SOUPS
SPINACH POTATO SOUP
Ready in 30 minutes or less
Serves: 4-6
3 c. milk
1 can (15 oz.) sliced potatoes, drained
1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen creamed spinach, thawed
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1/2 to 3/4 tsp. garlic salt
Combine all ingredients in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
Cool slightly.
Transfer mixture to a blender; cover and process until small pieces of potato remain. Return to the pan and heat through.
Chilled Cucumber Soup
1/4 cup butter
3 cucumbers, peeled, seeded and sliced
1/4 cup green onions, chopped
1 and 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 cup plain yogurt
Salt and pepper to taste
Sour cream
Fresh dill
Melt butter in a skillet. Add cucumbers and green onions and saute for several minutes. Remove from heat and place in a food processor.
Add chicken broth, yogurt and salt and pepper. Blend until smooth.
Chill for several hours. Serve chilled with fresh dill and sour cream garnish.
The Skinny: Use low fat or fat free chicken broth, yogurt and sour cream.
HARVEST BEAN SOUP
1/2 lb great northern beans
4 oz ham or sausage, cooked
1 potato, unpeeled, chopped
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp sage, crushed
2 cups milk
3 1/2 cups water
2 medium carrots, chopped
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1/2 tsp oregano, crushed
1/4 tsp pepper
Rinse beans. In a Dutch oven combine beans and
enough water to
cover. Bring to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer
for 2 minutes.
Remove from heat. Cover and let stand for 1 hour,
or cover
beans with water and soak overnight.
Drain off the water. Rinse and return the beans
to the Dutch
oven. Stir in the 3 1/2 cups water, the bite-size
pieces of ham
or sausage, chopped carrots, potato, onion, salt,
oregano, sage
and pepper. Bring to boiling. Reduce heat. Cover
and simmer for
2 to 2 1/2 hours or till beans are tender, adding
more water,
if necessary.
Stir the milk into the bean soup.
Cook the soup
until heated through, stirring occasionally.
Season to taste
with salt and pepper.
OLD FASHIONED CHICKEN SOUP
4
pounds Fresh Whole Chicken
2
cups potatoes, diced
3
carrots, sliced
2
celery ribs, chopped
1
onion, chopped
2
garlic cloves, chopped
1
tablespoon ginger root, grated
1
bay leaf
1/2
teaspoon thyme
1
cup chicken broth
14 1/2
ounces stewed tomatoes
1
teaspoon liquid hot pepper sauce (if you want)
3
cups cabbage, shredded (if you want)
Directions:
In a 3 quart casserole dish combine chicken, diced potatoes, sliced
carrots, chopped celery ribs, chopped onion, chopped garlic cloves, grated
ginger root, bay leaf, and thyme. Stir in chicken broth, stewed tomatoes*,
and liquid hot pepper sauce*. Cover and microwave on high for 35 minutes,
stirring once, or until the potatoes are tender.
Remove the chicken and remove the bones and skin; skim the surface and
return the meat to the dish. Add shredded cabbage* and microwave for 5
minutes, or heated through.
OLD FASHIONED METHOD:
Cover chicken with cold water with other ingredients except potatoes and carrots, and cabbage if you use it.
Bring to boil and lower, let simmer until chicken is nearly cooked. Add potatoes, carrots and cabbage. proceed till vegetables are cooked... you can then debone and skin the chicken as above.
N.B. items with * are to be used only if you wish.
BLACK BEAN SOUP:
3 - 15 oz. cans of black beans
2 - 15 oz. cans of chicken broth
1 medium onion, diced
1 stalk of celery, diced
1 lb chicken , cut into
small pieces
3 Tbsp. olive oil
3 Tbsp. chili powder (or to taste)
1 Tbsp. garlic powder (or to taste)
2 tsp. ground cumin (or to taste)
Using medium heat, saute onion and celery in oil until it is
transparent;
add chicken pieces and stir until slightly
browned.
Add black
beans, their liquid, then add broth. Season with
chili powder,
garlic powder and cumin. You may add more of
these spices to
perk up the soup.
Bring the soup to a boil on
high heat, then
turn down to medium heat and simmer for 30
minutes. After
the soup has simmered, check to see if the soup
needs more
seasoning.
Garnish with grated cheddar cheese
You can add a thinly sliced chorizo or 2...
Roasted Turkey Carcass Broth
Carcass from a 12- to 18-pound cooked turkey (use the
roasting pan it was cooked in, if possible)
4 unpeeled onions (2 pounds)
2 carrots (1/2 pound)
3 stalks celery, with a few leaves
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
2 bay leaves
If using roasting pan from turkey, pour drippings into a 1-quart glass measuring cup, and set aside. With hands and sturdy scissors or knife, break and cut carcass into smaller sections. Place the pieces in a single layer in turkey roasting pan or in a clean roasting pan. Roast in a 500 degree oven until well browned, 35 to 40 minutes.
Move the turkey pieces to the 12- to 16-quart pan. Pour pan drippings into the cup with other drippings. Place the roasting pan across 2 burners over high heat. Add 2 cups water and stir to loosen browned bits, about 3 minutes. Pour the liquid and the loosened bits into the pan with the turkey pieces. Skim and discard the fat from the cup of drippings, then add the drippings to the pan.
Quarter onions. Cut carrots and celery into 3-inch lengths. Add the vegetables, peppercorns, and bay leaves to pan with bones. Add enough hot or boiling water to the pan to cover the bones and vegetables by about 2 inches (about 5 to 5 1/2 quarts total). Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer for 8 to 12 hours.
Set a large colander over a 6- to 8-quart pan. With tongs and a ladle, lift most of the bones and seasonings into colander. Let drain, then discard the contents of colander. Set pan with colander in sink. Very carefully (use mitts or potholders), pour broth through colander. Lift colander to drain; discard what's left in the colander. Let the broth cool about 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
Skim fat from broth and discard, or chill until broth is cold, then skim fat. Use the broth immediately, keep refrigerated in an airtight container up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 6 months. Makes 4 to 5 quarts.
EASY TACO SOUP
1 lb ground beef
2 cans corn
1 onion, chopped
2 cans kidney beans
2 cans green beans
1 pkg. taco seasoning
2 cans tomatoes
sour cream
Brown ground beef with onion; drain, if necessary. Add beans, corn, tomatoes (juice, too.) Stir in taco seasoning and heat until simmering. Serve with a dollop of sour cream.
