Courtesy of Frank VanderBleek

Courtesy of tasteofhome.com

CHEESY BROCCOLI SOUP IN A BREAD BOWL

INGREDIENTS:

DIRECTIONS: 1. In a 6-qt. stockpot, heat butter over medium heat; sauté onion and garlic until tender, 6-8 minutes. Stir in broccoli, carrot, stock, cream and seasonings; bring to a boil. Simmer, uncovered, until vegetables are tender, about 10-12 minutes. 2. Mix cornstarch and water until smooth; stir into soup. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally; cook and stir until thickened, 1-2 minutes. Remove bay leaves. Stir in cheese until melted. 3. If using bread bowls, cut a slice off the top of each bread loaf; hollow out bottoms, leaving ¼ inch-thick shells (save removed bread for another use). Fill with soup just before serving. 4. Serve soup with toppings as desired.

• ¼ cup butter, cubed • ½ cup chopped onion • 2 garlic cloves, minced • 4 cups broccoli florets • 1 large carrot, chopped • 3 cups chicken stock • 2 cups half-and-half cream • 2 bay leaves • ½ teaspoon salt

• ¼ teaspoon pepper • ¼ cup cornstarch • ¼ cup water or additional chicken stock • 2½ cups shredded cheddar cheese • 6 small round bread loaves Optional toppings: Crumbled cooked bacon, additional shredded cheddar cheese, ground nutmeg and pepper

SURPRISING SNOWFLAKE FACTS

Edith Sitwell (Sept 1887 - Dec 1964) was a British poet who published her first poem in 1913 which started a life long career where she received the Benson Medal of the Royal Society of Literature. — Edith Sitwell Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand and for a talk beside the fire: it is the time for home.

The largest snowflakes ever reported were in Fort Keogh, Montana in 1887 and were reported to be around 15" wide!

Snowflakes are extremely cold, water droplets that freeze onto a pollen or dust particle in the sky forming an ice crystal. As this ice crystal falls to the ground, water vapor freezes onto the crystal building new crystals and thus the snowflake.

A snowflake can take hours to fall from a cloud to the ground as they tend to float down from about 1.6 kilometers to 6.4 kilometers per hour.

TIME FOR AN ANNUAL FIREPLACE INSPECTION

Before the temperatures drop and you start using your fireplace to warm your home, industry experts suggest having it inspected. An inspection will ensure your fireplace is safe to use, is performing efficiently and complies with local codes and standards. An inspector might also suggest tips on how to prolong the life of your fireplace and how to keep it burning clean to keep your emissions and environmental impact low. This annual task should be performed by a professional but that doesn’t mean you can’t keep an eye out for potential issues throughout the season. Look for any signs of damage to the exterior, if dust or debris has collected in or around the fireplace, if the flame isn’t consistently blue or shows irregular flickering patterns and other changes in typical function. These are signs that something could be amiss and should be checked out as soon as possible.