Lentil Veggie Soup

Lentil veggie soup

Ingredients
1 pound French green lentils
4 cups chopped yellow onions (3 large onions)
4 cups chopped leeks, white part only (2 leeks)
1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)
1/4 cup good olive oil, plus additional for drizzling on top
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves or 1 teaspoon dried
1 teaspoon ground cumin
3 cups medium-diced celery (8 stalks)
3 cups medium-diced carrots (4 to 6 carrots)
3 quarts chicken stock
1/4 cup tomato paste
2 tablespoons red wine or red wine vinegar
Freshly grated Parmesan chees

In a large bowl, cover the lentils with boiling water and allow to sit for 15 minutes. Drain.

In a large stockpot on medium heat, saute the onions, leeks, and garlic with the olive oil, salt, pepper, thyme, and cumin for 20 minutes, until the vegetables are translucent and very tender. Add the celery and carrots and saute for 10 more minutes. Add the chicken stock, tomato paste, and lentils. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 1 hour, until the lentils are cooked through. Check the seasonings

Bean and Bacon Soup

INGREDIENTS

        1 pound Great Northern White Beans
4 cups Low Sodium Chicken Stock
4 cups water
1 pound Thick-cut Bacon, Cut Into 1 Inch Pieces
1 whole Onion, Diced
2 whole Large Carrots, Peeled And Diced
2 stalks Celery, Diced
Salt And Pepper, to taste
4 cloves Garlic, Minced
2 Tablespoons Tomato Paste
2 whole Bay Leaves
Minced Parsley, To Taste
3 whole Roma Tomatoes, Chopped (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

Pick through the beans and give them a rinse. Put them in a bowl and cover them with water by two inches. Let them soak overnight.

Drain the beans and place them in a pot. Add the chicken stock and 4 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.

While the beans are cooking, cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until just barely crisp. Remove to a paper towel lined plate. Add 2/3 of the bacon to the beans and reserve the rest for garnish.

Drain the bacon grease from the pan and add the onions, carrots, and celery. Season them with some salt and pepper and cook until just beginning to soften, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and tomato paste and cook for another minute or two. Add the vegetables to the beans. Add the bay leaf and give it a good stir. Cover and cook on low (to medium-low) until the beans are tender, about 1 1/2 hours. Add a cup of broth if the liquid level gets too low.

When ready to serve, taste and add more salt and pepper if needed. If desired, stir in the tomatoes. Serve with chopped reserved bacon and chopped parsley.
 ( I don't add the Tomatoes)

Creamy Chicken, Spinach and Mushroom Tortellini Soup

Yield: About 5 servings

Ingredients

1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
1 1/3 cups chopped yellow onion (1 medium)
1 1/3 cups diced carrots (about 3 medium)
6 - 8 oz cremini mushrooms, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 lb bonless skinless chicken breasts, pounded evenly to about 1/2-inch thickness
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried thyme
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup unsalted butter, sliced into 1 Tbsp pieces
1/3 cup flour
2 1/2 cups milk
9 oz refrigerated three cheese tortellini
4 oz fresh spinach (4 cups)
1/3 cup heavy cream
Finely shredded parmesan cheese, for serving
Directions

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrots and mushrooms and saute 3 minutes then add garlic and saute 1 minute longer. Add in chicken broth, chicken, oregano and thyme and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover pot with lid and allow to simmer 10 - 15 minutes until chicken is cooked through (it should register 165 degrees in center on an instant read thermometor).
While chicken is cooking, melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and cook, whisking constantly 1 minute. While whisking vigorously slowly pour in milk. Season with salt and pepper and bring mixture just to a light boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and set aside.
Remove cooked chicken from soup and transfer to a cutting board, let rest 5 minutes then cut into pieces. Meanwhile, add tortellini to soup in pot, cover pot with lid and allow to boil over medium heat about 7 minutes (or time directed on package) adding in spinach during last 1 minute. Stir in chicken, white sauce and cream. Serve warm with parmesan cheese.

Tomato Soup

Ingredients
1 medium white or yellow onion
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter
Two 14.5-ounce cans diced tomatoes
One 46-ounce bottle or can tomato juice
3 to 6 tablespoons sugar
1 or 2 tablespoons chicken base, or 3 chicken bouillon cubes
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup sherry, optional
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

To begin, dice the onion. Melt the butter in a large pot or Dutch oven. Throw in the onion and cook until translucent.

Now dump in the diced tomatoes and stir to combine. Add the tomato juice.

Next - and this is important - in order to combat the acidity of the tomatoes add 3 to 6 tablespoons of sugar. Now, you'll want to start on the low side, then taste and add more as needed. Some tomatoes and juice have more of an acidic bite than others. (For what it's worth, and I realize it's not worth much, I use 6 tablespoons of sugar.)

Next, add 1 or 2 tablespoons chicken base to the pot. I added 3, and it wound up being a little too much.

Now you can add lots of freshly ground black pepper. Stir to combine, then heat almost to a boil. Then turn off the heat.

Add in the sherry if desired. Stir in the cream. Add the basil and parsley and stir.

Notes*  I don't add Sherry.  Also if your tomato juice is thin, you may want to cook some down a bit first, or, thicken soup with a water and corn starch mix. Also if you don't have fresh Basil or Parsley, rehydrate some  This soup is delish.

Mild Chili

This one has been in the family for as long as I can remember.

For each can/bottle of Tomato Juice add

1# lean ground beef

1 medium to large onion chopped

2  cans of kidney, black, or white beans. ( drained and rinsed)  At least one of them should be kidney.

3 cloves chopped garlic ahd one to two to four tsp, garlic powder or more to taste.

1 can diced tomatoes drained

Cheddar Cheese grated

Chili powder to taste (optional)

Brown meat, with onion and add to juice and beans.  Add garlic.  Simmer to a thick consistency.  Great with fresh bread.  Top with Cheddar Cheese, in your bowl and dig in.

Measurements and Conversions and other tips

Time conversions for Crock Pot cooking

How to half a recipe 

Cheat Sheet

Measuring Sticky Foods

How can I convert the type of oil in a recipe?

Peasant Bread

Peasant Bread

For two loaves

4 Cups of unbleached flour (barely scant cups)

2 Tsp of Kosher Salt

2 Cups lukewarm water

2 to 3 tsp of sugar

2 Tsp. Active dry-yeast

Softened Butter 2 Tablespoons

Cooking spray

For one loaf

2 Cups unbleached flour (barely scant cups)

1 Tsp of Kosher Salt (I use sea salt)

1 Cup lukewarm water

1 ½ tsp sugar

1 tsp. Active dry-yeast

Softened Butter 1 Tablespoon

Cooking spray

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425

Mix the lukewarm water, sugar and yeast and let sit about ten minutes until the mixture is a little bubbling and foamy.

While that is working mix the flour and salt in a bowl.

When the yeast is ready, mix it with the flour mixture.

Then set it to rise.  Let it rise for one to two hours. Cover with plastic wrap or tea towel to rise.

When the rising is done, take two salad forks and punch down the dough, turning it and place in a sprayed 1 quart Pyrex mixing bowl.  (If making a double recipe, use a one-quart and a 1-½ quart bowl. And separate the dough)

Spray the bowl with spray and then put 1 T of butter in the bottom before adding dough.

Place the bowl”s” on top of the oven that is preheating and let rise again, without covering for 20 t0 30 more minutes.

Place in the oven for 15 minutes and then turn the oven down to 375 for another 15 to 17 minutes.

Your bread is done and should fall out of the bowl.