November 15, 2001
from: Spike's and Jamie's Recipe Collection

Many of these recipes have not yet been added to the recipe web site, so you are getting a "sneak peak" of future additions. We hope you enjoy these recipes. You will need a still for one of them. Spike's comments are in [[Brackets]].

Shalom, from
Spike the Grate & Jamie the Webmistress

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CHICKEN, LONG BEANS AND TOMATO STIR FRY
Serves 4

6 ounces wide rice noodles or dried egg noodles
4 teaspoons vegetable oil, divided use
2 cloves garlic, peeled, minced
1 pound Chinese long beans or whole green beans, cut into 3-inch pieces

1/4 cup water
1/2 red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 large carrot, peeled, sliced
1/2 onion, cut into 1-inch pieces
12 ounces skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into thin
strips
1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning or other spicy seasoning blend
2 medium tomatoes, cut into thin wedges
2 tablespoons raspberry vinegar

Cook rice noodles in lightly salted boiling water 3-5 minutes or until tender. If using egg noodles, cook according to package directions. Drain noodles and keep warm.

Meanwhile, pour 2 teaspoons of oil into a wok or large deep skillet. Heat to medium-high. Add garlic and stir-fry 15 seconds. Add beans and stir-fry 2 minutes. Add water; reduce heat to low. Simmer, covered, 2-3 minutes or until beans are crisp-tender. Remove beans and add bell pepper, carrot and onion and stir-fry about 2 minutes. Remove and set aside.

Toss chicken with seasoning. Add remaining 2 teaspoons oil to skillet. Add chicken; stir-fry 2-3 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. Stir in beans, vegetables, tomatoes and vinegar; heat through. Serve over warm noodles.

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[] I have almost always had a nice veggie garden during the summer. We live in California's Central Valley (the world's breadbasket - or something) and often have two crops of the same veggie in one year because of the long growing season. One year I planted sunflower (the giant size) seeds and green bean seeds in the same holes. That saved having to erect poles to hold up the beans.

There was a little boy who lived down the street from me who was very interested in growing something to eat. He especially liked the "beans with big flowers." He had planted some beans, and his dad put up sticks for him. He watered them and checked them daily. I went to the grocery store, and there were some Chinese long beans (beans about 4 ft long!). I bought a few and, using green thread, tied them to the little boy's bean plants. 

I didn't realize it was unkind - I only thought it would be funny. When he came to my house, overjoyed because of his bean plants, I realized how much it meant to him, and I told him to leave them and I would pick them in the morning when they were at their freshest, and would cook them for him in the afternoon. That was fine. What wasn't fine is that I got my come-up-ance the following year: my beans did not produce at all. We all get what we deserve. []

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[] This article was in the Modesto Bee this morning (10/24/01) []

FURNACE IS ON AND SO IS THE SOUP
October 24, 2001 Posted: 01:20:03 AM PDT
By CAROL J.G. WARD, KNIGHT RIDDER NEWSPAPERS

When evening temperatures start to drop, it's time to put on the soup. On crisp fall evenings, there's nothing like a steaming bowlful.

Whether your favorite is brimming with vegetables, beef, beans, sausage, tomatoes, pasta or chicken, suddenly, life is full of comfort.

If you're looking for a stress-reliever, soup is it. Soup forces you to slow down. Just throw it in a pot and relax while it simmers.

Soup also is perfect for experimentation. Part of the fun of making a pot is throwing in a little of whatever you have on hand. If you don't like cumin, don't use cumin. If you like ginger, put in ginger.

If you want curry, add curry.

When accompanied by a warm wheat roll or a slice of fresh-baked bread, soup becomes a well-balanced and substantial meal. Add a small green salad to round out the repast.

To get started, think beyond chicken noodle and split pea. Combine different tastes and textures, and contrast flavors such as sweet and sour or salty and sweet.

Preparing soup can be fast and easy, and the finished product still will have a from-scratch taste with time-saving techniques.

Check out the produce and freezer section of the grocery store, and pick up ready-cut vegetables. Convenience products such as canned chicken broth, tomatoes and evaporated milk can save time as well.

So get out a pot, start throwing in your favorite ingredients and get ready for the aroma to draw hungry appetites to the kitchen. Some recipes were appended:

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SWEET SAUSAGE MINESTRONE

1 large onion, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 red pepper, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 crushed garlic clove
1 (13 3/4-ounce) can beef broth
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 (14-ounce) can garlic-seasoned diced tomatoes
2 cups coarsely chopped cabbage
6 Italian sweet sausages (about 1 pound)
1 tablespoon dried basil
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans
1/2 cup sliced ripe olives
1 (8 1/2-ounce) can artichoke hearts
1 (1-pound) package fresh tortellini
Chopped fresh parsley, optional
Shredded Parmesan cheese, optional

In a soup pot, sauté the onions in the oil until translucent. Add the peppers and garlic and sauté for five minutes. Add the broth, water, tomatoes, cabbage, sausages, and seasonings. Bring to a boil; then cook over medium-low heat for 20 minutes. Remove the sausage, cut into 1/2-inch rounds and return to the pot.

Add the beans, olives and artichoke hearts and cook for five minutes. Just before serving, add the tortellini and cook in the soup until al dente. Garnish the soup with fresh parsley and Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Makes eight servings.

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And another:

EASY POTATO SAUSAGE SOUP

1/2 pound ground pork sausage
16 ounces frozen shredded hash brown potatoes
1 large onion, chopped
1 can chicken broth
1-2 cups water
1 can cream of celery soup, undiluted
1 can cream of chicken soup, undiluted
2 cups milk

Brown sausage in a Dutch oven over medium heat, stirring to crumble. Drain fat and rinse sausage. Return to Dutch oven. Add potatoes and next three ingredients to sausage; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes. Stir in soups and milk; cook, stirring often, until thoroughly heated.

Alternate cooking method: After browning the sausage, add it along with all the remaining ingredients to a slow cooker. Cook on high for two to three hours or on low for four to five hours.

Makes eight servings.

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And another:

CHUNKY TOMATO AND BACON SOUP

6 ounces thick-slice bacon (4-5 strips), coarsely chopped
1 large onion, peeled, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
3 1/2 pounds tomatoes, cored and coarsely chopped (8 cups with their juice)
Salt, to taste
1 cup chicken stock
Fresh thyme sprigs
1/2 cup milk
1 cup heavy cream
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Combine the bacon, onion and butter in a large, heavy-bottomed soup pot, and sauté over medium-high heat until the bacon is crisp, eight to 10 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, and scrape up the browned bits clinging to the bottom of the pot. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.

Add the stock. Working over the soup pot, strip the stems from the thyme leaves, and add the leaves and tender portions of the stems to the pot. Continue to simmer, partially covered, until the soup is fragrant and slightly thickened, about 25 minutes. Stir occasionally. Stir in the milk and cream and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serves 6

Note: Canned tomatoes may be substituted for fresh.

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And still another:

LENTIL SOUP WITH DRIED MINT

10 ounces (about 1 1/4 cups) dried red lentils
1/4 cup bulgur wheat
1 1/2 quarts reduced-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
1 medium onion, peeled and very finely chopped
1 tablespoon tomato paste diluted in 1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons unsalted butter or olive oil
About 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1 tablespoon dried mint
Freshly ground black pepper

Rinse the lentils and bulgur. Put into a 5- to 6-quart pan, adding the broth, onion, diluted tomato paste, butter and salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring well. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, about 40 minutes. The lentils and bulgur should be tender and the soup should have a creamy consistency. Stir in the paprika, mint and a little pepper. Simmer five minutes. Taste, adjust seasonings if necessary and serve.

Serves 4 to 6

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This is the last one, I promise!


BEEF BARLEY AND MUSHROOM SOUP

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 cup finely chopped onion or shallot
1/2 cup pearled barley
1/3 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
7 cups beef broth
1/2 pound sirloin tip or other tender beef cut, sliced into 1/4-inch strips
1 cup sliced button mushrooms
Salt to taste

In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Cook the onion, barley and black pepper, stirring often, until the onion is translucent and the barley smells toasty. Add the broth and turn the heat to high. When the broth comes to a boil, add the beef strips and mushrooms, reduce the heat to low, and simmer the soup for 30-45 minutes. Taste and season with salt.

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Please take a moment to have a positive thought for those terrorist attack victims and those who are involved in the resulting combat activities. God bless us all.

Shalom