Cheesy Broccoli Noodle Soup

Cheesy Broccoli Noodle Soup

Dorcas Annette Walker

In honor of St. Patrick’s Day I thought I’d give a soup recipe what I refer to as my greenish soup. In former school days if one didn’t wear green on St. Patrick’s Day, whether there was a drop of Irish blood in you or not, some unspoken rule granted your classmates the privilege of pinching you. In other words if you didn’t start the day green you’d end up looking black and blue.

Today going green is quite a popular topic. I hear it constantly on the news and read steps to achieve this coveted rank in magazines. Now I’m not against saving the environment by any means. I’m just slightly befuddled trying to understand how what was once considered poverty status could become so popular overnight. According to all the facts I’ve read I’ve been green all my life.

I raised two children with cloth diapers without a dryer so every week faithfully hung out clothes on the line. Even though I finally obtained a dryer, I still hang my clothes out on the line every chance I get. Not only does it give one a sense of satisfaction to see clean clothes swaying in the breeze, but no fabric softener can compare with the smell of sun-dried clothes. Now I’ve discovered that not only have I been saving electric, getting much needed exercise by hanging up clothes and lugging heavy baskets of wash to the line, but the rougher fabric of air-dried bath towels gives your body a healthy massage.

For years my husband and I got by with one vehicle as we were too poor to afford two. Little did I realize as we juggled our schedules that we were actually car pooling and saving the environment by having only one vehicle expelling exhaust. I do know that trips to town were a family adventure always taken together and today my husband still goes with me to the store every chance he gets. I’ve always felt pity seeing young mothers struggling with small children by themselves in the stores. Hopefully as families go green there will be more togetherness.

As for saving trash, I think my mother topped the list. She not only saved store-bought foil pie pans and foam meat trays that could be used for kids crafts, saved and washed throw-away plastic silverware, plates, and cups using them several times before discarding, but she also cleaned saran wrap and tin foil to use at least twice. If my mother was living today she would be ideal to be in charge of a recycling center to help give additional ideas on how to save.

Meanwhile now when I show off rows of filled canned jars in my pantry I can now inform my guests that every glass jar saves the environment the equivalent of two canned tins.

Not only is my Cheesy Broccoli Noodle Soup a greenish hue perfect for St. Patrick's Day, but it is quite healthy and filling. This smooth and creamy soup has a rich cheese flavor, is packed full of vitamins and calcium, and makes a perfect meal on a cold rainy day. My Cheesy Broccoli Noodle Soup takes about forty-five minutes to prepare and this recipe serves around twenty!

Cheesy Broccoli Noodle Soup

In a large kettle cover with water:
1 (16 oz) bag of frozen broccoli or cut up one large fresh bunch
1 medium onion diced or 2 tb chopped dried onion
1 tb salt

Boil until the broccoli is tender and then add:
1 (12 oz) bag of noodles
4 chicken bouillon cubes
1 (12 oz) can evaporated milk

Cook for fifteen minutes until the noodles are soft. Then cube and add to the soup:
¼ (32 oz) box of processed cheese spread
Simmer until the cheese is completely melted. Serve hot. May garnish with croutons or sprigs of fresh broccoli!

Weekly tip: To keep broccoli and other vegetables fresh and rust-free when storing in the refrigerator wrap them up in paper towels!

Dorcas Annette Walker is a published author, columnist, speaker, freelance magazine writer, and photographer from Jamestown, Tennessee. Contact her at: dorcaswalker@twlakes.net. For more recipes check out her Creative Tennessee Mountain Cookin page and blog at: www.dorcasannettewalker.com