Clark

OK I live in the North East and it is getting cold so I am making stews and other "cold weather" meals. Here is one of my favorites what are yours.

Garlic Beef Stew

Serves 4

2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 pounds beef for stew, such as chuck, in 1 ½-inch cubes
1 onion chopped
1 whole head garlic, separated and peeled
1 teaspoon flour
1 cup dry white wine
2 cloves
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon minced parsley
1 bay leaf
¼ teaspoon thyme

Heat the oil in a deep casserole. Brown the meat well on all sides. Add the onion and garlic and continue cooking until the onion is wilted. Stir in the flour, them add wine, cloves, salt, pepper, parsley, bay leaf, and thyme. Cover and simmer 1 ½ - 2 hours.

maleficent

I love thick hearty soups especially with a nice crusty bread - (and apple crisp for dessert I'm in heaven)

Easiest Bestest Soup in the World
2 Cups Chicken Stock (homemade preferred, canned will do in a pinch)
2 cans white beans, drained and rinsed
3 tbs pesto sauce (store bought is fine)
3 tbs parmesean cheese (NOT the crap in the green can)
Fresh ground pepper to taste

1. Put broth and beans into a saucepan, and bring to a boil
2. Lower the heat and add remaining ingredients
3. Simmer for 1 minute.

(You can use a hand blender and blend for a few minutes to make this soup thicker , which is usually what I do, or just serve as is.)

Seafood Chowder - or Chowdah to those in Nuh England
3/4 cup chopped clams
2 cups clam juice
(or use about 16 -20 medium littleneck clams instead of the two above items, i'm lazy, canned will do nicely)
1 tbs flour
1 cup skim milk
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (more or less according to taste)
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1/2 lb flounder fillets cut in 1 1/2 inch pieces
1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 cup heavy cream
salt and pepper to taste (clam broth is usually salty, so I use pretty much no salt at all

Melt the butter, stir in flour, nutmeg, and cayenne pepper, cook over low heat about 2 minutes, stirring (flour will brown lightly, and gets that nutty like flavor) Stir in the onion and cook, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes, until the onion is translucent.

Whisk one cup of clam broth into pot, and stir until mixture is smooth, slowly whisk in remaining clam borth. Whisk in the skim milk and stir in the potatoes.there should be enough liquid to cover teh potatoes, if there's not, add some water or more skim milk to barely cover the potatoes. Bring to a boil, and stir frequently (insures a smooth soup) Lower heat and simmer about 15 minutes, until the potatoes are almost cooked.

Stir in flour and shrimp, return to a boil, and lower the heat and simmer a few minutes. (doesn't take long at all for the shrimp to cook or the flounder) Stir in the clams and the cream, and heat through.

Serve

__________________

maleficent

Italian Wedding Soup
1/2 lb ground beef
1/2 lb ground veal, pork or turkey
(Or you could use 1 lb of ground chicken)
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1 egg
1 tbs parsley, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp paprika
salt and pepper to taste
4 cups chicken broth
2 cups spinach, chopped (1 package of frozen thawed, and squeezed out is good)
1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
Mix the meats, bread crumbs, egg, parsley, minced garlic and salt and pepper in mixing bowl. Mix well with a fork and form into tiny meat balls with your hands.

Put meatballs on a baking pan and bake for about 25 minutes at 350F, until brown. (you could cook them in a skillet, but I think the oven is much easier)

Ten minutes before serving, bring the chicken broth to a boil, add the spinach and cook until tender. Add the meatballs and return soup to a simmer. Stir in the Pecorino cheese and serve.

To stretch it out - you can also add orzo (a rice shaped pasta)

__________________

Clark

That clam chowder looks good. I am going to have to give that a try.

Hanxter

my clam chowder...

6 pounds littleneck clams
1 garlic clove
1 cup water
1/8 pounds salt pork; finely chopped
2 cups chopped onions
3 tbsp flour
3 cups fish stock
1 1/2 pounds boiling potatoes - peeled and cut into 1/2" cubes
2 cups whipping cream or condensed milk
oyster crackers

scrub clams well under cold running water - place in a large steamer along with garlic & 2" water - steam clams just until opened, about 6 to 10 minutes, depending on their size - drain and shell throwing out any with broken shells reserving broth (there should be about 4 cups) - mince clam flesh & set aside - strain clam broth through cheesecloth or coffe filters & set aside

in a large pot fry salt pork over medium heat until crisp - remove the cracklings & set aside - add onions & saute in fat over medium heat stirring frequently until cooked through but not browned, about 6 minutes - stir in flour & cook, stirring, 3 minutes - add reserved clam broth & fish stock & whisk to remove any flour lumps

bring liquid to boil - add potatoes then reduce heat & simmer until potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes - stir in reserved clams, salt pork cracklings, cream & pepper to taste - heat chowder until hot - DO NOT LET IT BOIL!!!

serve in large soup bowls with a little tarragon sprinkled over the top & oyster crackers on the side

serves 8

maleficent

So I'm tired, cranky, fighting off a cold (after dealing with 3 different flights in 4 days with sick people on each flight) and didn't feel like going to the grocery store for dinner... So... pulling from the kitchen cupboard and the freezer... I give you

Maleficent's kitchen Soup
2 cans chicken broth
1 chicken breast, minced
1 medium onion, chopped (How lazy am I, I have chopped onions in the freezer
3 cloves of garlic, minced
pinch of nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
1 pkg frozen butternut squash
1 Pkg frozen spinach, chopped (thawed in microwave and squeezed

Saute onions, garlic, chicken and spices until onions soften. Add in Jalepeno pepper.
Add broth and squash. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 20 minutes.
Stir in the spinach, and simmer for 5 more minutes.

__________________