have kept in touch via email, and sent each other Christmas cards, and hope to meet in person one of these days.

I made sandwiches for the men's homeless shelter once. It was a relief society activity but it was one of the funnest ones I have ever attended.

I've raised close to $5000 over the past 2 years for the Breast Cancer walk. And participated in the walk. I wrote the book about my sister-in-law's cancer experience and published at my own expense. I have not made a dime off it. In fact.... I spent almost $4000 on it and have received not even half of it back..... but I know that book touches people's hearts and that is all that counts.

I have had friends who were down on their luck and needed money and if I have it.... I give it. I don't do it conditionally. I do it UNconditionally. My philosophy is that the Lord put us here to help others. He gave me means to do it. I am not going to see someone suffer if I have the means to help. Whether it's food, money, time... I don't care. And if giving to them means I have to make sacrifices..... well, isn't that what it's all about???

I have donated furniture and LOTS of clothing to an Indian reservation in New Mexico.

I have been known to take food to people and leave it on their doorsteps when I know they need it.

I have limited means.... and in this day and age, people may think I am not wise to give of my substance so freely, but I feel an obligation to do it. I just HAVE to do it, otherwise I feel so selfish.

I think everyone deserves the chance to be loved and cared for, and given the opportunity to better their lives and their own situations. And if I can be a part of that...... I am happy to do it.

I bake a lot of goodies and sell them at work.... but I don't make a profit on it. I do it because I like to do it.

Am I weird???

I'm not trying to toot my own horn..... or ask for praise, or credit or anything. I do this stuff anonymously most of the time. And I am just writing about it here, because I love the concept of Pay It Forward and hope that people reading this will start doing good things for others....

Or at least that my family will understand me a little more.

Sooo stinkin' cute!

David has his choir concert last night. He couldn't sing because he has not recovered his voice from having the flu, but he looked really good in his tux and he mouthed the words. What a trooper.

Angela is out of town so Mark brought Melly Belly to the concert. I think when they sat down, Melanie thought I was her momma because she got all excited and smiley and started grabbing for me and then sort of did a double take with a look like "Ok... you are not who I thought you were, but hey, want to hold me anyway?"

It was so cute. She is such a smiley girl. After the show David paraded her around out in the foyer (he is such a proud big brother). We ran into Patty and Todd from the neighborhood and Patty points to Melanie and mouths at me "Who's baby is that?" I said "She's Marks." and Patty looked like she was going to fall over her jaw. I don't think she is so surprised really that he has a kid, but more that I was over with him, holding her, and talking to him..... shrug. What is the big deal? I'm thrilled. I like Angela a lot, and Melanie is like my....... niece????

It took a lot of work for Mark and I to keep our relationship civil so we can have this kind of family. We did it for the kids and we put our own feelings aside and to me it is a success. When we were at the hospital when Brian had his pneumonia.... we were his PARENTS and we were concerned for our son and we hugged each other in the hallway..... and it wasn't weird at all. We sat in the ER with Angela on one side of me and Mark on the other.... and Angela was giving me hugs.... and it was not weird.....

At Karin and Brett's wedding (the ring ceremony)... David escorted me and Angela out in the procession at the same time... and it was not weird.

Angela brought Melanie to my house so I could see her when she was 3 days old.... and it was such a sweet moment. Not weird at all.

I guess I'm lucky that I am very open, and that I can have this kind of relationship with my family. I have changed a lot inside over the past 6 years. I am able to love people unconditionally and I don't judge anybody anymore. There is no more black and white with me. I see the good in people and accept their faults and try to help people improve.

I think I found my calling in life.

My FAVORITE time of the Year....

Growing up in Vermont means that

my favorite time of year is Autumn.

For people who have never experienced autumn in New

England... you are really missing out.

Mom and Dad would pick a Saturday and we would

hop in the car and drive all over the mountains looking

at the leaves. We'd stop at little shops and farms

scattered around and have apple cider (FRESH) and

pumpkin pie.

We would look in antique shops and

pick up things for Thanksgiving or Halloween.

It was always a really fun day.

I can remember walking outside in the brisk air,

and listening to the leaves CRUNCH under my feet.

Usually there was a fire burning in either a pit or in somebody's fireplace/woodstove so the smell of burning wood was in the air.

My cheeks would get red and cold from the chill in the air.

I remember how good it just SMELLED in the air. The smell of leaves, and smoke, and the fading of summer....... gosh it just takes me back to think of it. I almost smell it as I sit here and write.

We'd find slices of apple pie for sale, or grab a fritter with the cider.

Sometimes we'd be up in the mountain (or hills) and there would be a stream coming out of a rock and we'd stop and drink from it. (Boy am I surprised we never got giardia or anything). It would be ICE cold water, the purest tasting imaginable. Untainted by chemicals or filtration.

We'd often see deer in the meadows, and see flocks of ducks and geese heading south.

I remember we'd be gone the whole day, driving all around Vermont, looking at the beauty of the leaves. Pictures just do not do it justice. You really have to see it in person. I hope someday I can take all of my kids to VT during the fall so they can see it first hand.

I walk for Life.

This Saturday is the breast cancer walk. I'm excited to do it again this year. Raising money has been like pulling TEETH. Our company president asked me today how much money I still needed to raise and I told him we were $900 short of our goal. He started asking me if specific people (managers) had donated... and I had to be honest and tell him that the majority of them had NOT. So he was going to put some pressure on em. LOL.

My poor David has been sick with stomach flu this weekend. I feel so bad for him. I also hope I don't get it. I need to do this walk on Saturday and I don't want to be ill.

Had fun with Francisco over at Marissa's on Friday. We watched a marathon of "America's Funniest Home Videos" and had popcorn and played with the kiddies and the kitties.

Got home around midnight. Marissa thinks he is good for me. Guess time will tell.