Hearty Vegetable Chowder, Split Pea Soup

One the way back from the cabin this week, we stopped in Rupert, Idaho to visit with Tammy, the gal Scott was able to donate bone marrow for five years ago. She was busy coordinating a big fundraising Christmas tree event for the hospital where she works. It's amazing to see how well she is doing. As a side note, we asked a friend of hers (Cathy) if she knew a good place we could buy some of those famous potatoes. It just so happened that her husband owns the local packing shed. She sent us right over; and it was just a couple miles away. We were loaded up with 100#, and so wished we would have had them to share with the fam at Thanksgiving. One 50# box contains only about 40 potatoes. The first night home we baked of those huge guys, and are still working on using them up. We were so blessed for the visit. When we went to pay, the guy told us: "Cathy said your money is not any good here." This recipe was in my email from Blendtec, so tried it with some of just one of the leftover potatoes. YUM!

Hearty Vegetable Chowder
"Warm up during the holiday season with this chunky vegetarian chowder that will provide you the comfort of a cream soup without all the calories."

1 T. butter
1 garlic clove, quartered
1/2 medium onion, roughly chopped
2 c. frozen corn kernels, divided
2 c. vegetable broth
1/8 t. ground white pepper
1/4 t. kosher or sea salt
1/4 t. fennel seeds
1/2 t. chili powder
1 c. steamed, carrot coins
1 c. red potato, baked, diced [or one part of a huge Idaho potato...]

Add butter to a 3-quart saucepan and sauté onion and garlic until tender. Add broth, 1 cup frozen corn, pepper, salt, fennel seeds, and chili powder and bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Add soup to the FourSide or WildSide jar and secure lid. Select “Soup” setting. Transfer soup back to the saucepan and add remaining ingredients. Heat through and until corn is tender.

note by Dee: this was a little too spicy for Ian and I. I'd put less white pepper and chili powder next time. The other notes are from Blendtec.


VARIATIONS
•To make the recipe vegan, substitute coconut oil for the butter •Garnish with a sprinkle of brown sugar •Garnish with bacon

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION
Servings 4
Serving Size 1 c
Calories 152
Fat 3.5 g
Saturated Fat 2 g
Cholesterol 8 mg
Sodium 673 mg
Carbohydrates 29 g
Fiber 3 g
Sugar 8 g
Protein 4 g

similar recipe (called Parker's Split Pea Soup) & pic from here

Here's another old family classic (I didn't say favorite, as our guys would rebel). 

Scott, Ian and I really like it, but I think I remember that each of the older boys don't.

Thick, warm soups are the best when it's cold! Maybe sometime I'll go back and keyboard more recipes in, but for now it's time to go pick up Ian!

Crock Pot adjustments: Decrease water to 7 c., increase peas to 1-1/2 c.

by Dee, wife of Barbara's son Scott

Gingery Vegetable Stock w/ Tofu & Noodles

link

I tried this recipe yesterday off of a "Kitchen Basics" unsalted vegetable stock and it was sooo good--enough to share! 

Gingery Vegetable Stock w/ Tofu & Noodles
4 c. stock
1 T. canola oil
8 oz. cremini mushrooms, finely chopped
2 large carrots, finely chopped
2 ribs celery, finely chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
6 large cloves garlic, minced
2 T. fresh ginger, finely chopped
1 c. snow peas, cut into julienne strips
4 oz. thin soba noodles, broken in half
8 oz. baked smoked tofu, cut into 1/4" cubes
4 scallions, thinly sliced on the diagonal
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat the oil in a large saucepan or dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, and ginger and cook, stirring often, for 10 minutes or until the veggies are lightly browned. Add the stock and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer 45 minutes, adding the snow peas during the last 3 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the soba noodles according to package instructions. Drain and set aside. Stir the tofu, noodles, and scallions into the stock and simmer 3 minutes or until heated through.

There's a lot of smoked tofu recipes--I used this one because it was and it worked!

 I fried some of mine (PAM) and baked other in my toaster oven!

Smofu Smoked Baked Tofu 
* 1 to 1 1/2 lb. extra-firm tofu
* 3/4 to 1 cup water
* 1/4 cup dark Superior brand mushroom soy sauce (or reg. soy sauce if unavailable)
* 2 tablespoon maple syrup or organic molasses
* 1 teaspoon hickory liquid smoke

* Slice tofu about 1/3-inch thick lengthwise (or into triangles if serving as an appetizer/snack) Mix the rest of the ingredients in a plastic container with tight lid in which you can soak all of the tofu slices in
this marinade sauce. Marinade the tofu slices for 24 hours in refrigerator.
* Bake drained marinated tofu slices on an oiled cookie sheets for 10- 12 minutes in 400 F oven. Flip and bake the other side about another 10-12 minutes.
* Let them cool before using if using for sushi. Otherwise enjoy! Good to eat hot or cold. :)

by Karen, Barbara's daughter

Grilled Pizza, Garlic Fries

Brenda grilling pizza on her deck in Wisconsin.

Grilled Pizza

Brush dough with olive oil. Grill until done, oil then flip and top with roasted peppers, sautéed onions, bushrooms, olives, pepperoni, cheese and pizza sauce.

Garlic Fries

Cut potatoes into fries. Cook under broiler until brown. Flip, and brown other side. Remove from oven. In large skillet, melt butter and add minced garlic. Toss and head with fries, Sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley.

click on any of these images to view a larger image

by Brenda, Barbara's daughter