Garlic Soup

Ingredients:

• 50 cleaned and peeled garlic cloves (about 5 garlic bulbs)
• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 large and diced onions
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme
• 250 ml chicken broth (as a base)
• 1 bunch of fresh herbs, parsley, thyme, bay leaf
• 3 cups diced stale bread
• 1 cup sour cream

Instructions:

Heat the oven to 180 °C. Cut off the top of the garlic bulbs, cover with some olive oil and wrap the garlic in a tin foil. Bake for 90 minutes, then let the garlic cool for a few minutes. In the meantime, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil and some butter in a sauce pot, on medium temperature. Cook the onions for 10 minutes. Mash the baked garlic and add it in the sauce pot. Stir well, add some chopped thyme, chicken broth and fresh herbs.

Turn the temperature on low, add the bread and cook for 5 minutes, or until the bread cubes soften. Take the herbs out of the sauce pot and blend the mixture well, until you get a nice and creamy texture. Take the mixture back in the sauce pot, and add some sour cream or double cream. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Recipe Submitted by Lori

Smokey Clam Chowder

Ingredients:

4 slices bacon, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, diced
2 carrots, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 (48 fluid ounce) can chicken broth
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons garlic and herb seasoning blend
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon ground thyme
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1 small head broccoli, cut into florets
1 1/2 cups half-and-half
1 potato, cubed
2 (6.5 ounce) cans chopped clams
1/2 pound roasted chicken thigh meat, diced
1/4 cup butter, cubed

Instructions:
Cook the bacon and olive oil in a large pot over medium heat until the grease has rendered out, and the bacon has begun to brown. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon, and set aside. Stir the garlic, onion, carrots, and celery into the bacon drippings, and cook for 10 minutes until the onion softens and becomes translucent. Stir in the flour, and continue cooking and stirring 10 minutes more.

Pour in the chicken broth, and season with cumin, red pepper flakes, garlic and herb seasoning blend, bay leaf, thyme, salt, and poultry seasoning. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring frequently.

Meanwhile, place broccoli in a steamer over 1 inch of boiling water, and cover. Cook until tender, 2 to 4 minutes. Drain, and place into a blender. Puree until smooth, using some of the half-and-half as needed.

Add the broccoli puree, remaining half-and-half, potato, clams, and chicken to the simmering chowder. Return to a simmer, and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in the cubed butter until melted.

Recipe Submitted by Paul

Simple Cabbage Soup

Ingredients:

1 Head of Cabbage

2 Green Peppers

4 Whole Tomatoes

3 Onions

1 Celery Stalk

4 Cloves of Garlic

3 Carrots

1 Teaspoon Pepper

1 Teaspoon Cumin

Dash of Olive Oil

Optional:

1 Tablespoon Butter

1 Envelope Onion Soup Mix

1 Bag of Assorted Beans

Instructions:

Add Olive Oil (and Melt Butter if so desired).

Add the Onion, Celery, Carrots, Garlic, and Beans in order as you chop them.

By the time you add the beans, the onions should be soft.

Add Pepper, Cumin and stir.

Add Cabbage and cover 5 minutes or so to wilt.

Add Broth, and Tomatoes.

Bring to a boil and reduce to high simmer.

Cover and cook 15-30 minutes until carrots and cabbage are tender.

Serves 8 – 10.

Recipe Submitted by Katie

Tofu Chili

Ingredients:

1 pound Tofu firm or extra firm, cubed

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 medium onion, chopped

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped

2 teaspoons dried oregano

1 teaspoon ground cumin

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 cans (15 ounces each) cannellini beans, rinsed and drained, divided

1 (14 ounces) tomato sauce

1/2 cup button mushrooms

2 cups vegetable broth, divided

1-1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese

Sour cream and minced fresh cilantro, optional

Instructions:

Sprinkle tofu with salt and pepper. In a large skillet over medium heat, sauté tofu, onion, jalapeño, mushrooms,oregano and cumin in oil for 3-4 minutes until vegetables are crisp-tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer.

Transfer to a 3-qt. slow cooker. In a small bowl, mash 1 cup of beans; add 1/2 cup broth and stir until blended. Add to the slow cooker with the remaining beans, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes and broth. Cover and cook on low for 3 to 3-1/2 hours or until heated through.

Stir before serving.

If Desired, sprinkle with cheese. Garnish with sour cream and cilantro if desired.

Recipe Submitted by Jesse

Ratatouille Stew

My “recipe” for Ratatouille. It’s a vegetable stew so be flexible,
creative, seasonal, and sustainable:

 Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 lb tomatoes (4 large) cut into 1″ chunks
• 8 large garlic cloves, thickly sliced
• 1 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley and/or fresh basil leaves
torn in half
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1-2 teaspoons salt
• 2 large onions (1 1/2 lb total), quartered lengthwise and sliced
crosswise
• 2 assorted bell peppers (green, red, and/or yellow – cut into
1-inch pieces
• 4 medium zucchini (2+ lb), quartered lengthwise and cut crosswise
into 3/4-inch-thick pieces (or as much room as you have left in the
pot after the above ingredients
• black pepper and any other herbs (herbs de provence, oregano,
etc.) to taste but use sparingly – the vegetables should shine here
• sometimes I but some italian or french olives in to add flavor –
1/4 cup, pitted (make sure they are ALL pitted)

Instructions:

Prep the above ingredients and put a large, heavy pot (Le Creuset
Dutch Oven or big soup pot) on the stove.

Start with a med flame and when the pot has heated throw in the oil
and the onions.

Cook for 2-3 minutes once they’re making noise then throw in the
peppers and garlic.

After 5 minutes throw everything else in – and “christen” with any
wine that’s lef in your glass after above steps.

For about 30 minutes, simmer, partially covered, stirring
occasionally, until tomatoes break down, zucchini and peppers showing
translucency (sauce develops and is slightly thickened)

Reduce heat to minimum and let simmer for 15+ more minutes and enjoy
warm with crusty breads, cheeses, meats, etc.

Improves in fridge over the next few days. Whatever is left after a
few days can be blended and frozen as a mixed vegetable potage for
some other night.

Recipe Provided by Glenn