Panera Bread Broccoli Cheese Soup

Seems like Mother Nature doesn't know if she is coming or going! We've had evenings dip in the low 40's, and has been chilly and windy the last few days..so it was the perfect time for some warm, filling soup!

One of my favorites is broccoli cheese soup and the one recipe that in my opinion is above all other is Panera Bread Broccoli Cheese Soup
Topped with a buffalo spicy croutons, homemade by a friend of mine!



So thick and creamy, absolutely heaven!



Best of all, it makes enough so you can have more than one meal!

Yearning for warm weather - here are a few of my beauties in the garden...









Wishing for warmer weather.....

Foodie Friday - Trip down Memory Lane

For Foodie Friday, hosted by Gollum, I went down Memory Lane. Years ago there was a small family-run café in our town where everyone went if they wanted an old-fashioned home cook meal. One of the favorite dishes was the owners’ broccoli salad. I would like to share the fantastic recipe with all of you…




Winnie Stafford’s Broccoli Salad
Salad ingredients
1 bunch of broccoli - chopped
2 Cups green or red seedless grapes cut in ½
2 Cups diced celery
6 green onions and tops, diced
1 Cup slivered almonds (I used the pkg of SunKist almonds for salads)
¾ Cups chopped walnuts (or nut of choice)
1 Cup halved water chestnuts (I chopped mine a little more)
1 # bacon - crisp and crumbled (Do this the night before and keep in frig)

Dressing Ingredients
1 Cup mayo or miracle whip
¼ Cup sugar
1 tsp cider vinegar
Stir through and let marinate in frig for 1-2 hrs before serving

Mix together all the salad ingredients(I tend to chop all my ingredients small) and cover with dressing ingredients.

As a variation you could add raisins or switch the walnuts for cashews or pecans. Also you could use chopped red onion for green onion.