Posts Tagged ‘soup’

It seems like each year there is one crop in our small garden which outdoes itself. This year we have three things in abundance: okra, eggplant, and green beans. I'm already burned out on the eggplants and we have been trying to give them away. I've been freezing the green beans and trying some new okra recipes. Here is one of the new recipes which we have really enjoyed:

Harvest Gumbo

1 Tbsp. olive oil
3/4 cup chopped onion
2 stalks chopped celery
1/2 red pepper, chopped
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
black pepper to taste
4-5 cups water
1 1/2 tsps. chicken soup base or 2-3 cubes
1 cup diced tomatoes (I usually use jarred spaghetti sauce)
1/2 lb. sliced kielbasa
2 cups sliced okra
1 1 /2 cups baby lima beans
1 1/2 cups corn
1 1/2 cups sliced green beans

In a large soup kettle heat the oil and then saute the onions, celery, and red pepper. Add the water, tomatoes, kielbasa, and seasonings. Simmer about 15 mins. Add the vegetables and simmer about 15 more minutes or until tender. This makes 6-8 servings and is very colorful and tasty.

And now, a word about the bread in the picture:

A former co-worker of mine has started a bakery here in the area called Simple Gifts Artisan Breads. He has built a wood burning oven in which to bake his delicious breads which he sells at local Farmer's Markets and to some restaurants. A Lebanese man who lives nearby gave him a special seasoning blend and asked David if he would make him some Lebanese bread. David agreed and the man was quite pleased. One week the Lebanese guy didn't come to the Farmer's Market to get his bread and David gave me a loaf of it. The bread was thin and dimpled like Foccacia but had a very interesting flavor which we really enjoyed. Shortly after that first exposure I saw some of the bread at the Pita House (a middle eastern restaurant and grocery here in the area.) I asked the owner Ziad about it and he showed me the seasoning blend and told me it contains sumac (not the poisonous kind), thyme, and sesame seeds, among other ingredients. I bought a small container of the blend and have made the bread a couple of times. I even found a recipe for it in Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day. I just use pizza dough which I brush liberally with olive oil and then sprinkle on some of the "mixed zaattar". I then bake it right on the pizza stone. It is delicious for sandwiches or with soup and freezes well. So, if you like middle eastern flavors you might want to try this one.

Becka

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We have just over two weeks until the wedding. We have started purchasing a few more of the grocery items and I have begun making some of the cookie dough and stashing it in the freezer to be baked off closer to the wedding.

I've been trying to clean out my freezer to make room. I had some cooked beans in the freezer and made some Pasta Fagioli soup recently to use them up. A big pot of soup is a nice thing to have on hand during busy times since you can generally get several meals from one batch. They make this soup at Olive Garden and it is one of our favorites.

My friend Kathy gave me a copy of The Mast Store Cookbook a few years ago.

There are several Mast General Stores in North and South Carolina and Tennessee and they are really interesting places to shop at and visit. They carry a lot of unique items that you don't find elsewhere. We have one here in Greenville down on Main Street. The recipes in the cookbook are those that have been collected from their employees. The book also has many historical pictures and advice from days gone by.

Here's the recipe with my modifications:

Pasta Fagioli

1/2 lb. ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 carrot, peeled and shredded (I used a julienne peeler)
15 oz. can Italian stewed tomatoes (or plain with 1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning)
4 cups beef broth (or hot water with beef bouillon)
2-3 cups cooked or canned beans (I used pinto beans, but you can use navy or kidney beans or a combination)
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup macaroni or ditalini
Parmesan cheese for garnish

Brown ground beef. Add onion and cook until tender. Combine in a soup kettle with the tomatoes, broth, beans, carrot, salt, and pepper. Simmer for about 20 mins. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and add to soup just before serving. Garnish with the parmesan cheese.

This soup is really tasty and you may already have all the ingredients on hand to make it. Have a wonderful weekend!

Becka

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Dried beans are very nutritious, economical, tasty, and can easily fit into your schedule. There are many ways to cook them, including in a pressure cooker, a crock pot, or on top of the stove. Make sure you purchase dried beans from a store with a fast turnover. If the beans are too old they sometimes remain hard even after several hours of cooking. Also, do not add salt or acid ingredients to the beans until they are tender. These ingredients also impede the softening of the beans.

If I plan to cook a lot of beans ahead for a salad or for freezing I like to use the crockpot. For this method just pick over the dried beans, wash them, and then soak them overnight. In the morning drain off the soaking water and then place them in the crock pot and add water to cover by about 2" above the dried beans. Cook on low for about five hours and then check to see if the beans are tender. If not, cook a while longer.

When I am making bean soup, here is the method I like to use:

Pick over the dried beans and then wash them. Place in a large pot and then cover with water by a couple of inches. Let soak overnight. In the morning drain off this water and add fresh. Bring the beans to a boil and simmer for about two minutes. Cover the pot and let sit for a few hours. (I let them sit while I am at work.) When you return in the late afternoon drain the beans and add fresh water. (You can also add ham broth or drippings if you have any available.) Simmer the beans gently until they are tender. Normally I find this takes less than an hour.

Here's the recipe for the bean soup:

1 lb. great northern beans
1 medium onion (sliced or diced)
2 stalks celery, sliced (with the leaves)
ham broth if available
1-2 cups diced ham
2 potatoes, diced
2-4 carrots, peeled and sliced
1 pinch Italian seasoning
1/4 cup catsup
black pepper

Cook the beans until tender. In the final cooking you can add the ham broth if you have any. (If not, use water or vegetable stock or even chicken broth.) For a pound of beans I would add 6-8 cups of liquid. It depends how "soupy" you like your soup. Add the potatoes and carrots to the beans and continue simmering them.

In a skillet saute the onion, celery, and diced ham in a small amount of oil until the vegetables are wilted. Add these vegetables to the beans.

Simmer until all the vegetables are tender. Add the catsup (the secret ingredient!) and season with black pepper and salt, if needed. The ham and ham broth are often pretty salty, so you may find that you don't need much salt.

Here are the beans, potatoes, and carrots simmering together:

Here are the onions, celery, and ham being sauteed:

Years ago I read a tip about adding a bit of catsup to bean soup to improve the flavor. I was a bit skeptical since I'm normally not a big catsup fan, but it really does perk up the flavor and adds just a hint of tomato taste and color to the soup. The herbs also add a bit of zip.

If you want to freeze part of your soup take out the part you want to freeze before adding the potatoes. Potatoes generally do not freeze well. It's best to add them to the soup right before cooking. You can also add leftover mashed potatoes or some instant potato flakes to this soup as a thickener.

Enjoy your delicious bean soup!

Becka

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From the news I've seen lately it sounds like it's been cold just about everywhere this week. It's actually 41 degrees here today, but it has been damp and windy the last few days making it seem even colder. These cold, blustery days are perfect for soup.

DD Megan posted a link for this recipe for delicious Cheeseburger Soup on her blog a while back. I tried it during the time she and her family were here visiting a couple of weeks ago and made it again this morning. I made a few changes to lighten it up just a bit. Here's my version:

Cheeseburger Soup
1/2 pound ground beef
3/4 cup chopped onion
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
3 cups water
1 Tbsp. chicken soup base
4-5 medium size potatoes, peeled and diced
3/4 cup instant potato flakes
8 oz. diced velveeta cheese (or cheese of your choice)
1 cup milk
dash of pepper

Brown beef in soup kettle. Drain off fat and then add onion and cook until it wilts. Add water, Italian seasoning, soup base, and potatoes. Cook about 10 mins. or until potatoes are tender. Stir in the potato flakes and cook a minute or two to thicken. Add the milk and heat through. Add the cheese cubes and stir until they melt. Serve and enjoy!

Becka

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Fall has definitely fallen here this past week. The temps have gone down and we have had several rainy days. It has been perfect weather for soup! We actually eat soups year round, but we especially enjoy them in the fall and winter months.

I think soups are one of the ultimate convenience foods. It's nice to fix a big pot of soup and then have those leftovers in the refrigerator for later in the week for another meal or to have as a "soup course" to help round out a rather skimpy meal. Many years ago I read a book where the mother of a large family said that when her children were teenagers the only way they survived all the diverse schedules was because she prepared a big pot of soup each day and the children could eat when they came home from their various activities.

I especially like to make this soup in the fall when we can get such good mountain cabbage. The heads are huge, solid, and crisp. Cabbage, potatoes and onions are all high in vitamin C and the carrots are a good source of vitamin A. I have made this soup when we were in Germany and in China as well. We found that these ingredients were available and fairly inexpensive in those parts of the world too.

Cabbage Soup

1 large onion, cut in half and thinly sliced
2 stalks celery (w/leaves) sliced
1 Tbsp. oil
5 cups water
1 1/2 Tbsps. chicken soup base
4-6 carrots, peeled and sliced
3-4 medium potatoes, peeled and sliced
4-5 cups coarsely chopped cabbage
1/3 cup spaghetti sauce*
pepper to taste
1/2 pound smoked sausage, sliced

Heat oil in large soup kettle and saute onions and celery until wilted. Add water, soup base, carrots, and potatoes. Heat to boiling and then reduce heat, cover and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 15 mins. Add the cabbage and simmer 5-10 mins. longer or until cabbage is wilted down. Add the spaghetti sauce and sausage and season with pepper. If it seems too thick for your taste add more water.

*This soup needs just a touch of tomato in my humble opinion. I like the spaghetti sauce and I often have a partial jar in the fridge. You can also use a small amount of catsup, a couple of tablespoons of tomato paste or canned tomatoes, or a small fresh tomato that has been peeled and chopped.

So, the next cold, blustery day give this one a try.

Becka

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