HOT & SOUR SOUP

Soup base:
1 can chicken broth
1/4 c cooked shredded meat
1/4 c sliced bean curd
1/4 c sliced rehydrated wood ears
1/8 c sliced bamboo shoots

~~Seasonings~~
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp dark soy
1 tbsp Chinese Black Rice Vinegar
1 tbsp Red Wine Vinegar
1 tbsp Lemon Juice
1 tbsp Fish Sauce
2 tbsp water
1 tbsp Corn Starch
1/4 tsp ground roasted schezuan peppercorns
1/8 tsp ground black peppercorns
A few drops of sesame oil

~~Garnish~~
1/2 beaten egg
2 tbsp minced green onions

Combine the soup base ingredients in a sauce pan and bring to a boil
over high heat. In a seperate bowl, combine the seasonings and mix
well. When the base comes to a boil, add the seasonings, and keep
over high heat for 2-5 minutes. Add the beaten egg slowly, and then
remove from heat. Place in bowls and garnish with minced green
onions.

Chicken Torellini Soup

2 carrots
1 onion
2 garlic cloves
3 cans cream of chicken soup
6 c. water
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. basil
1 pkg. boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
1 bag cheese tortellini
2 boxes frozen broccoli

Cook chicken in small amount of oil. While meat cooks, chop vegetables and open cans. Add all of the above ingredients to large kettle except for the tortellini and frozen broccoli. These 2 ingredients you add the last 10 minutes or so before serving so that they are not over cooked. Simmer the other ingredients for an hour or however long you like. Soup tastes great with freshly grated Italian cheese and a loaf of Italian or French bread.

CROCKPOT CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP  - NEW ORLEANS STYLE

1 lg Whole fryer
1/2 c Diced celery
4 ea Cloves minced garlic
3 ea Bay leaves
4 ea Qts water
2 tb Butter
1 c Sliced mushrooms
1/4 c Cream sherry
Green onions for garnish
1 c Diced onions
1/2 c Minced parsley
1 c Chopped carrots
1 ts Poultry seasoning
12 oz Broad egg noodles
1 c Sliced onion rings
1 c Diced carrots
Salt and pepper to taste

First, take the chicken and wash it thoroughly. Remove the giblets, scrub out the internal cavity under cold running water. (But DO NOT remove the chicken skin or any of the fat! You need the skin to make a rich stock.) Next, take a crock pot and place the chicken and giblets into it. Then drop in the diced onions, the ½ cup of chopped carrots and bay leaves, poultry seasoning and *2* quarts of water. Then, with a spoon, evenly distribute the seasoning mixture around the chicken, turn the crock pot to high, and cook for at least six hours (or overnight). Remember, the longer you cook, the richer the base stock and the more tender the chicken. Cook noodles, but make sure they are firm.

After the noodles are cooked, butter them slightly and set them aside. When the chicken is tender, take a set of tongs or a strainer spoon, remove it from the crock pot and set it on a platter to cool. Strain out all the seasoning vegetables from the stock, place the stock into a metal bowl, and place the bowl into the refrigerator or freezer until the chicken fat congeals (which should take about 1 hour). Meanwhile, pick the chicken off the bones and, with a sharp knife, chop it into bite-sized pieces. Then, in a heavy 12- inch skillet, melt the butter and saute the sliced onions, mushrooms, and carrots until they’re tender. Then drop in the chopped chicken meat. And over medium-low heat, cook it into the vegetables for about 10 minutes. While the chicken and vegetables are sauteing, remove the chicken stock from the refrigerator, skim off all the fat, and place the skimmed stock into a soup pot, along with the remaining 2 quarts of water. Season the soup stock to taste with salt and pepper. Now drop in the sauteed chicken, mushrooms, onion rings and diced carrots - along with the sherry, the Tabasco, and as soon as it comes to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer the soup about 30 minutes to allow all the flavors to thoroughly blend.

CREAMY TOMATO SOUP

2 tbsp. reduced-calorie margarine
1 lg. onion, peeled and thinly sliced
1 carrot, chopped
2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
1 (28 oz.) can peeled Italian plum tomatoes
3 c. chicken broth
1 sm. boiling potato, peeled and
thinly sliced
2 tbsp. chopped fresh basil leaves or
2 tsp. dried basil
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
Salt to taste
1 c. milk

Melt margarine in a soup pot over low heat. Add onion, carrot and garlic.
Cook, covered for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender
and wilted. Crush tomatoes in their liquid and add to the pot along with the
chicken broth, potato, basil, nutmeg and salt. Cook, covered, over low heat for
40 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Let cool to room temperature. Puree in a blender, in small batches, adding a bit of milk to each batch. Return to soup pot and adjust seasonings. Before serving, warm through over very low heat. Do not boil. Serves 6.

BLACK BEAN SOUP

3/4 lb. black beans
1 1/2 qt. cold water
2 oz. salt pork (optional)
3/4 lb. hamhock or bone of smoke ham
1 lg. onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 green peppers, chopped
1/2 c. bacon drippings or olive oil
1 bay leaf
1 tbsp. salt
1/8 tsp. oregano
1/4 c. vinegar

Wash beans. Soak overnight. Add salt pork, ham hock and simmer over low heat.
Saute onions, garlic, green pepper in bacon drippings until tender. Add to
beans. Season with bay leaves, salt and oregano. Simmer until beans are tender
and thick, approximately 3 hours. Add vinegar just before serving. Serve over
rice with finely chopped onion on top.

BROCCOLI SOUP

1 bunch broccoli
1 c. chopped celery
1 c. chopped onion
1/8 to 1/4 lb. Velveeta cheese
3 c. milk (2% or 1%)

–SAUCE:–

3/4 c. flour
2 c. milk

Cook broccoli until tender. Drain off water. Add 3 cups milk. Add cheese. Mix 3/4 cup flour into 2 cups milk for sauce (may use more flour). Add to vegetables with salt and pepper to taste. Cook 15 to 20 minutes. Stir frequently.

HAMBURGER VEGETABLE SOUP

1 lb. ground beef
1 c. chopped onion
1 c. diced potatoes
1 c. sliced carrots
2 (1 lb.) cans tomatoes
1 c. sliced celery
1/4 c. rice
3 c. water
4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. basil
1/4 tsp. thyme
1 bay leaf

Cook ground beef and onions, drain fat. Add remaining ingredients and bring to
boil. Cover and simmer 1 hour.

Cream of Broccoli Soup

2 tbsp. butter
2 tbsp. flour
1 bunch (10 oz.) fresh broccoli
1 sm. onion, finely chopped
2 tbsp. butter
1 qt. chicken stock or broth
1/2 c. heavy cream, warmed
Salt and pepper

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan, stir in flour.  Cook 3 minutes over low heat, stir constantly.  Cool.  Set aside.  If using broccoli:  Wash and trim off tough part.  Separate and cut into 1/2 inch pieces.

In a large saucepan saute onion in 2 tablespoons butter until tender.  Stir in broccoli, cover and cook 3 minutes.  Stir in stock or broth, heat to simmering.  Stir small amount of liquid into cooked flour and butter mixture until smooth; return mixture to saucepan; stirring until smooth.

Simmer, covered until broccoli is tender, about 30 minutes.  Remove from heat, cool slightly.  Puree in electric blender, return to saucepan.  Blend cream into soup.  Taste and salt and pepper if needed.  Serve.