Broccoli Cheese Soup

So good, and yet so easy. Now you can recreate this one at home just by tossing a few items into a saucepan. Try to find one of the large cartons of chicken stock at your store -- there's a perfect four cups of broth in there. Use Swanson brand if your store carries it. One bunch of broccoli should provide enough florets for this baby. Just cut the broccoli into bite-size pieces using a sharp knife. Use only the florets and ditch the stem.

4 cups chicken broth
1 cup water
1 cup half & half
4 slices Kraft Cheddar Singles
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon dried minced onion
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 cups broccoli florets (bite-size)

Garnish
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 teaspoons minced fresh parsley

1. Combine chicken broth, water, half & half, cheese, flour, onion and pepper in a large saucepan. Whisk to combine and to break up any lumps of flour, then turn heat to medium/high.

2. Bring soup to a boil, then reduce heat to low.

3. Add broccoli to soup and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until broccoli is tender but not soft.

4. For each serving spoon one cup of soup into a bowl and garnish with a tablespoon of shredded cheese and a pinch of parsley.

Makes 6 servings.

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Jack Daniels Grill Glaze

The Jack Daniel's Grill Glaze is one of the most scrumptious sauces you will ever taste on fish or just about any other meat. Introduced in April of 1997, this glaze has become one of Friday's best-selling items. This versatile sweet-and-slightly-spicy sauce can be ordered on salmon, baby back ribs, steak, chicken, pork chops...even on chicken wings (but only if you know to order it that way, since that one isn't on the menu). I think you'll find it tastes virtually identical to the original glaze! You can use it to top your favorite meat, but if you're grilling, be sure to use the sauce just before taking the meat off the flame, since it is very sweet and will quickly burn. Serve extra on the side.

1 head of garlic
1 tablespoon olive oil
2/3 cup water
1 cup pineapple juice
1/4 cup teriyaki sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 1/3 cups dark brown sugar
3 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons minced white onion
1 tablespoon Jack Daniels Whiskey
1 tablespoon crushed pineapple
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1. Cut about 1/2-inch off of top of garlic. Cut the roots so that the garlic will sit flat. Remove the papery skin from the garlic, but leave enough so that the cloves stay together. Put garlic into a small casserole dish or baking pan, drizzle olive oil over it, and cover with a lid or foil. Bake in a preheated 325° oven for 1 hour. Remove garlic and let it cool until you can handle it.

2. Combine water, pineapple juice, teriyaki sauce, soy sauce, and brown sugar in a medium saucepan over medium/high heat. Stir occasionally until mixture boils then reduce heat until mixture is just simmering.

3. Squeeze the sides of the head of garlic until the pasty roasted garlic is squeezed out. Measure 2 teaspoons into the saucepan and whisk to combine. Add remaining ingredients to the pan and stir.

4. Let mixture simmer for 40-50 minutes or until sauce has reduced by about 1/2 and is thick and syrupy. Make sure it doesn't boil over.

Makes 1 cup of glaze.

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