Pumpkin Soup

A delicious filling soup that warms your heart. Serve it with French bread loaf or whole grain rolls.

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 kg butternut pumpkin, sliced
• 500 g potatoes, sliced
• 1 l vegetable stock
• 200 ml low-fat milk
• 1 tsp. each salt and pepper
• a pinch of nutmeg

Steps

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot and briefly roast the onions and garlic until golden.
2. Add the butternut, potatoes and vegetable stock, cover partially and allow to simmer on moderate heat for about 15 to 20 minutes until the vegetables are soft.
3. Add milk and spices and blend with an immersion blender until smooth.
4. Serve immediately.

Tip
My original recipe uses cream instead of low-fat milk, which makes the soup thicker and creamier. Feel free to go the traditional way, I simply replaced it here to reduce the fat and make the recipe healthier. But if you don’t need to count calories, the cream is not going to harm you. After all, you deserve a bit of luxury every now and then…

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Noodle And Mushroom Soup

Soups are great when it's cold and you need to get some warmth. This vegetarian recipe is quick and easy to make, low in fat and really tasty.

Ingredients

• 2 ½ spring onions, cut into thin rings
• 190 g canned chick peas (drained)
• 250 g mushrooms, sliced
• 2 ½ garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 ¼ tsp. freshly ground ginger
• 1 ¼ l vegetable stock
• 190 g soup noodles

Steps

1. Briefly roast spring onions, chick peas and mushrooms in a little oil for a few minutes al dente.
2. Add garlic and ginger and stir-fry for another minute. Then add the vegetable stock and bring to boil. (It goes quickest when you boil the water with the kettle and just mix it with the stock before adding it to the veggies.)
3. Add the noodles and cook about 3 minutes until they are soft. Serve immediately.

Serves 4.

Tip
If you want to use it as a starter, simply make half a recipe.

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Quick Cheesy Meal of Beer-Cheese Soup and Onion and Mushroom Grilled Cheese Sandwich

By Linda Carol Wilson

Cheese lovers who need a quick meal; here is one for you. This Beer-Cheese Soup is table ready in less than a half hour. The grilled sandwiches only take a matter of minutes to prepare.

BEER-CHEESE SOUP

• 2 1/2 cups water
• 1 cup beer
• 3/4 cup small shell macaroni, uncooked
• 1/2 tsp instant chicken bouillon granules
• 1/2 tsp minced dried onion
• 1/2 tsp dried basil
• 3 to 4 dashes hot pepper sauce
• 1/4 cup cold water
• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 2 cups cubed pasteurized process cheese spread

In a large, heavy-duty saucepan, combine the 2 1/2 cups water, beer, macaroni, bouillon granules, onion, basil, and hot pepper sauce. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Shake the 1/4 cold water and flour together in a jar with a seal-tight lid. Shake until well blended. Stir flour mixture into hot mixture in the saucepan. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Cook, stirring for another minute. Stir in the cheese. Heat, stirring, until cheese is melted.

Serves 4.

ONIONS & MUSHROOMS GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICH

• 1 medium to large onion, thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 cup sliced mushrooms
• dash of salt
• 1 tsp berry-balsamic vinegar
• 4 slices medium thick sliced cheese
• 8 slices sourdough bread
• 1 tsp melted butter

In a skillet, melt the 2 tbsp butter and add onion. Saute the onion for about 10 minutes until onion is soft and golden brown. Stir in the mushrooms and cook for a couple of minutes more. Remove from heat. Sprinkle with a dash of salt and add vinegar. Place cheese on 4 slices of the sourdough bread. Top the cheese with the onion and mushroom mixture. Top with remaining sourdough bread slices. Brush bread with the melted butter and cook over medium heat in a skillet or griddle 2 to 3 minutes per side to melt cheese.

Makes 4 sandwiches.
Enjoy!

For more quick recipes, visit http://grandmasquickfixrecipes.blogspot.com. For Linda's recipes and diabetic information go to http://diabeticenjoyingfood.squarespace.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Linda_Carol_Wilson

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Quick and Easy - Part 6 - Asparagus Soup

By Frank Ernhart

When preparing fresh asparagus for using in a recipe, mot cookbooks and also many TV chefs tell you to snap off the bottom part of the stalk because it's usually tough and contains hard fibers. Most of these people also discard the leftover pieces. As a great believer in the Benjamin Franklin's quote that I think comes from his Poor Richard's Almanac which is "Waste not, want not", I am hard put to discard anything that can be used.

I realize the more flavorful part of the asparagus is towards the tip, but the bottom also still has lots of flavor. This recipe is very simple, easy, and quick to make (did I mention also delicious). It's also good for vegetarians, so long as you don't (contaminate) the dish by adding an animal source product like butter. You could replace the butter with olive oil, or leave it out. I add a small amount of butter here to enhance the flavor of the soup. The commercial soup companies are more likely to make cream of asparagus soup, and you could do the same by adding a little milk. This makes the soup a little thinner, and since I prefer thicker soups, I did not add milk. I should also mention that I use distilled water for health reasons, but if you trust your tap water you could use it just as well.

Ingredients

• 1 dozen asparagus ends (bottom ends), rinsed in cold water
• 1 pat of butter
• 2 cups of water (or stock)
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Cut the asparagus stalks into 1/2" long pieces and put in a small saucepan.
2. Add boiling water, and butter, then turn to simmer until insides of pieces are tender (about 10 minutes.)
3. Remove from heat and put all in a food processor and puree'.
4. Pour back into the saucepan and reheat, then serve piping hot with crackers

Hope you enjoy it as much as we did! - Frank

About the author
The author is a retired chemical engineer who in retirement has become the chief and only cook and bottle cleaner in the family. After watching hundreds of cooking shows and reading thousands of cookbooks I am generating and publishing my own plus lots of other already published recipes, mostly pre WWII. I do this on my website which also includes cryptogram puzzles, reform political commentary, auction stuff and UFO (Used Furniture Outlet). We live near Hecla, PA but this is a different UFO. Hope you like the recipes and that you will visit my site to find the over 600 recipes (and rising) free of charge. I hope you will click on some advertising links while there to help me maintain the website and continue to make it grow. The website is http://www.frankernhart.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Frank_Ernhart

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Quick and Easy Soups - In a Hurry Meatball Pasta and Quick and Easy Texas Hill Country Cabbage Soup

By Linda Carol Wilson

Soup is one of the foods that can comfort us humans like nothing else can. Many times we think of soup as a cold weather food but it is actually good anytime. From chicken soup for a cold to just needing a good comfort food, soup is often what is called for.

Delicious soups that simmer for hours are wonderful but sometimes we need something quick. You can have soup quickly without giving up the comfort. Try this In-a-Hurry Meatball Pasta Soup for a good bowl of soup without a lot of time or fuss involved. For a completely different style soup try Quick and Easy Texas Hill Country Cabbage Soup. This soup is simple, tasty, and uses a can of cream of potato soup for creaminess.

IN A HURRY MEATBALL-PASTA SOUP

• 1 cup uncooked whole-wheat spiral pasta
• 1 lb frozen Italian meatballs, thawed
• 2 cans (14 1/2 oz each) chicken broth
• 1 can (28 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 1/2 cups frozen sliced carrots, thawed
• 1 can (16 oz) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 jar (14 oz) meatless spaghetti sauce
• 1 jar (4 1/2 oz) sliced mushrooms, drained
• 1 cup frozen peas

Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, combine the remaining ingredients in a soup pot or Dutch oven. Bring to a boil; cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Drain pasta and add to the soup; heat through. Approximately 10 servings.

QUICK AND EASY TEXAS HILL COUNTRY CABBAGE SOUP

• 1 1/2 cups shredded green cabbage
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tbsps chopped onion
• 1/4 tsp caraway seeds
• 2 tbsps butter or margarine
• 1 can (10 3.4 oz) condensed cream of potato soup
• Generous dash fresh ground black pepper
• 1 soup can of milk

In a saucepan, cook cabbage, water, and onion with caraway seeds in melted butter until tender, about 10 minutes. Add soup and pepper. Mix well. Pour cabbage mixture into electric blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Return the mixture to the saucepan and gradually add in milk. Heat and stir occasionally. Thin to desired consistency by adding more milk if desired. Garnish with fresh parsley.

For more of Linda's recipes and diabetic information go to http://diabeticenjoyingfood.squarespace.com For more of her quick, easy recipes visit her blog at http://grandmasquickfixrecipes.blogspot.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Linda_Carol_Wilson

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Soups And Starters - Creative Meals With Little Work

Soup is my favorite if I know tomorrow I won’t have much time to cook. Lots of soup recipes are done really quickly. You can use anything to put in. Make sure it contains lots of veggies to give you those essential vitamins and minerals your body needs, but you can also add meat or sausages. I also sometimes put rice or soup noodles in instead of potatoes. Dumplings are also a great “additive” but usually a bit time consuming to make. Preparing lots of them in advance and then deep freezing them until you want to use them could be an option. You can also cut those left-over pancakes and put them in the soup.

Soups are great left-over users and the sky is the limit for your creativity. You can make hundreds of soups without repeating yourself. That is what makes them so great. Another big plus: Most soups can be prepared in advance and either stored in the fridge or deep freezer. When you then need them, you just need to defrost them or heat them up. If a certain soup requires a bit more work, cook enough for two meals and then deep freeze half of it for later.

A very basic but yet delicious and filling soup is this one: 1 ¼ liter of chicken or vegetable stock plus 750-1000g of vegetables cut into small pieces. Remember that vegetables like mushrooms or marrows are usually done quicker than hard veggies like potatoes and carrots, so if you mix them cut the quicker ones into bigger and the ones that take longer into a bit smaller pieces. It takes you just a few minutes to prepare the stock if you boil the water with the kettle, and the veggies are soft after about 15-20 minutes of simmering in the stock. If you like it hearty, you can add some sausages or meat balls to the soup 5-10 minutes before it’s done. They just need to warm up. If you cook them too long, they will just lose their taste. Season with spices of your choice. Serves 4.

Yes, you can also use soups as starters. If you don’t have much time, you most likely won’t have a starter. But maybe it’s a special day and you would like one. That’s why soups are great. You can prepare it some time in advance and then deepfreeze it until you need it. There you got a starter without hassle. But there are also lots of other starters that you can prepare quickly.

After all, if you safe one hour or more on preparing the main course, why not spoiling yourself with a three-course meal? Starter, main meal, dessert - all done in the time you used to work just for an ordinary supper. How does that sound? It is possible! If you consider that you spend easily one and a half hours in the kitchen for making supper, just imagine what your magic hands could create if you had a starter, dinner and dessert recipe that just take half an hour each, for the most! That’s why there are soup, starter and dessert recipes here...

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Tips For Quick Cooking - Meal And Food Ideas For Times When You Have To Cook In A Hurry

Sometimes we have plenty of time, but there are also days where we don’t have a clue when we should still prepare a meal. These days when you come home in the afternoon, then you rush through the supermarket because you have to buy groceries, and six o’clock supper must be ready because your husband still needs to go out. Does that sound familiar?

Well, there are some ways. Some meals just simply go quicker than others. I always have a few “quick meals as a back up” on my list, just in case something happens and I must make food in less than an hour.

Here are some general ideas of how to safe time when cooking. Feel welcome to also check my article “Foods that go quick”!

Salads
There is no better thing on a hot summer day than a tasty salad. Not that boring plain green salad with oil and vinegar but a nice colorful salad with different ingredients. You can add different types of fruit to the green salad if you like it sweetish. Or cut cucumber, red and yellow pepper and cheese or feta cheese into small pieces and add it. You could also mix boiled eggs, tomatoes and mozzarella (all cut into pieces, of course) with your green salad.

For the sauce, you can, for example, mix plain yoghurt with your favourite spices, a little oil and good vinegar, or use smooth cottage cheese that you liquidize with some milk instead.

Maybe you can even think of something without green salad in. Like rice or noodle salad. Whilst your rice or noodles cook, you can prepare the other ingredients. Then you just mix everything, and voilà! These salads can usually be kept for a few days in the fridge so you can make them early in the day or even the day before.

Soups
Many soups are an excellent dish when you don’t have much time. My basic recipe for four people is:

1. Boil 1 ¼ liter of water with the kettle and prepare some chicken or vegetable stock.
2. Keep hot on the stove in a closed pot.
3. In the meantime, cut 750-1000g of vegetables into small pieces. Vegetables that shrink a lot (like mushrooms or marrows) are usually done quicker than hard veggies like potatoes and carrots, so if you mix them cut the shrinking ones into bigger and the hard ones into a bit smaller pieces.
4. Add the veggies to the stock and simmer for about 15-20 minutes until the veggies are soft.
5. If you like it hearty, you can add some sausages or meat balls to the soup 5-10 minutes before it’s done. They just need to warm up. If you cook them too long, they will just lose their taste.
6. Season with spices of your choice and serve.

There are some things that I just love about soups and that makes them really great: They are done really quick. You can use anything to put in. Make sure it contains lots of veggies, but you can also add meat or sausages. Soups are great left-over users and the sky is the limit for your creativity. You can make hundreds of soups without repeating yourself. Most soups you can prepare in advance, store them in the fridge or deep freeze them. When you then need them, you just need to heat them up. Soup is my no. 1 recipe if I know that day I won’t have much time to cook.

Boiled eggs
Instead of putting the eggs in boiling water and cook them according to your taste, try this:

1. Put them in a pot and add about a cm of cold water.
2. Close the lid and bring to boil.
3. From the moment the water starts boiling cook the eggs the same time like you used to.

It will go quicker because it is only half the amount of water and therefore boils quicker. It will safe energy, too.

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