Soups

Caldo Verde (Portuguese sausage and greens soup)
Anything this green and garlicky has to be good for you!

4 c. shredded cabbage
4 c. spinach, coarsely chopped
4 potatoes, cubed
½ c. chopped parsley
¼ c. olive oil
2 Spanish onions, coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 quarts water (or more, if needed)
1 Tbsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper
1 lb. linguiça or Italian dry sausage, cut into large chunks

1. Put all the ingredients together in a pot and cook for about an hour.

2. Remove the meat and blend the soup.

3. Cut up the meat and return to soup.

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Grandma's Chicken Liver Ball Soup
Mom writes: "When I was growing up chicken was a very special dinner. When anyone got sick the first thing my mother did was call the butcher and have him deliver a chicken (yes, they did that then -- and on credit, too). This was her get well chicken soup."

4 qts. simmering chicken soup stock with rice or egg noodles

Chop fine in blender or food processor:
1 chicken liver
2 eggs

Add ½ c. fresh parsley and chop again.

Pour into the lever mixture into a bowl and add:
2 Tbsp. finely chopped onion
1 c. bread crumbs
½ Tbsp. thyme
salt and pepper to taste
8 oz. low fat breakfast sausage meat

Mix well; knead and roll into balls and drop into the boiling soup. Thin with more broth if necessary.

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Lisa's Split Pea Soup
This recipe came with a bodacious ham we got when we were living in Chicago.

2 ¼ c. green & yellow split peas, rinsed
8 c. cold chicken broth
1 meaty ham bone
¼ tsp. thyme, crushed
¼ tsp. marjoram
1-2 cloves of garlic, creamed
¼ tsp. white pepper
1 med. onion, chopped
2-3 med. potatoes, peeled & diced
1 c. diced ham

1. In a dutch oven, combine: peas, broth, ham bone, thyme, marjoram, garlic, onion, potatoes & pepper.

2. Bring to a boil; reduce heat then cover & simmer for 1 hour, stirring every 15 min.

3. Remove ham bone, let the bone cool. Take off remaining meat and cut in bite size pieces. Add back to soup. Discard bone.

Add to soup:
1 c. diced ham
2 med. carrots, sliced thick
2 celery stalks with leaves, chopped
1/8 c. chopped parsley

Simmer for another 30 to 40 minutes, add salt & pepper to taste and garnish with croutons.

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Rosa Elena's Vermicelli Soup
Another great recipe from our neighbor!

1. Boil 3 lbs. of chuck (cut up into small cubes) until tender in 3 qts. water and 1 Tbsp. salt.

2. Fry a sliced onion, then add minced garlic and add 2 8 oz cans tomato sauce to the beef and its broth.

3. Break up 8 oz. of fidelio or vermicelli noodles and fry until golden brown and drain on a paper towel.

4. Add onion mixture to the soup, boil for 20 min., add the noodles and cook until the noodles are tender.

5. Top with fresh, chopped cilantro and pepper to taste.

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Mom's Zucchini Soup
Mom writes: "I cooked a dinner for Mrs. Wakefield (of Toll House cookie fame) and served this iced before the main course. She called long distance from Massachusetts -- she couldn't guess what was in it, could she have the recipe! I was thrilled!"

1. Cut up and cook 2 lbs of zucchini in about 4 cups water until tender.

2. Sauté 1 cut up onion in butter until tender & golden.

3. Place zucchini and cooking water in blender with onion and blend until pureed.

4. Add ½ can evaporated milk and thin with more water to nice consistency.

5. Season with salt & pepper to taste.

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