super-hero soup (super quick)

6 medium carrots, peeled and cut into small uniform pieces
boil til done, drain and set aside

while those are boiling,
cut up a vidalia onion, small dice
saute on medium heat til done

to the onion, add:
two handfuls of baby spinach, torn in half
cook til wilted and bright green
set aside with carrots

in a soup pot, add:
2 large cans of maple baked beans (vegetarian, if desired)
1 can of water, using baked beans can (0nce empty)
the carrots, spinach and onion
2 soup spoons of brown sugar
1 Tbs or so of molasses
good sprinkling of ground mustard powder
good sprinkling of pepper

non-vegetarian option:
add a package of apple chicken sausage with maple , sliced (pre-cooked) that has been browned in a frying pan.

heat through and serve with toasted, crusty whole-wheat bread.

beef stew (my grandmother's recipe)

in a dutch oven, brown:
1-1 1/2 pounds of stew beef
1 large onion, medium dice

add:
4 cups water
1 Tbs lemon juice
1 tsp worcestershire sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
2 bay leaves
1 Tbs salt
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp each pepper and paprika
dash of allspice

while that's stewing, cut up:
4 large potatoes into 1" cubes
4 carrots into 1 1/2" pieces, then into "pillars" that are longer and thinner than they are wide
4 parsnips cut like carrots (see above)

add veggies to meat and onion. cook til done, adding more water to cover, if necessary.
when cooked, combine 2 Tbs cornstarch w/ 1 cup cold water. add to broth to thicken it.
remove both bay leaves. allow stew to cool sufficiently and serve.

beef barley stew w/ sweet potatoes

in a large pot, heat:
2 Tbs canola oil
over high heat.

add:
2 1/2 lbs stew beef
in batches. cook until browned (4-5 minutes), stirring occasionally.
remove beef from pot; set aside.

add:
2 onions, halved and thinly sliced
6 cloves garlic, minced
cook til softened (8-10 minutes)

sprinkle with:
2 tsp dried sage
1/2 tsp pepper
1 1/2 tsp salt

add reserved beef and
2 cans beef broth plus
2 cups water
bring to a boil.

stir in:
2 sweet potatoes, cut into chunks
1 cup uncooked barley
reduce heat to low.

cover. simmer til beef and barley and sweet potatoes are tender, about 1 1/2 hours.

turkey-meatball soup

1 lb ground lean turkey (93% fat-free)
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1 egg
mix and form into 1" meatballs.
add 1 Tbs oil to a large pot. cook meatballs til browned (5-6 min).
remove from pot and set aside.

add an additional 1 Tbs oil to the same pot and add:
1 small onion, chopped
1 rib celery, thinly sliced
1 carrot, thinly sliced
1/2 tsp marjoram
1/4 tsp pepper
cook on medium heat til just softened

add 1/4 cup white wine.
cook one minute.

add:
4 cans of chicken broth (14 1/2 ounces each)
turn heat to high til broth boils.
add meatballs.
reduce heat to medium and simmer til meatballs are cooked through
turn heat to high. stir in:
4 ounces small pasta (small bows, ditalini, elbows)
cook 8-1o minutes til pasta is tender

for additional nutrition, you can also add a handful or two of chopped fresh baby spinach.

remove from heat.
stir in 2 Tbs fresh parsley.
serve.

pasta-meatball minestrone

meatballs:
1 lb ground turkey
little milk
1/4-1/2 cup breadcrumbs
salt, pepper
1-2 Tbs worcestershire sauce
mix together. make little meatballs. bake at 350 on a sheet til done.

soup:
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced
olive oil, 2 Tbs
saute the above ingredients, then add:

1/2 cup thinly sliced carrots
1 tsp italian seasoning
2 cans beef broth or 3 cups total broth
1 16-oz can tomatoes, undrained (cut them up if need be)
1 small zucchini, sliced
1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
8 oz fresh, chopped spinach (or 1/2 pkg frozen)
meatballs

simmer 45 minutes. add cooked pasta (elbows or ditalini is good). cooking the pasta separate from the soup keeps it from swelling too much in the soup.

sprinkle soup w/ parmesan cheese to serve.

carrot soup

5 medium-large carrots, 1" chunks
2 small potatoes, quartered
cover w/ water and boil. simmer til tender. discard peels.

saute:
1 large onion
2 Tbs olive oil

add all ingredients together, those above plus the following:

2 cups milk
2 cups stock or broth
1 tsp salt
pepper to taste
parmesan to taste
sprinkle of caraway seed

puree in batches in a blender or food processor. reheat. check seasonings to taste.

makes 8 cups. excellent served w/ crusty artisan bread.

african chicken peanut stew (ben's favorite)

saute:

1 Tbs olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 lbs chicken breast, boneless, cut into bite-sized pieces
til chicken is just done (juices are clear)

add:

1 medium onion, sliced thin
2 Tbs fresh ginger (grated fine w/ a microplane grater or minced fine by hand)
cook 2 minutes

add:
2 cups chicken broth
cook 5 minutes

mix together w/ whisk in small bowl to make a paste:

2 Tbs peanut butter
2 Tbs soy sauce
1 tsp mirin or red wine vinegar
1 tsp sesame oil
2 scallions, thinly sliced

take 3 Tbs of broth from the skillet and add it to the paste to thin it. add the sauce to the pan and simmer 10 minutes. then add:

2 cups of fresh, chopped spinach
simmer 5 minutes.

serve over steamed brown basmati rice. great for treating a cold!