Sweet Peppers Soup

Ahhhh...summertime is finally here but we don't have to forgo soup as a main course. Here is a dish that could be a fancy first course or a light main dish if served with a whole wheat bread or salad. Or you could add a few potatoes (I mean a few only) if you are serving those with a heartier appetite.

• 2 cups chopped onions
• 1 tbsp butter or vegetable oil
• 6 cups chopped red and green bell peppers (about 6)
• 2 cups water or vegetable (or low sodium chicken) broth
• 1 cup sour cream (plain yogurt or low fat for those more health conscious)
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh dill
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

In a covered pot saute the onions on a medium heat in the butter or oil until the onions are transparent. Add the peppers and cook covered until JUST soft, stirring occasionally. Put the cooked onions, peppers, water or stock, sour cream, dill and lemon juice in a food processor and whirl. Don't over process it because you want to be able to see the small pieces of the peppers when you serve. Return the soup to the pot and gently reheat, adding the salt and fresh ground pepper.

Options:

Decorate with croutons or if you want a spicy Mexican flavour omit the dill and croutons and add 1 tsp ground cumin and coriander with 1/4 tsp cayenne to the peppers and onions when sauteing. Garnish this version with chopped coriander and crumbled tortilla chips.

This soup is my take on a recipe I found once in a Health Magazine which I clipped. I no longer have the name of the magazine or issue but the credit is NOT mine :)

Tortellini Soup

Tortellini Soup
(from my brother's kitchen)

• 1 -19 oz can stewed tomatoes
• 2 - cans 10 fl. oz each - condensed chicken broth
• 2 - broth cans of water
• 300 g. fresh tortellini
• 4 cups fresh baby spinach leaves
• 4 tbsp parmesan cheese divided

Mix tomatoes, broth and water in a large saucepan.
Bring to a boil.
Add pasta, reduce heat to medium and cook 3 minutes.
Sir in spinach, remove from heat.
Let stand 2 minutes.
Spoon into four bowls, sprinkle each with 1 tbsp of fresh grated parmesan

Split Pea Soup

Ingredients:

• 12 cups water
• 1 1/2 cups dried, split peas
• (yellow or green)
• 1/2 cup baby lima beans, navy beans OR pot barley
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 pkg French onion soup mix
• 2 Knorr chicken bouillon cubes
• 1 bay leaf
• 10 whole black pepper corns
• ½ dried red hot pepper
• 1 onion, chopped
• ½ green or red pepper, chopped
• 3 carrots, sliced
• 2 small potatoes, diced
• 1 small ham hock, 6 European Wieners OR 1 sm. farmer sausage
• 2 Tbsp summer savory

Method:

1. Begin with cold water, peas, barley, salt, and spices. If you are using a ham hock or ham bone, add it at this time and omit the bouillon cubes, because you are getting the broth flavor from the ham.
2. Bring to a boil (lid off), with a slotted spoon take off the scum that collects just before boiling point, then turn down heat to low and simmer (with lid open a crack) for about 1 hour.
3. Take out ham, allow to it cool while you add the rest of the ingredients.
4. Remove meat and add to soup. Add vegetables and cut up sausage (if you are not using ham), also either sprigs or dried flakes of summer savory. (you can get it in the summer at some local fruit stands or Mennonite farmer. Dry or freeze it for future use.) 2 tsp thyme is an option if you don't have summer savory. Simmer for about another hour, until done.

* Near the end of cooking, stir often, scraping bottom of pot to make sure the cooked peas don’t settle and burn. Repeat when you re-heat the soup. Add a little water if it gets too thick. Enjoy with Lovella’s Zwieback or Betty’s Schnettchi. Credits: the basic recipe ideas are from my mother, who taught me the most important things about cooking

Soup

Disclaimer! This is NOT Mennonite but if you add farmer sausage you can pretend!








Veggie chowder is a delicious and fairly healthy soup. I discovered the recipe on http://www.allrecipes.com/. It's meatless so I add some Mennonite farmer sausage or Dutch rookworst to add some 'meat' for the man of the house.


Here's the recipe:



In this recipe, a variety of fresh vegetables are cooked in chicken broth and combined with a creamy cheddar cheese mixture which is seasoned with chopped parsley and ground black pepper.



Prep Time: 15 Minutes

Cook Time: 35 Minutes

Ready In: 50 Minutes

Makes: 6 - 8 servings



Ingredients



1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/4 cup margarine

1 cup chopped celery

1 cup cauliflower chopped

1 cup diced carrots

1 cup fresh chopped broccoli

3 cups water

3 cubes chicken bouillon

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

3 cups shredded Cheddar cheese ( I only use 1 cup or so)

salt to taste

ground black pepper to taste

1 1/2 cups milk



Directions



1. In a Dutch oven or soup kettle, saute the pepper and onions in butter or margarine until tender.

2. Add remaining vegetables, water, bouillon, salt, and pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer covered for 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.

3. Combine flour and milk until smooth; stir into pan. Bring soup to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes. Mix in the parsley. Just before serving, stir in the cheese until melted.

Turkey Borscht

For this borscht recipe I used a turkey carcass after a good part of the meat was removed. You may use some beef bones or even cut up whole chicken.

Put a turkey  carcass in a large pot and then just barely cover it with water.

Bring it to a boil and then simmer it for several hours.

Remove the bones and let them cool a bit and then remove the turkey meat and add that back to the pot.

• 5 cloves
• 1 teaspoon pepper corns
• 1 star aniseed
• 1 bay leaf
• 4 allspice
• 1 teaspoon chili flakes 

Wrap spices in cheesecloth and tie it with kitchen string and add it to the pot.

Add

• 1/2 teaspoon of maggi seasoning sauce (optional)

Let that simmer for half an hour. 

Add

• 3/4 cup of brown rice
• 1 small bag of ready made cut coleslaw cabbage .. .add more if you like lots of cabbage
• 5 diced carrots

You could leave out the rice and add potatoes

Simmer for another half hour.

Add

• one can of tomato soup
• I handful of fresh dill
• salt to taste . .I added about 1 teaspoon.

I simmered it until dinner was served an hour later.