Crunchy-topped Potatoes  Novelist Carol Steward sent this recipe and though I've seen it before, I forgot how easy it is to prepare and how perfect to slip into the oven with a meat loaf or baked chicken or any other food item.  The oven temperature can be lowered, if necessary, for this item if it's being cooked with a meat at lower temperature.  Just cook it a little longer.   Mix a 2 lb. bag of frozen hash browns (cubed, regular or southern style) 2 cups of sharp cheddar cheese 1 pint of sour cream 1 can cream of potato soup 1/4 cup green onions (optional) 1 stick of butter, melted   Mix ingredients in a bowl and place in a greased casserole. Top with 2 cups crushed corn flakes mixed with 1/4 cup melted butter. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-60 minutes. Pumpkin Muffins  from Novelist Marta Perry This recipe is from my writer friend Marta Perry. It's super-easy, yet a real treat  Great for breakfast, a snack or a dessert for the holidays.  1 yellow cake mix 1  16 oz can pumpkin (smallest size) tsp. cinnamon Optional - add your favorite nuts chopped and sprinkle some on top  or add raisins or dried cranberries. Combine package of dry yellow cake mix with a small can of pumpkin. Add a teaspoon of cinnamon and mix. It will be very stiff. For variety add nuts and then sprinkle some on top, or add raisins or cranberries. Put in the muffin pan and bake at 375 for about 20 minutes.   Chrisciki (Angel Wings)    from Dorothy Bodoin   Author Dorothy Bodoin, a long time coworker and friend, shares recipes in her newsletter. This recipe was her grandmother's, found in a box of recipes owned by a cousin.  She was thrilled to now own the recipe and she shared it with her readers. Now I'm sharing it with you.  These amazing desserts are melt in your mouth delicious.   Ingredients: 12 egg yolks 1 egg 2 tablespoons white sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 ½ cups all-purpose flower 2 pounds lard 1 tablespoon brandy 1 teaspoon salt 1/3 cup confectioners' sugar for dusting In a medium bowl, mix eggs, sugar, salt, vanilla, and brandy.  Stir in 2 cups of flour.  If the dough is sticky, add the rest of the flour.  Knead the dough for 5 minutes.  Divide into three parts.  Melt lard in a deep fryer or deep frying pan.  Hot oil should be at least 1 inch deep. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough very thin.  Cut into strips 3" by 1.5" and make a slot in the center- (slightly off center works best).  Pull one end through the slot.  Fry in hot lard for about 5 to 10 seconds on each side.  Cookies should not be browned.  Drain on paper towels and dust with confectioners' sugar when cool.   Corn Bread w/Apple and Sage     From Jen Cote's New Deli in Pinole, CA I love bread stuffing and I love cornbread so this recipe excited me. The cornbread can be eaten as is or it can be used in stuffing, for turkeys or a stuffed pork roast. The flavors are excellent with roasted meats, but stand well on their own too. Vegetarians can add a bean dish or tofu, for a well-rounded meal. Look for whole grain, organic corn flour from the health food store; use maple syrup and frozen apple juice concentrate in place of refined. Serves 6-8. Ingredients: Half of a medium onion (about 3/4 c.) 1/2 c. celery 1 med. apple 2 TBS. fresh chopped sage (or 2 tsp. dry) 2 eggs 2 TBS. frozen apple juice concentrate 2 TBS. maple syrup 1/4 c. olive oil 3/4 c. buttermilk (or substitute regular milk w/lemon added, or coconut milk) 1/3 c. golden raisins (Optional) 1 1/2 c. corn flour, not degerminated (found at health food stores) 4 tsp. baking powder 1/4 tsp. salt In a 12" skillet, grill the following in a dash of olive oil, until translucent, about 10 min.:                 Half of a medium onion (about 3/4 c.), chopped                 1/2 c. celery, minced To the cooked onion and celery in pan, add:                 1 med. apple, peeled, cored, and diced (about 1 c.) Cook the apple/onion mix just a minute or so. Turn off heat and add:                 2 TBS. fresh chopped sage (or 2 tsp. dry) In a separate bowl, beat:                  2 eggs Also add to the egg bowl:                  2 TBS. frozen apple juice concentrate                 2 TBS. maple syrup                 1/4 c. olive oil                 3/4 c. buttermilk (or substitute regular milk w/lemon added, or coconut milk)                 1/3 c. golden raisins (optional) Mix the dry ingredients separately:                 1 1/2 c. corn flour, not degerminated (find at health food stores)                 4 tsp. baking powder                 1/4 tsp. salt To the egg bowl, also add:                 The grilled mix                 The dry ingredients Mix everything up, stirring just until smooth. Add a splash of olive oil to the iron skillet, and pour the batter into the skillet. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 min. or so, until golden. Serve warm or cooled off. It's good either way! Leek Lentil Soup     from Linda Armstrong Soup is standard fare in late autumn and winter. Homemade soup is always a welcome treat. This soup is great for vegetarians since they can use vegetable broth rather than chicken. If you love meat, add some chicken meat to the soup but it's great without it. Mix up a batch. Freeze some and enjoy it when you're in the mood for a soup lunch or dinner. Ingredients 2T olive oil 3 cups leek chopped 1 cup onion chopped 1 cup potatoes cubed 1 cup yams 1/2 cup parsnips 3/4 cup carrots 1/4 cup fresh parsley 64 oz. chicken broth or vegetable broth reserve one cup broth 1/4 cup sour cream 1/4 cup dry sherry 1tsp. thyme 2 cloves garlic dash cayenne red pepper 1/4 tsp sea salt (optional) Directions 1. Heat oil on medium heat in Dutch oven. Add leek and onion and Saute 4 minutes 2. Add all the broth except your one cup and add potatoes, yams, parsnips,     carrots, and fresh parsley along with herbs & seasons.     Cook for 30 to 45 minutes until vegetables are tender but firm. 3. Whip sour cream and reserved broth together, add slowly stirring     constantly not to curd sour cream. 4. Add dry sherry and bring soup to small boil.     Ready to serve with your favorite bread or rolls. Toffee What's better than rich delicious candy as a thoughtful hostess gift or an unexpected gift for a friend? Jen Cote offers another of her recipes from New Delhi in Pinole, California. My husband gives thank you gifts to his handchime choir members and he makes a very similar toffee to this one. I hope you enjoy Jen's recipe. This holiday candy is adapted from an old Betty Crocker recipe. It's a simple recipe once you've mastered the technique, and comes in handy for gifts, or to have on hand for last minute guests. Makes about 30 or so pieces. Ingredients: 1 1/2 c. chopped nuts (pecans, walnuts, or toasted almonds) 2 sticks (1 c.) butter 1 1/4 c. sugar 1 tsp. vanilla (or almond extract, if using toasted almonds)  dash salt 1 rounded c. chocolate chips (8 oz.) Butter a 9 x 13 " pan, and spread with:                 1 1/2 c. chopped nuts (pecans, walnuts, or toasted almonds) In sauce pan, cook the following until bubbling:                 2 sticks butter (1 c.)                 1 1/4 c. sugar                 1 tsp. vanilla                 dash salt Stir constantly once it's boiling, keeping it at a medium high heat. Set the timer for 7 minutes; that's about how long it takes for it to get to the right temperature. Just when the sides of the pan start darkening, it's ready to pour over the nuts in the pan. Spread to the edges, then cover with:                  1 rounded c. chocolate chips (8 oz.) Let chocolate melt (about 5 min.), then spread over toffee. Let cool until chocolate's set (about 1 hour), then chop/cut into pieces. Sweet and Sour Meatballs Here's a recipe from my friend Terry Fowler, an author with Barbour Publishing. I thought this would make a great meal or a tasty appetizer. You can make your own meatballs following the recipe below or if you don't have time to spare, you can purchase frozen meatballs. Ingredients Meat Balls 1 lb hamburger 1/2 cup dry breadcrumbs 1/4 cup milk 2 tablespoons finely chopped onions 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon worcestershire sauce 1 egg Sweat and Sour Sauce 1/2 cup packed brown sugar 1 tablespoon cornstarch 1 (13 ounce) can pineapple chunks 1/3 cup vinegar 1 tablespoon soy sauce 1 small green pepper, chopped Directions Meat Balls Mix meat ball ingredients well and shape into balls. Cook over medium heat, turning occasionally until brown, about 20 minutes. OR bake in an ungreased oblong pan (13x9x2 inches), in 400 degree Fahrenheit oven until light brown, 20-25 minutes. Drain fat from meat balls. Sweet& Sour Sauce. Mix brown sugar and cornstarch in pan. Stir in pineapple (with syrup), vinegar and soy sauce. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly, reduce heat to simmer. Add meat balls. Cover, simmer, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes. Stir in green peppers. Cover, simmer until green peppers are crispy-tender, about 5 minutes. It's really tasty served over a bed of rice.     Chicken and Sausage Gumbo 1 cup oil1 cup flour 2 large onions, chopped 2 bell peppers, chopped 4 ribs celery, chopped 4 to 6 cloves garlic, minced 4 quarts chicken stock 2 bay leaves 2 teaspoons Creole seasoning, or to taste 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste 1 large chicken, cut into pieces 2 pounds andouille or smoked sausage, cut into 1/2 inch pieces 1 bunch green onions, tops only, chopped 2/3 cup fresh chopped parsley filé powder to taste (also called gumbo filé) Season the chicken with salt, pepper and Creole seasoning and brown quickly. Brown the sausage, pour off fat and reserve meats. In a large, heavy pot, heat the oil and cook the flour in the oil over medium to high heat, stirring constantly, until the roux reaches a dark reddish brown color, almost the color of coffee or milk chocolate for a Cajun style roux. If you want to save time, or prefer a more New Orleans style roux, cook it to a medium, peanut butter color, over lower heat if you're nervous about burning it. Add the vegetables and stir quickly. This cooks the vegetables and also stops the roux from cooking further. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, for about 4 minutes. Add the stock, seasonings, chicken and sausage. Bring to a boil, then cook for about one hour, skimming fat off the top as needed. Add the chopped scallion tops and parsley, and heat for 5 minutes. Serve over rice in large shallow bowls. Accompany with a good beer and lots of hot, crispy French bread. 12 servings. Catherine Terry At Home with Christian Fiction http://www.athomewithchristianfiction.com   Grilled Beef (Tri-tip) w/Marinated Mushrooms Summer is a time for outdoor grilling and picnics.  Nothing tastes better than a grilled steak.  Here is an alternative recipe for a different cut of beef that will be tender and delicious at half the cost of a London broil.  This recipe came from Jen Cote owner of The New Deli, Pinole, CA London broil will do fine, but here's an unknown piece of beef known as the tri-tip roast or steak  is a great find.  This piece of beef is sometimes called a triangle roast and is the 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 pounds of meat that sits at the bottom of the sirloin. Not only does it have a great flavor, but also tends to be lower in fat than most other cuts, so it's a good lean cut. Of course this means that it can dry out faster, but with a good marinade you really can't go wrong with this cut. Marinate a Tri-Tip Roast in a simple marinade in a zip-lock bag. Add to bag:  2-3 lb. Tri-Tip or London Broil ¼ c. red wine vinegar ¼ c. soy sauce 1 TBS. sugar Let marinate for a day or more.  Marinate mushrooms for a day . To another Ziploc bag, add: 10 oz. fresh mushrooms ¼ c. olive oil Toss the mushrooms around in the bag until they've absorbed the oil. Next, add to bag:  ¼ c. soy sauce ¼ c. balsamic vinegar  (Optional: fresh garlic and fresh herbs) Drain the marinade from the beef and the mushrooms into a sauce pan, boiling until it reaches a thicker, sauce-like consistency. Grill the beef until the meat thermometer reads 120 degrees for medium rare.  The beef will be pink on the inside.  Add degrees for meat more well done but this can cause the beef to be less tender.  Serve the meat with the mushrooms, with sauce on the side. Chocolate Angel Food Cake with Strawberries. My author friend, Dorothy Bodoin, http://www.dorothybodoin.com , sent out this recipe in her newsletter.  The recipe was one of her mother's handwritten ones and was made the old fashioned way with sifting flour five times and using a wire whisk for the egg whites.  Today with the new refined flour and hand mixers, you can do this more quickly.  The recipe is fairly low-fat and if you use artificial sugar and low-fat products, it can be an excellent low fat dessert.  Otherwise make it as is and indulge for that special day.  Enjoy this recipe from Dorothy.   Ingredients: 1 ¾ cups sugar 1 teaspoon cream of tartar 1 cup flour ½ teaspoon salt ¼ cup cocoa 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 ½ cups egg whites ¼ teaspoon black walnut extract Sift flour once, then measure 4 level teaspoons cocoa. Sift flour, sugar, cocoa and salt together.  Beat egg whites with mixer until foamy. Add cream of tartar and continue whipping rapidly until egg whites are stiff.  Add extracts and whip in well. Sift in dry ingredients with left hand and fold in carefully with right hand. Do not beat.  Place dough in ungreased tube pan and bake in slow preheated oven 1 hour (325 degrees).  Remove cake from oven and invert pan. Let cool, then cover with  a whipped topping (for me, sugar free cool whip) and add the strawberries Spinach Frittata Serves 4-6, or more as an appetizer.  Recipe from Jenny Cote at The New Deli, Pinole, CA Eggs are always a breakfast or brunch favorite and this recipe is excellent for a Sunrise Breakfast at your church or any afternoon party.  They may be served warm or cold and cut into squares for appetizers.  Be creative and try one of the alternative frittatas below. Prepare cheese by grating:  8 oz Jack cheese, divided in half (half is for the topping) Mix well with 6 eggs Then add to the mixture:  12 oz. Ricotta cheese One 8 oz. bag frozen spinach  1 c. or so grated Jack cheese 6 TBS. flour ¾ tsp. baking powder ½ tsp. black pepper ½ tsp. salt Mix well.  Pour into buttered 13x9" dish, and top with:  3 or 4 tomatoes, sliced Then add 1 c. more of reserved, grated cheese Bake at 375° for 30 min., until golden on top. Broil a few minutes longer, if you want a toastier cheese on top.  Serve warm or room-temperature. Cut into smaller pieces to serve as an appetizer. Variations: Artichoke Frittata: Omit spinach, salt, and 6 TBS. flour from the Spinach recipe.  Instead use:  Three 6.5oz. jars marinated artichoke hearts, not drained  ½ c. flour Green Chile Frittata: Omit spinach, Jack cheese, and 6 TBS. flour from the spinach recipe. Instead use:  Two 7 oz. cans green chiles  8 oz. Cheddar cheese, grated ½ c. flour   Chicken with Black Cherry Sauce, Stuffed with Wild Rice Another recipe from the New Deli in Pinole, CA  This recipe makes a double amount of the Wild Rice Stuffing. It makes a great side dish later in the week, and keeps well, so I like making extra. Use any amount of chicken breasts, according to how many you'll be feeding. This recipe will serve 8, plus extra Wild Rice. Prepare Wild Rice Stuffing ahead of time, even a day earlier. In pot with a lid, bring to boil: 3 1/2 c. water  Add the following to the pot, to precook the wild rice: 1 c. wild rice 3-4 bay leaf 1 carrot, peeled, left whole to cook until tender  Let simmer 1-2 hrs. After pre-cooking, remove carrot, let cool, then dice. Set aside. Add to wild rice in pot, bringing to boil: 3 c. water  Add rice and, then simmer with a lid on for 15 min. more: 2 c. white rice (if using brown, cook 40 min. or so)  Grill in pan until tender: 1 small onion, diced 2 stalks celery, chopped the pre-cooked, diced carrot hearty splash of olive oil  To the pot of cooked rice, add: The grilled celery, onion, carrot 2 1/2  tsp. Vege-sal (found at Health Food Stores) or seasoned salt. 1 1/2 c. toasted walnuts 1/3 c. frozen orange concentrate 1/2 tsp. thyme     In 13 x 9 " dish, use: 8 chicken breasts with skin on Lift skin from the chicken and stuff with: The cooked Wild Rice mixture   Bake at 375° for 50 min. or so, until chicken is golden and cooked through. Meanwhile, make Black Cherry Sauce.   *** If you want less calories for this meal, remove the chicken skin, flatten the breasts and wrap it around the rice stuffing.   Black Cherry Sauce   Drain one 8 oz. can of pitted black cherries, set cherries aside, use juice in sauce. Mix together in sauce pan: Juice of 8 oz. can black cherries plus enough stock or more black cherry juice to make 1 1/2 c. liquid 3 TBS. brown sugar 1 TBS. cornstarch  Turn pan on high, stirring until it comes to a boil. Lower heat, let sauce cook 1 min. more, then add reserved cherries. Serve over the chicken.   Jen Cote shares her recipes from her New Deli restaurant. It's a great casserole for Thanksgiving or anytime of the year.                                    Sweet Potato Casserole Look for sweet potatoes that will bake well. Avoid huge ones (over a pound each) that have rounder shapes, as they don't cook through to the middle as well. Modify the recipe if necessary; for low-fat, you can omit the egg yolks, and use milk instead of cream. For dairy-free, you can substitute soy milk for cream and eggs, and olive oil for the butter. Serves 6 or so.  2 sweet [potatoes (weighing approx. 2-1/2 lbs total) 2 eggs 1/4 C. cream 1 TBSP olive oil 1 tsp. vanilla Bake in oven at 375°, sweet potato one hour or so, until tender Let potatoes cool, then slip skins off. In bowl, mash w/ potato masher or fork, then add to bowl eggs, cream, olive oil and vanilla Put mixture into oiled casserole dish or 8" sq. pan. Top with mixture of the following: 1/2 c. brown sugar  1/4 c. flour 1/2 c. pecans, chopped 2 TBS. soft butter Bake at 375° for 35 min., until topping is golden brown.  Southern  Cheese  Ball   I’ve gotten tons of raves about this cheese ball – and it can be used for a sandwich / cracker spread as well.  In fact, I use it more to create classic appetizers /hors d'oeuvres, etc.  I've never made another since this one was shared with me.  If you like Hidden Valley Ranch flavor, you'll adore this!   2       Tablespoon  Onion  --  Grated 2       Tablespoon  Green Pepper  --  Grated 2       8  oz.  Packages  Cream  Cheese 1       Package Hidden Valley Ranch Mix –          (Smallest Packet)   Mix with electric mixer.  Then, wet your hands, and shape the mixture into a ball. Roll in chopped nuts if desired. Absolutely  Delicious!                                                 From a Reader When author Terry Fowler is looking for a low fat dessert for a festive occasion, she uses this wonderful and yummy recipe. Check out Terry's website: www.terryfowler.net   Banana Pudding Squares  Makes: 24 servings 35 reduced fat  vanilla wafers, finely crushed 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) margarine, melted 1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese  softened (low fat works well) 1/2 cup powdered sugar 1 tub (8 oz.) Cool Whip Free thawed, divided 3 bananas 3 cups cold fat free milk 2 pkg. (4-serving size each) Vanilla Flavor Fat Free Sugar Free Pudding & Pie Filling 1/2 square Semi-Sweet baking chocolate, grated COMBINE wafer crumbs and margarine; press firmly onto bottom of 13x9-inch dish. Refrigerate while preparing filling. MIX cream cheese and sugar until well blended. Stir in 1-1/2 cups of the whipped topping; spread carefully onto crust. Set aside. Cut bananas crosswise in half, then cut each piece lengthwise in half. Arrange over cheese mixture. POUR milk into large bowl. Add dry pudding mixes. Beat with wire whisk 2 min. Spoon over bananas. Spread with remaining whipped topping. Sprinkle with chocolate. Refrigerate at least 3 hours before serving. Store any leftover dessert in refrigerator. From Patti Shenberger:   This recipe is so easy and quick to make. I love it for nights when we have things going on, or even when I get home from work and I'm tired and don't want to make a big meal. You can cook the chicken ahead of time and grab it already cooked from the frig and continue on toward dinner. The Fritos give it an even crunchier taste and kids go bonkers for it.  Chicken Chalupa Grease the bottom of a casserole dish and crush Fritos or nacho chips in bottom. Top with cooked chicken, turkey, beef, etc. Mix together 1 can cream of mushroom soup (or you can use any other creamed soup) and 1 large container of sour cream. Pour over chicken. Cover liberally with grated cheese (any kind works but I like jack and cheddar. Bake in 350 degree oven for 30 minutes, then brown top under broiler until cheese sizzles.    From Renne Uitto Everyone needs appetizers for a party, and this recipe is easy and delicious. Easy, Yummy Meatballs Get a pack of frozen meatballs, either size, depending on what you need.   1 jar (16 oz.) barbeque sauce 1 (10 oz.) grape jelly Add the meatballs, grape jelly, and barbeque sauce to the slow cooker.  Mix well and cook on low for about 2-3 hrs From An Author Friend Jane Perrine at www.janemyersperrine.com   When I was growing up, my parents were very careful about sweets. We didn't have dessert or sugary snack. But when company came for dinner, Mother would fix this. There was always a little left over my brother, sister and I could have--if we got to it before my father. Making this reminds me of my childhood and my family.   Frozen Lemon Pudding  3 eggs 4 tsp lemon juice (real) ½ cup sugar ½ pint whipped cream ½ pound vanilla wafers, rolled ¼ lemon rind  Make a custard of 3 egg yolks and one white + sugar.  Cook over water until blended, add juice and rind. COOL.   Add 2 beaten egg whites and whipped cream.  Line pan (Mom always used ice cube trays without the dividers) with crumbs and pour in custard.  Sprinkle with crumbs. Let freeze several hours. Williamsburg Sweet Potato Casserole from Phyllis Patterson of Virginia You won't use another recipe for sweet potato casserole after you try this one. Great for all seasons!  E n j o y ! 3 Cups Mashed Sweet Potatoes 1 Cup White Granulated Sugar ½ Cup Melted Butter - (pure) 2 Eggs, Beaten - (organic) 1 Teaspoon Vanilla - (pure) 1/3 Cup Sweet Milk Combine and mix all ingredients. Pour in an 8' x 8' preferred style pan -- (Pyrex, Corning, etc.) TOPPING: ½ Cup Packed brown sugar ¼ Cup All purpose flour 2 ½ Tablespoons Butter ½ Cup Chopped pecans Sprinkle over potatoes. Bake @ 350 degrees for 25 minutes. When served on your individual plate, Cool Whip spooned over top is great! Serves 6. Walnut Maple Cookies from Karen Coppes of Vancouver, Washington These cookies are not only delicious but were used at a depression recovery seminar in NYC after 9/11. Omega-3 is a very good nutrient for people suffering with depression, grief, and loss. So this is a good one that. 2 1/2 cups walnuts, ground in food processor 2/3 cup whole wheat pastry flour 1 tsp salt 1/3 cup flaxseed meal 1/3 cup carob chips 1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp. Maple syrup 2 tsp vanilla 1. In a small bowl add all the ingredients in the given order. Mix well. 2. Spray a large cookie sheet and preheat the over to 350. 3. Drop dough on cookie sheet with a spoon and flatten with a fork. 4. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown, checking often to prevent burning. 5. Let cool before removing from the cookie sheet. Makes one dozen. Quick Sugar-free Pineapple Pudding From reader -- Margaret Boos 1 can crushed pineapple 1 1/2 cup milk 2 tablespoons tapioca 2 teaspoons vanilla 1/2 cup berries (to garnish if desired) Mix the crushed pineapple with it's juice, milk, and the tapioca in a pot.  Heat over medium heat, while stirring frequently. Turn heat down when it  begins to simmer and stir for about 10 minutes until thickened. Remove from  heat and stir in vanilla (mixture should be clear) Pour into pudding cups  or small bowl and garnish with berries if desired Enjoy!!! Broccoli Cheddar Soup  Jen Cote Jen Cote, in her new recipe newsletter, came up with the following recipe to keep her customers at The New Deli healthy and happy. You can use a strainer to press the well-cooked celery through if you don't have a processor, or even just use the celery broth, discarding the celery after cooking. Serves 6-8.  Ingredients: 1/2 bunch of celery 2 Tbsp olive oil and 1/4 cup olive oil for the roue 1/4 cup flour 4 to 8 oz, cheddar cheese  1/4 tsp salt 1/4 cup cream (if desired) 1 head of broccoli  In pressure cooker or medium pot, add celery peeled of outer strings and cut into 4 inch chunks and cook in enough water to cover. Cook until quite soft and tender: Reserve broth, processing (or blending) the cooked celery until smooth. To celery in processor, add the 2 Tbsp of olive oil. Strain out strings if necessary and set aside. Meanwhile, in sauce pan, make a roux of the 1/4 of olive oil and flour. Add reserved celery broth to the roux, stirring until smooth. Heat it to boiling, stirring, and cooking 2 minutes more. To that sauce pan, add salt and the cheddar cheese, stirring until melted Then add the processed celery and cream, if desired. You now have a great soup base. When ready to serve, add the finely chopped broccoli. Reheat soup in the sauce pan for ten minutes, or microwave for several minutes, until broccoli is tender.   [ Home ]