a little of each

A family's cookbook

Lentil Soup March 27, 2013

Filed under: Soups and Salads — alittlemoreofeach @ 8:44 pm
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Like the yellow squash soup, this is perfect: easy to make, inexpensive, healthy, and absolutely satisfying. I’ve tried it with both red and brown lentils and both are delicious. If it thickens too much, add up to one more cup water or chicken broth. Ken and I like it served over the Delicious Indian Rice as a version of rice and beans.

 

Ingredients

2 Tbl oil

1 onion, chopped small

3 carrots, cut into coins then in half into half-moons

3 celery stalks, sliced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 can diced tomatoes, any flavor variety

1 ½ cup lentils, picked over and rinsed

½ tsp dried thyme

2 cans chicken broth (3 ½ cups)

1 Tbl red wine vinegar

salt and pepper

 

Directions

In a large saucepan, heat the oil. Add the onion, carrots and celery; cook until softened, about five minutes. Stir in garlic and stir for a minute. Add the diced tomatoes and cook for another minute. Add the lentils, thyme, broth and one cup water. Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook until lentils are tender, 30 to 45 minutes. Stir in vinegar, salt and pepper and serve.

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Butternut Squash and Apple Soup

Filed under: Soups and Salads — alittlemoreofeach @ 8:32 pm
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The flavor in this soup is wonderful – hearty and delicate at the same time. It thickened up quite a bit on me, becoming almost a stew, but a little extra chicken stock helped.

 

Ingredients

1 large butternut squash (about 1 ¾ lbs), halved and seeded

¼ cup olive oil, divided

6 fresh sage leaves

2 large Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and diced

2 cups chopped onion (give or take)

¾ cup chopped leeks (white part only)

½ to 1 cup fat-free half and half

3 to 4 cups chicken or veggie broth

salt

10 slices French bread

1 Tbl olive oil

pepper, sour cream, chopped parsley and sage as optional garnishes

 

Directions

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with foil. Rub inside of each squash with 1 Tbl olive oil, then fill each half with 3 sage leaves. Place squash face down on prepared sheet and bake until tender, about 30 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes, discard sage, then scoop out squash and transfer to a bowl. Set aside. Heat remaining oil in a stockpot over medium heat. Sauté apples, onions and leeks until apples are tender and onions are translucent, about 10 to 12 minutes. Add squash, half and half and enough chicken broth to cover; simmer 5 minutes. Blend with an immersion blender to desired consistency, and then stir in additional chicken broth to desired consistency. Add salt to taste. To make croutons or crostini, drizzle the olive oil over the bread slices, along with a little salt and pepper and broil briefly in a toaster. Float the toasted bread along with additional garnishes on a serving of soup.

 

Creamy Carrot Soup

Filed under: Soups and Salads — alittlemoreofeach @ 8:21 pm
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Adapted from a Stoneyfield Farm Yogurt recipe.

 

Ingredients

2 Tbl olive oil

2 garlic cloves, chopped

¾ cup onion, diced

1 Tbl ginger, peeled and grated

3 cups carrots, peeled and chopped

4 cups vegetable stock

2 Tbl rice

1 cup plain lowfat yogurt

2/3 Tbl cornstarch

salt and pepper to taste

 

Directions

Using a small stock pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Once hot, add ginger, onions and garlic and sauté until onions begin to soften. Add carrots, stock and rice, and simmer for 30 minutes or until carrots break apart easily. Using a blender or food processor, puree the soup until smooth or only partially, depending on your preference. Return the soup to the pot, and heat over medium heat. In a small bowl, combine yogurt and cornstarch and blend until well-mixed. Stir this mixture into the soup, being careful not to bring the soup back to a boil. Season with salt and pepper, and garnish with a dollop of plain yogurt.

 

Yellow Squash Soup

Filed under: Soups and Salads — alittlemoreofeach @ 8:16 pm
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Adapted from “Weight Watcher’s” recipe. Serves four.

This is cheap, quick, and healthy. Oh, and it’s really tasty!  I didn’t puree the soup however, as I like my soups with a little more substance to them, and I recommend this recipe that way.

Ingredients

1 Tbl butter

1 ½ lbs fresh yellow squash, sliced and quartered

1 cup Vidalia onion, chopped or a few shallots, diced

1 (14.5 oz) can chicken broth

½ cup milk

1 ½ tsp chopped fresh thyme

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp pepper

2 Tbl freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat; add squash and onion. Cover and cook 13 minutes or until vegetables are very tender. Transfer squash mixture to a food processor; puree until smooth. Return squash mixture to saucepan. Stir in broth and next four ingredients; cook, uncovered, over low heat until thoroughly heated. Serve one cup of soup with fresh Parmesan sprinkled on top.

 

Favorite Vegetable Soup

Filed under: Soups and Salads — alittlemoreofeach @ 7:53 pm
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The best thing about this soup recipe is anything goes.  Everyone has their own version depending on their own tastes. I don’t add the nutmeg. Robin and Adam add sweet potatoes. And everyone agrees that fresh corn really adds something.

 Ingredients

3 medium leeks (with 1 inch of green left on)

4 medium carrots

3 medium parsnips

2 Tbl minced garlic

2 Tbl unsalted butter

2 Tbl olive oil

4 cups vegetable broth

6 red new potatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes

8 ripe plum tomatoes, peeled, or 1 (28 oz) can plum tomatoes drained

¼ cup coarsely chopped parsley

1 tsp dried tarragon or thyme

1 tsp ground nutmeg

salt and pepper to taste

Directions 

Trim, clean and finely dice leeks, carrots, and parsnips. Combine in a bowl with garlic. Melt the butter with the oil in a large, heavy pot over low heat. Add the diced vegetables and cook, stirring occasionally, until wilted, about 10 minutes. Add the broth and potatoes; cook, covered, over medium-low heat for 10 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and cook, covered, for 15 minutes. Uncover and cook 15 minutes more to enrich the broth.