Broccoli Cheddar Panini …plus Win SIGNED Pioneer Woman Holiday Cookbooks!

I have about a handful of “kitchen kindred spirits” and my friend Ree Drummond (aka The Pioneer Woman) is one of them. Virtually every time she shares a recipe on her blog (or Food Network show, or cookbooks!) it’s a dish I not only want to eat (like, right away), but I also want to enjoy it with people I love (ideally, in a picturesque ranch setting).

Suffice it to say Ree’s newest cookbook, The Pioneer Woman Cooks: A Year of Holidays, is full of comforting recipes I’m anxious to share around the table. In her signature step-by-step photo style, Ree celebrates her favorite occasions throughout the year, from Hoppin’ John on New Year’s Day to every dish you need for an incredible down-home Thanksgiving. It’s going to be a popular holiday gift this year, for sure!

THREE lucky Panini Happy readers will WIN SIGNED COPIES of The Pioneer Woman Cooks: A Year of Holidays! Read on for the giveaway, Ree’s recipe for Broccoli-Cheese Soup, and my Broccoli Cheddar Panini recipe (inspired by the soup!). [THE GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED.]

Since this is a panini press blog, I thought I’d put my own panini spin on one of the mouthwatering dishes in this cookbook. Ogling the Broccoli-Cheese Soup in a bread bowl, I began to ponder how those same ingredients might taste as a sandwich. The broccoli, cheddar and sourdough were a given – to give it more of a “soup” feel I added in some sautéed onions. Oh my goodness – yes! You’ll find the recipes for the both the soup and the panini at the end of this post.

**Win an AUTOGRAPHED COPY of The Pioneer Woman Cooks: A Year of Holidays (THREE WINNERS)!! [THE GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED.]

To enter: Leave a comment on this post, sharing your favorite dish to cook (or eat!) for a celebration
OPTIONAL Bonus Entry: Get on the Panini Happy email list to stay up to date on the latest panini press recipes, tips, giveaways and more. Be sure to leave a separate comment to let me know you’ve subscribed. (Existing subscribers, just leave a separate comment to let me know you’re already on the list)

The giveaway will close on Wednesday, November 27, 2013 at 12:00 PM PST. I will use random.org to select three winners and announce the winners in this post. I will contact the winners via e-mail – if I don’t receive a response within 5 days I will draw another name. My apologies to my international readers, the prize can only be shipped to U.S. addresses.

**UPDATE 12/2/13: Congratulations to our winners – #56 Ritika, #88 Karen Sue and #20 MaryBeth!

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Broccoli-Cheese Soup

From The Pioneer Woman Cooks: A Year of Holidays, by Ree Drummond. Reprinted with permission.
Prep time: 15 minutes | Cook time: 40 minutes | Total time: 55 minutes

Yield: 12 servings

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1 large onion, diced
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups whole milk
2 cups half-and-half
Salt and pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
4 broccoli heads, cut into florets
1/2 cup chicken broth
3 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese, more for garnish
Small bread loaves for bowls (you can buy them in nice bakeries)

DIRECTIONS

In a large pot over medium heat, melt the butter, then add the onion, and stir it around to cook, 3 to 4 minutes.
Sprinkle the flour on top of the onion and use a whisk to work in the flour. Once it’s combined, cook the onion-flour mixture for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the milk and half and half, whisking constantly until combined.
Sprinkle in the salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Add the broccoli florets and stir them into the soup. Cover the pot and reduce the heat to low, then simmer the soup until
it’s thickened and the broccoli is tender, 20 to 25 minutes.
Stir in the chicken broth and check the consistency. The soup should be thick, but if it still seems too thick, splash in a little more broth.
Then throw in the cheese! Stir it in until it’s melted, taste and adjust the seasonings . . . and get ready to serve it up.
At an angle, cut off the top third of the bread. Remove the “lid”. Tear out chunks of bread, leaving a ½-inch rim around the crust. (Save the bread in a plastic storage bag for another use.)
Ladle in the thick, yummy soup and top it with more shredded cheese.
Serve it to trick-or-treaters before they head out to collect your . . . I mean their candy.

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