Broccoli Cheese Soup

This is one of my favorite soup recipes:

Boil in unsalted water (about 15 min, or until tender)

4 carrots finely chopped or 1/2 bag of shredded carrots (from Maceys)

4 green onions, chopped (all but roots)

4 stalks of broccoli (chopped, heads only)

SAVE THE WATER YOU BOIL THEM IN!!! (Put colander over a bowl to catch water)

Melt in separate saucepan:

1/4 C. butter (I used real, but you can use margarine)

Stir in 1/3 C. flour with a whisk

Using a whisk stir in:

2 1/2 C. half and half (purchase 2 pints or 1 quart---then measure at home)

1 1/2 C. of your vegetable water (saved from above)

5 chicken boullion cubes

Stir sauce until smooth and thick. Add cooked veggies. When serving, you can top with cheese, but it is good without it also. One recipe (as listed above) will fit in a small crockpot (is that 5 qt?) if you double it, it will fit in a large crockpot (8 qt?).

Coconut Chex Mix

I made this for my New Years Eve Party. I got the recipe from my Mom. She had two different neighbors bring it over to her for Christmas Neighbor gifts.

1 medium box golden grahams

1/2 box rice chex

1 large jar of unsalted nuts

1 C. butter (I used real)

1/2 C. sugar

1/2 C. Karo syrup

1 tsp vanilla

Bring butter, sugar, karo to a boil. Boil for 30 sec. Remove from heat, add vanilla. Pour over cereal or popcorn.

That is the "real" recipe.

This is the way my Mom's friends made it and I made it...

Same as above except no golden grahams, just 1 box of rice chex. No salted nuts. After making the sugar mix pour it over cereal, 1 package slivered almonds and 1/2 bag of coconut.

I loved it, I love anything with coconut in it.