Gazpacho

You, Brit, brought this recipe home from your "house mother" while studying abroad.  It is excellent and  well worth making.  I never thought I'd enjoy a "cold" soup -- but this is great.  Thanks to you.

Ingredients:
4 large really ripe tomatoes (cans or juice will not give the true taste)
1 green bell pepper
3 cloves garlic
1/2 cucumber
1/2 small onion
1/4 cup good olive oil
2 slices of bread without crusts
salt to taste
pinch ground cumin
4-5 tablespoons white vinegar
just enough water to soak the bread

Directions:
Soak bread in water.

Peel the tomatoes -- Note:  bring enough water to cover the tomatoes in a large pan to boiling.  Drop the tomatoes in for about 30 seconds and then remove with a slotted spoon into a colander.  Wait a little to work with the tomatoes -- the skins should slide off.

Chop tomatoes; seed and chop the pepper, chop cucumber, and onion.

Whiz the chopped vegetables and garlic in the food processor or blender.  Strain through a sieve.

Squeeze water from bread (save water) and whiz the bread while slowly adding oil.

Add salt, cumin, and vinegar.  Whiz a little of the tomato mixture with the bread/oil and then mix all together.  Add the rest of the water to taste.  The gazpacho should not be too thin.

Taste, correct seasoning, and chill until serving.

Serve with little bowls of chopped tomatoes, onion, cucumbers, bread croutons, chopped hard-boiled eggs or whatever you prefer.

Beef Vegetable Soup

I make this all the time, as you both well know.  So yummy and just a "feel good" soup.  Very filling too.  Easy to throw together for a great week night dinner.  I make a lot and freeze some as well.  How easy to come home and pull a container from the freezer.

Ingredients:
3-5 pounds beef for stew (already cut and pre-packaged at the grocery store) or I buy two London Broil or Top Round steak and cut into bite-size pieces -- Note:  partially freeze the London Broil or Top Round, and you will find it is much easier to cut into bite-size pieces

about 3/4 bottle of Lakewood organic super vegetable juice
3-4 boxes of Swanson low-sodium beef stock
3 small cans diced tomatoes and 1 large can whole tomatoes
2-3 medium onions, diced in food processor
1/2 bag celery, diced
5-6 cloves garlic, minced
2 bay leaves
about 3-4 drops tabasco
2-3 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
1 tablespoon celery seed
salt and pepper to taste (I use a lot of freshly ground pepper)
1-2 tablespoons old bay seasoning (optional) -- easy on salt, as old bay has tons
Small head of cabbage - rinse and chop roughly
1 bag of frozen peas
1 bag of frozen lima beans

Other vegetable suggestions:  corn, carrots, green beans, potatoes, okra

Directions:
Sear stew meat in batches -- sprinkle generously with freshly ground pepper prior to searing.  Place each batch on a plate until all meat has been seared.  When finished searing all the meat, add back into large stock pan and proceed to add all the ingredients above with the exception of the cabbage, frozen peas, and limas.  The cabbage, peas, and limas should be added during the last 20-30 minutes of cooking time.  If you are adding other frozen vegetables -- i.e., green beans, corn, carrots, add these during the last 20-30 minutes of cooking time as well.

Of course, you can add carrots, potatoes, green beans, corn, and other vegetables of your preference. Pasta can be added as well. I don't love the potatoes and carrots in the soup because potatoes thicken the broth and the carrots can sometimes sweeten the broth.  I feel the same about the pasta -- it will absorb the broth in no time.  So, if you love a lot of broth like I do, just add a little pasta or cook separately and add to individual servings. The green beans sometimes get mushy, especially when reheating, so this is my reasoning for not using.

Old Fashioned Chicken and Pasta Soup

I love a great chicken soup -- this one is a "bit" of work, but worth it in the end.

Ingredients for the stock:
1 (3 1/2 pound chicken) - cleaned and deboned.  Note:  I save and freeze store-bought rotisserie chicken carcass.  I use two to three carcasses.  Any chicken pieces such as legs, thighs, wings, etc., would be great to cook off in the stock.  The following is just a guideline -- you may want to use more onion, celery, spices, etc.
2 medium-size onions with skins
5 garlic cloves peeled and slightly smashed (use back of a spoon) or 2 1/2 teaspoons of minced garlic from jar
2 celery stalks with leaves, cleaned and "rough" chopped
4 black peppercorns
4 whole cloves
2 bay leaves
4 sprigs of fresh parsley
1 sprig of fresh rosemary
1 sprig of fresh thyme


Directions:
Place all ingredients in large stock pot.  Cover with just enough water so that everything is immersed just under water level.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer approximate 1-2 hours.  Strain broth through a colander, discarding everything used above except chicken. Allow chicken to cool and slice meat away from bones. Cut into bite-size pieces and refrigerate until needed.

Ingredients for soup:
1 cup onion - diced
1 cup celery - diced
about 3/4 cup carrots  Note:  Add to personal taste.  I only do a "bit, as carrots will make soup sweet
1 small bag of frozen petite peas
1 8-ounce container sliced mushrooms
1 tablespoon lemon juice (freshly squeezed or store bought)
salt and pepper to taste (easy on the salt, as the Swanson broth has salt)
diced chicken pieces
1 1/2 teaspoons turmeric

Directions:
Heat about 2 tablespoons olive oil and saute vegetables in large stock pan.  Cook until vegetables are tender, but not mushy - about 8 minutes.

Add the strained broth from the stock you just made to the stock pan with the onion, celery, and carrots plus 16 cups of Swanson stock or broth.  Add salt and pepper to taste and chicken pieces. Add the turmeric -- to taste.  This spice has fabulous health benefits as well as giving the soup a rich yellow color.   Note:  Add the turmeric a bit at a time.  It has a very earthy flavor and will totally throw off the chicken soup flavor if you add too much.  Just taste as you add, and you will learn how much is just the "right" amount -- just go slow in the beginning.

Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer for a few hours.

About 30 minutes before serving, increase heat to a slow boil and add a little egg noodle or Ditalini pasta.  You can also cook separately and add to individual bowls when serving, which is what I prefer so that the pasta does not absorb the broth.  About 15 minutes prior to serving, add the peas.

This is a hearty and great soup!

Creamy Crab Soup

My sweet little Elaine gave me this recipe -- it's just delicious.  What can I say!  Elaine is a fabulous cook, and I wish I could have been her sous-chef when she was preparing her elaborate dinner parties -- one of her favorite things to do in the world!  And, if you were a guest, it was like eating at a five-star restaurant -- Elaine's!

Ingredients:
1/2 pound lump crabmeat
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
2 cups flour
3 cups half and half or 2 cups of whole milk and 1 cup heavy cream
1 cup chicken stock or 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
1/4 cup dry vermouth
chopped parsley to taste
old bay to taste

Directions:
Melt butter in heavy saucepan over low heat.  Add flour stirring constantly.  Gradually add milk of choice, stirring constantly until thick and bubbly.  Stir in crab, chicken stock or bouillon granules, and pepper.  Cook about 10 minutes -- do not boil.  Stir in vermouth, chopped parsley and old bay (to taste) and cook on low for about 1 minute.

Pasta, Sausage, and Bean Soup

I'm just different when it comes to soup -- not too much of any one ingredient because I like a lot of broth.  If you don't like a lot of broth, add ingredients that have a tendency to thicken -- e.g., pasta and potatoes.  In this soup -- the pasta really thickens the soup.  I've, from time to time, have reheated soup only to find that the pasta soaked up much of my precious broth!  I'm not happy!  When a soup calls for pasta, I am very careful with the amount I add to the soup -- in fact, I usually cook it separately.  I have a choice then --  I can add it each time I reheat....or not.  I have made the following soup early in the Fall -- when the leaves are just turning.  I think soup goes with Fall!  A nice way to celebrate the beginning of crisp weather, the warmth of a fireplace, and a home filled with aromas that are incredibly inviting.  These are some of my favorite things!

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound sweet Italian sausages -- try to get organic links from places like Whole Foods Market or your fav butcher shop
1 1/2 cups chopped white or yellow onions
diced carrots -- I only use a small amount -- too many will make soup sweet, so 2 or 3 med-size
celery stalks with leaves, chopped -- 3-4 stalks or to taste
5 tablespoons chopped garlic from jar or 6-8 garlic cloves
2 sprigs of fresh basil or 1-2 teaspoons dried basil
2 sprigs of fresh rosemary or 1-2 teaspoons dried rosemary
2 sprigs of fresh or about 1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried rubbed sage
8 cups chicken STOCK (buy 4 boxes when doubling this recipe) - I try to buy organic "Swanson" as it is very rich in flavor
*3-4 medium size fresh tomatoes (diced into small pieces)or 2 cans (14.5) ounce organic diced tomatoes
1 14.5-ounce can tomato sauce
1 14.5-ounce can dark red kidney beans
1 14.5-ounce can of great northern beans
1 bunch of fresh spinach -- add to pot last 10 minutes before serving
2 to 3 stems of fresh kale and fresh watercress (washed well) -- optional
2 small cubed zucchini -- optional
salt and pepper to taste
Ditalini pasta - your choice of amount -- I cook separately and add to individual bowls

Directions:
Pierce sausage well on all sides to avoid "exploding" in microwave if you choose to use this method to cook. Or grease a large skillet with a little olive oil and fry until cooked through. Remove from skillet and place on paper towels to drain; when cool, cut into bite-size pieces.

Heat olive oil in a large soup pan over medium-high heat.  Add onions, carrots, celery, garlic, basil, rosemary, crushed red pepper and sage.  Saute until vegetables begin to soften, about 10 minutes. Add broth, undrained tomatoes (if using the canned tomatoes) and beans.  If you are adding zucchini, add at this point.

Bring soup to boil.  Reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are fully cooked and flavors blend, about 20 minutes.  Add thawed and well-drained spinach at this point.  If using fresh spinach, add at this point as well as the kale and watercress.  Just add a little watercress, as it has a hot, peppery flavor sometimes. Spinach should be the dominant green in this soup.  But adding a "bit" of the others make it oh so good!  Add the cooked sausage back into the pot at this point.  Stir in well.

Pasta -- add desired amount of pasta to soup (about 30 minutes before serving).  Or -- cook pasta separately in a heavy duty pot according to directions on the Ditalini box.  This is how I do it, but you may prefer adding pasta to the soup.  I cook separately and add desired amount to individual bowls.  The reason is:  I like a lot of broth.  Adding too much pasta to the soup will absorb broth overnight in the frig.

This soup is even better after the first day -- the spices have melded well and have intensely flavored the soup.

*If using the fresh tomatoes, score an "X" on bottom of tomato, bring a pot of water to a boil and boil tomatoes 20-30 seconds -- no longer as the tomatoes will start to cook on the inside.  Immediately drop them into an ice bath -- skins will come right off!