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Lentil Soup

INGREDIENTS

• 1 2/3 cups lentils (11 ounces), rinsed

Warm up with these

SOUP-er Reci p es

French Onion Soup

• 1 stick (4 oz) unsalted butter

• 6 cups sliced Vidalia or Spanish onions

w/ Italian Sausage & Escarole

• 5 cups water • 1 bay leaf • ½ tsp. thyme

• 3 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth

• 4 garlic cloves, nely chopped, divided

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• 1 lb. sweet Italian sausage

– remove casing

• ½ cup ham diced (optional)

• 1 medium onion, nely chopped

• 2 medium carrots, nely chopped

• 2 celery ribs, nely chopped

• 2 tablespoons tomato paste

• 4 cups packed escarole, chopped

• 1 to 2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar

• ½ tsp. oregano • ½ tsp. red pepper

In a large stockpot or Dutch oven set over medium-low heat, sauté the onion in the olive oil until tender. Add the carrot, celery and garlic, cook for 1-2 more minutes. Add the sausage and brown, braking it into bits as it cooks. Add tomato paste and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add the chopped ham (optional), chicken broth, vinegar and bring the soup to a boil. Pour in the lentils along with the remaining seasonings/ spices and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook until the lentils are tender, and liquid reduces, about 40-45 min.

Creamy Turkey & Wild Rice Soup

• 1 Tablespoon olive oil

• 2 cups sliced mushrooms

• 3/4 cup celery-chopped

• 3/4 cup carrots-chopped

• Small onion-chopped

• 1/4 cup our • Salt & Pepper

• 1/2 cup sour cream

• 1 Tablespoon parsley

• 2-3 cups turkey or chicken

• 1 box Uncle Ben’s 10 minute wild rice

• 1 carton chicken broth

• Garlic salt & chicken bouillon (optional)

Prepare wild rice according to box instruction - set aside.

In Large soup pan: saute onion, carrots, celery and mushrooms in oil until soft. Add our, salt, pepper & garlic salt cook 2 minutes-stirring. Add broth & bouillon, bring to boil. Simmer 2- 3 minutes

Stir in rice, meat, parsley and sour cream till heated thru (about 2 minutes). I use a butterball frozen turkey breast, roasted it in the oven. Cut up half for the soup and used the other half for a turkey meal.

• Salt and black pepper

• 1 tablespoon all-purpose our

• 1/4 cup dry sherry

• 5 cups beef stock

• 6 sprigs fresh thyme

• 8 slices Gruyere cheese (or Swiss) plus 1 cup

• Grated Gruyere cheese

• 2 cups croutons

In a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onions all at once and a small splash of water. Season the onions with salt and pepper. Bring the onions to a simmer, stirring often. Reduce the heat if the onions begin to cook too fast. Cook until the onions are soft and translucent, about 15 minutes. (If you want a sweeter soup, continue to cook the onions until they caramelize to the richness of your preference.)

Add the our and cook for 3 minutes. Add the sherry and cook for a few minutes longer. Add the beef stock, bring to a very low simmer; simmer for about 35 min. Preheat the broiler to nish the soup. Add the thyme to the soup and simmer for 5 more minutes. Season with salt and pepper as needed. Remove the herbs. Ladle the soup into 4 soup crocks. Cover each crock with 2 slices of cheese and some croutons, then top with the shredded Gruyere. Transfer the crocks to a baking sheet and place under the broiler until the cheese bubbles and browns.

Cauliflower Stilton Soup

• 1 med. onion, nely chopped

• 2 celery ribs, nely chopped

• 2 1/4 cups cauli ower, cut into 1” orets

• 3 tbsp. unsalted butter or Olive Oil

• 2 cups chicken broth

• 1 cup plus 2 tbsp whole milk

• 1 teaspoon cornstarch

• 1/3 cup crumbled Stilton (or Gorganzola) cheese (2 oz)

• 1/2 cup heavy cream or half-and-half

• 1/4 teaspoon white pepper

• 1/8 teaspoon salt

Town Money Saver

Garnish: Crumbled Stilton & steamed cauli ower orets

Cook onion, celery, and cauli ower in butter in a 3 1/2- to 4-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until onion and celery are softened, 8-10 min. Add broth and 1 cup milk and simmer, covered, until cauli ower is very tender, about 25 min.

Purée cauli ower mixture in 2 batches in a blender until very smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids), then return to cleaned saucepan and bring to a simmer. Whisk together cornstarch and remaining 2 tablespoons milk in a small bowl until cornstarch is dissolved, then add to soup and simmer, whisking, until soup is slightly thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Add Stilton, cream, pepper, and salt and cook over low heat, whisking, until Stilton is melted and soup is smooth, about 1 min.

***: You can skip the cornstarch step and use more cauli ower to thicken.