Cabbage Soup

This is definitely one of my favorite soups
A Best of the Best recipe!
It's a great comfort soup

NOTE:
If you want to thin it, add additional V-8 Juice. You can simply add additional water too.

Here are some other OPTIONS that I have found will make this even more delicious.

I've added:

2 Green Bell Peppers, roughly chopped.

3 Zucchini, unpeeled and cut into chunks.

For additional  Spice, I add some Zing Zang,  prepared Bloody Mary Mix.

Cabbage Soup:

1 large Cabbage, shredded
6 C Water
1/4 C Veggie Chicken Powder . For non vegetarians I would use 6 C of Chicken Stock or the Water Seasoned with Chicken Bouillon Cubes.
2 Onions, roughly chopped
6 Ribs of Celery, chopped
1 Shallot, chopped
6 Carrots,  peeled and roughly chopped
6 Green Onions, slice the entire onion
1 small can of Tomato Paste
1 envelope of Onion Soup Mix....  You know the brand!
3 dashes of Balsamic Vinegar
6 Cloves Garlic, chopped
Juice of 1 Lemon
2 C V8 Juice
1 - 28 ounce can of Diced Tomatoes with the juice
salt/pepper to taste

Place all ingredients in a large stockpot and bring to a boil.
Reduce Heat and Simmer 1 hour
Remove from Heat and allow to sit 1 Hour
Salt and Pepper to Taste.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Sweet Bell Pepper Soup

I use the mixed miniature red,yellow and orange peppers.

This is a Best of the Best Recipe!

8 TBS (Stick of Butter)
1 large Onion, chopped
2 TBS Paprika
1 tsp Cumin
1 tsp Dried Basil or Cilantro
2 pounds of miniature peppers, seeded and halved
5 C of Broth, your choice
1 tsp salt
1 pint of Half and Half

In a 5 qt. stockpot over medium heat,
melt Butter,add Onion,Paprika,Cumin,Basil. Stir often cooking for about 10 minutes.
Add Peppers and cook 10 minutes
Add Broth and Salt and simmer until Peppers are tender, about 30 minutes
Cool Completely
Blend in a Blender
Remove to a pan, add Half and Half and simmer to heat.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Red Pepper and Smoked Gouda Cheese Soup

This is one of the soups we had in Kansas last weekend.

It was purchased, so I did not have a recipe.
I created this one. This is truly an original recipe as I keep making changes to it.

Here's the final recipe and it's a Best of the Best Recipe.

I have another favorite Mixed Bell Pepper Soup that I will post later.

1 TBS Olive Oil
1 C diced Onion
2 Cloves of Garlic, minced
1 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Pepper
1 1/2 tsp. dried Thyme
2 tsp. Paprika
1/8 tsp Sugar
1 - 14.5 ounce can diced canned Tomatoes, drained
2 - large  Red Bell Peppers, diced
1- 16 ounce jar of Roasted Red Peppers, drained  and roughly chopped
2 - 26 ounce cans of Tomato Soup
1 Quart of Whole Milk ( 4 C)
1 C of Heavy Cream
2 C Smoked Gouda Cheese, shredded

Heat oil: in a soup pot,
Saute Onion and Garlic until softened
Add:
Salt
Pepper
Thyme
Paprika
Sugar
Add diced Red Bell Peppers and continue to saute until they are softened.
Add the Tomato Soup and simmer about 25 minutes.

Strain the mixture , reserving the solids and the liquid separately. Return the liquid to the soup pot.
Place the solids in a processor and puree until smooth.
Whisk this mixture into the reserved liquid.
Add the diced tomatoes and the diced Roasted Red Peppers.
Continue to simmer for 10 minutes on low heat, do not boil
Whisk in Milk and Cream
Continue to simmer.
Stir in Cheese just until it melts.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Baked Creamed Spinach

I love Spinach,
I love Cream of Mushroom Soup,
I love French Fried Onions,
I love Casseroles.
I love a good Vegetarian Dish.
This recipe is very appealing to me.

Baked Creamed Spinach

2 packages (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
2 cans (10 3/4 oz.) cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
4 packages (10 oz.) frozen spinach, thawed and very well drained
2 cans (2.8 oz.) French fried onions
2/3 C saltine crackers, crushed (about 16 crackers)
1/4 C butter or margarine, melted

In a bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth
Add soup and mix well
Stir in spinach and onions
Transfer to a greased 2 1/2 quart baking dish
Combine crushed crackers and butter together and sprinkle over spinach mixture
Bake uncovered at 325 degrees for 35 minutes or
until top is golden brown and casserole is heated throughout


Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Cooking this weekend, and Quilting!

I've been busy and it takes time to keep up with a blog. For those that don't know me, I'm also a Quilter and I have a piece that was just accepted for an art exhibit in February. The piece isn't completed (my quilting friends will totally understand this) so I'll  be very busy this weekend. I have to turn it in at the end of the month.

We went out of town last weekend, but I was inspired to add some new posts.
We went to Kansas to visit family.

My wife grew up on a Mennonite Farm and the neighboring countryside has many Amish Farms.
We go to an Amish Bulk Food store to stock up on products for the pantry.
I bought all of the ingredients to make my 70's Granola, so that will be made this weekend. I'll share photos.

We also stop at our favorite Diner in Oklahoma and I have a story to share about a Pie we ate there for the first time and how it's connected to one of my favorite pastry chefs in New York City.
I'll write about that this weekend and post the Pie recipe.

We get together with family when we're in Kansas and meals are an important part of the visit.
My wife, my mother in law and sister's in law are excellent cooks, we could easily create a family cookbook.
This time we had some incredible soup that was not homemade but purchased, that doesn't make it any less important to blog about. I was able to research several soup recipes and came up with my own, I'll post that too.

It's always a good time when we spend it sharing family memories and food!

It will be a very busy weekend of cooking and quilting!

More to come..........

Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers

2 tsp Olive Oil
1/2 C Chopped Green Onions
3/4 C Cooked Brown Rice
1 Clove of Garlic, chopped
1/2 C Canned Black Beans, drained
a pinch of Salt
a pinch of Cayenne
1 Bell Pepper ( any color) halved and seeded
4 TBS Shredded Monterey Jack Cheese

Heat Oil in a saute pan
Cook onions until soft
Add:
Rice
Garlic
Beans
Salt
Cayenne
Combine well and cook for another minute
Add 2 TBS of the Cheese and stuff the Pepper halves.
Place them in a baking dish and sprinkle with remaining cheese.
Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Taylor Camp Muffins

Taylor Camp Muffins:

I named these but I don't think I can take the time to explain it.

Maybe someone that reads this knows the story.

This is a classic Hippy Muffin Recipe.

Non Stick Cooking Spray ( yes it was around in the 60's and 70's)

1/2 C Whole Wheat Flour
1/2 C All Purpose Flour
3/4 C Chopped Walnuts that have been toasted.
1/2 C Toasted Wheat Germ
1/2 C Brown Sugar ( packed)
1 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
3/4 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Salt
2 Medium Carrots, peeled, grated.
1 Large Zucchini, peeled, grated
1/2 C Plain Yogurt
5 Whites, divided
1/4 C Molasses
1 TBS Orange Zest

Spray a 12 C Muffin Tin with Cooking Spray

Whisk together:
Wheat Flour
All Purpose Flour
Walnuts
Wheat Germ
Brown Sugar
Baking Powder
Baking Soda
Cinnamon
Salt

In another bowl:
Carrot
Zucchini
Yogurt
3 Egg Whites
Molasses
Orange Zest

Fold Flour mixture into Carrot mixture and combine until moist.
Beat remaining Egg Whites with an electric mixer until a stiff peaked meringue forms.
Fold the meringue into the muffin batter.
Spoon into the muffin cups, filling to the top of each cup.
Bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!