Crazy Weather

We sat outside on our deck all day on Saturday as the temperature hovered around 65 degrees. I rocked back and forth with my bare feet on the warm wood planks, drinking coffee and closing my eyes as the sun warmed the back of my eyelids.

Around 9 pm last night, I opened our front door to this:

Today I'm at work on a beautifully sunny day, with the high almost reaching 50 degrees.

You crazy ass North Carolina weather.

Baked Potato and Broccoli Soup (Light)

With temperatures dropping to a mere 20 degrees this week, I was moved to make a toasty soup for dinner last night. And with the recent holidays, both Ryan and I have had the urge to eat a little healthier this week. Here's an easy and light version of a baked potato and broccoli soup. Top it off with a sprinkle of cheddar cheese, a little turkey bacon, and some green onions. Yummy and guilt-free! I've included the recipe and nutritional information below. Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 (14 1/4-ounce) cans low-sodium fat-free chicken broth, divided
• 3 cups peeled, cubed potato (about 1 1/4 pounds)
• 2 cups broccoli florets, chopped
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 1/4 cups 2% reduced-fat milk
• 1 (8-ounce) block 2% reduced-fat sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded
• shredded 2% reduced-fat sharp Cheddar cheese (for garnish)
• fully cooked turkey bacon pieces (for garnish)
• chopped green onions (for garnish)

 Instructions

1. Whisk together flour and 1/3 cup chicken broth until smooth.
2. Combine remaining chicken broth, potato, broccoli, and onion in a Dutch oven. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 8 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Gradually stir in flour mixture. Cook, stirring often, 5 minutes.
3. Stir in milk and 8 ounces shredded cheese. Cook mixture over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until cheese melts and soup is warm. Top each serving of soup with 1 teaspoon cheese, 1 teaspoon bacon pieces, and 1 teaspoon chopped green onions.
   
   Note: Use freshly shredded cheese (versus the preshredded variety) for additional creaminess and even melting. I also added some salt and pepper for additional flavor.

Yield: Makes 7 servings (serving size: 1 cup)

Calories: 223 (per serving)
Fat: 7.9 g (per serving)

Mmm...Warmth

Somebody enjoyed mommy's heating pad the other night.
(Fifteen minutes of nonstop purring.)