Potato Leek Soup

BHad some good comments from a previous blog posting on April 20 for a good Gumbo recipe. So, I thought it would only be good to follow it up with another one of my favs.....this one is so incredible easy, all of you should try it. I will give credit to the original source for such an easy, savory soup -- but I believe I have made it better with my own twist on the classic.

Without further ado, today's soup is Leek and Potato Soup Simplicity.

1 lb. all-purpose potatoes, scrubbed and sliced. I actually peel the potatoes as well....hey, my preference.
8 fairly fat leeks...take all the white part and about 1" of the green, split open lengthwise, very well washed and sliced.
4 cups of Swanson Chicken Stock....actually, I add a bit more.
4 cups Spring Water....actually, do we really need Spring Water? Any water will do.
1 - 3 tablespoons of butter....go closer to 3
Salt and freshly ground pepper.

Some extra potatoes -- get to that later
1 healthy size Mayan sweet onion
Some Kikkoman Soy Sauce

1. In a large pot, heavy soup pot, combine the potatoes, leeks, stock, water and butter. Bring to a boil, turn down the heat to medium, and let simmer strongly, uncovered until the liquid is reduced by about half. Taste for seasoning with some salt and pepper...throw in a little soy sauce if you want...I personally like this....maybe a tablespoon or two.

2. Then take 1 or 2 additional potatoes, skin and slice them and cook in a skillet with chicken stock. Cook until the potatoes are definitely soft enough to mash with a hand masher. Right before you take it off the heat, maybe add just a little soy sauce for some additional flavor. Throw it in the soup....you will find this thickens it up just a bit and gives a nice texture to the soup.

3. Then take the Mayan sweet onion and chop it all up into the sizes you want. Again, put the onions int he skillet with chicken stock and cook until the onions are cooked thoroughly...very glassy...and tender to the fork and mouth. Right at the end...why not...put a little soy sauce in the skillet and then dump this into the pot as well.

4. You are done. Now like most soups, the flavor intensifies after being in the fridge overnight, but do what you want. Also, when I serve, I throw on the top some Parmesean cheese for flavor.

I never have a problem with the kids eating this all up and they say it is their favorite soup. Pretty good for how easy it actually is to make.

Okay, now a good wine.....for the Chardonnay lovers out there, lets try a Grgich Hills Estate Chardonnay. I won't pretend to use "wine talk" but not only will you like it but it will go good with the soup.

John R. Park is President of PGI SelfDirected and co-founding Partner of Fulcrum Investment Network

Retrieved from "http://www.articlesbase.com/soups-articles/potato-leek-soup-415967.html"

(ArticlesBase SC #415967)

Read more: http://www.articlesbase.com/soups-articles/potato-leek-soup-415967.html#ixzz0y0Wfu3ge
Under Creative Commons License: Attribution

Mouth Watering Mushroom Soup, Tastes of Liquid Velvet Mushroom Soup

Ingredients you will need:

2 Quarts chicken stock
or mushroom stock - Directions on how to make mushroom stock listed below.

2 cups of fresh mushrooms slice

2-3 large carrots - small dice

2-3 stalks celery - small dice

1 med-large onion - small dice

1 fresh thyme sprig

1-2 bay leaves - depending on size two if they are really small, or one large one

1 tablespoon minced garlic salt & pepper toWipe mushrooms with a clean towel to remove all dirt and then slice the mushrooms. You will need to peel and slice on a bias or use a small dice 1/4" x 1/4" for the carrots, celery, onion, thyme sprig and 1-2 bay leaves. The small dice will look better if you decide not to puree your soup. You will then add all ingredients to 2 quarts of chicken stock and cook on medium heat until done/tender.

**If you would like to make a mushroom stock, use a 1 gallon of water and cook 6 cups of mushrooms with 1 Tbsp. of minced garlic, 1 sprig of fresh thyme, 2 bay leaves and cook until reduced by half.

Then you will add the sliced vegetables/ingredients after you have made the stock. And you will cook them on medium heat until they are done/tender which will be approx. 30 minutes.

Remove the thyme and bay leaf before you puree or serve your soup, it was added just for the flavor component it adds during cooking - it will not taste well.

Then adjust seasonings salt and pepper to taste. I personally like to puree the soup and run through a strainer; however it taste well both ways.Ingredients you will need:

Retrieved from "http://www.articlesbase.com/soups-articles/mouth-watering-mushroom-soup-tastes-of-liquid-velvet-mushroom-soup-by-chef-shelley-r-pogue-315420.html"

(ArticlesBase SC #315420)

Read more: http://www.articlesbase.com/soups-articles/mouth-watering-mushroom-soup-tastes-of-liquid-velvet-mushroom-soup-by-chef-shelley-r-pogue-315420.html#ixzz0xvNiHNP6
Under Creative Commons License: Attribution

7 Advantages of Being a Vegetarian

Being a vegetarian in America can be hard. Meat is such a large part of our diet that it may seem like a bad idea to be a vegetarian. However, there are many advantages of being a vegetarian, and seven are listed in this article.

1. More energy- Meals that consist of vegetables and fruits stabilize your blood sugar which will help you have more energy. The vegetables and fruits will give you a more consistent energy level, so you will not have that fatigue feeling that people normally get after meals.

2. Weight loss- Quitting meat and dairy products will help you with weight loss. By simply becoming a vegetarian and changing nothing else you will lose a little weight and eventually get back to your natural weight.

3. Save money- Vegetarians spend far less money on meals than non-vegetarians. Families that become vegetarians save upwards of $10-$15 per day.

4. Helping the environment- If you are environmentally conscience than becoming a vegetarian is a good thing. One pig farm in Utah raises 2.5 million pigs each year, creating more waste than the entire city of Los Angeles. By cutting meat from your diet you can help cut down on pollution.

5. Health- Vitamins are crucial for your health and adding more fruits and vegetables means more vitamins. Also, by removing meats you are adding less toxins and hormones to your body that are not wanted. Your immune system will also improve.

6. Bone longevity- An average woman at the age of 65 suffers 35% bone loss. A vegetarian woman at 65 suffers only 18% bone loss. The reason for this is non-vegetarians get 150% more protein than needed each day.

7. Avoid heart disease- Diets full of saturated fats and cholesterol from meats and dairy products have been connected to cardiovascular disease. The average meat-based diet has a 50% change of dying from heart disease. If that person cuts out meat the chance of dying from a heart disease decreases by 15%, and falls to 4% if they also cut out dairy products.

It can be hard to become a vegetarian in America as most of our diet is meat. However, the advantages of becoming a vegetarian are many and it is something every American should consider. Knowing the 7 advantages of being a vegetarian the only thing left for you to decide is if you want to become one or not.

Retrieved from "http://www.articlesbase.com/recipes-articles/7-advantages-of-being-a-vegetarian-2627552.html"

(ArticlesBase SC #2627552)

Manchow Soup

A fabulous Chinese soup that is quite easy to dish out - Remember to get fresh Spring Onions for this - makes all the difference.

Oil ---- 1 teaspoon

Minced garlic ---- 2 teaspoons

Mushrooms ---- ½ cup, chopped

Cabbage --- 1 cup, shredded

Spring onions --- ½ cup, chopped

Cooked chicken breast ---- ½ cup, shredded

Soya sauce --- 2 teaspoons

Chicken stock ---- 4 cups

Corn flour ---- 3 tablespoons

Salt & Pepper ---- To taste

Prepare the stock several hours or a day ahead. Take 6 cups of water, add one chicken breast, few leaves of celery, a slice of ginger and one chopped onion. Add 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper corns. Simmer till the chicken is cooked. Strain and reserve the chicken breast, part of which will be used in the soup. (The remaining chicken can be frozen to use in other recipes) Cool the stock and refrigerate. The fat from chicken will solidify on the surface. Discard the fat and use the stock. Heat oil in a non stick pan, fry the garlic till fragrant. Add mushrooms, cabbage and spring onion. Sprinkle with a little salt. (This will release the moisture from the vegetables and help to cook them in their own juices without the need for more oil) Sauté till the vegetables are tender. Add soya sauce and the stock. Bring to a boil. Add corn flour mixed to a paste with some water or stock. Simmer for a couple of minutes. Taste and add the seasoning. Serve hot.

Retrieved from "http://www.articlesbase.com/soups-articles/manchow-soup-298783.html"

(ArticlesBase SC #298783)

Read more: http://www.articlesbase.com/soups-articles/manchow-soup-298783.html#ixzz0xvM56Wd1
Under Creative Commons License: Attribution