Anna Sultana's Minestrone with Garlic Croutons and Garden Soup / Christmases Past by Margaret Ullrich

Minestrone

In only a couple of days it will be 2022.
Another year is coming to a close, with its good and bad.
True, Covid-19 and its newest variant - with the potential for more variants - haven’t gone away.
But we have vaccines, we’re doing all we can to prevent the spread, and it will eventually run its course, just like other pandemics have.
So, on to 2022! We can do it!!

Along with our health, Covid-19 has been affecting the supply chains of just about everything.
When we couldn’t find old favourites, or even staples, on the shelves in our grocer’s, we’ve had to make some changes in our usual menu plans.
There’s been talk of food prices going up even more in 2022.

Sounds like it’s time to pull out the soup recipes.
Soup give us a chance to use up every bit of our vegetables, along with getting us extra value from the occasional roast's bone.
It’s like getting two meals for the price of one, or two half-price meals.
Either way you prefer to look at soup, it’s a budget’s best friend.


Italians and Maltese have been making minestrone for centuries.
As a result there are many variations, such as:

Rice and Pea Minestrone
Substitute chicken broth for beef broth.

Add 20 ounces frozen peas
.
Substitute 1/2 Cup white rice for the macaroni.

Minestrone con Carne
When you’re cooking the onion add
1/2 pound ground beef
Cook until the meat is browned.

Another good soup is Escarole and Little Meatballs Soup - Minestra.

If you’d like to serve a soup as a first course with a non-Italian meal then the Garden Soup recipe would be perfect.

Wishing you health, peace, joy and everything good in 2022!


Hints:

About the Minestrone…
If you have a bit more time and a bag of dried chick peas you can use them.
Place in a bowl
1 Cup dried chick peas
enough cold water to cover by 2 inches
Let stand for 4 hours, or overnight, in the refrigerator.
If the chick peas appear above water level, add more water.

Drain the chick peas and place them in a pot with fresh water to cover by 1/2 inch.
Over low heat, bring to a simmer.
Cover the pot and simmer about 1 hour.
If the chick peas appear above water level, add more water.
When the chick peas are soft, drain and use as canned.


About the Garden Soup…
Don’t have a ham bone? You can use beef, lamb or poultry bones.
In a rush? Store-bought broth would do nicely.

If you prefer, you can leave out the salt pork or bacon and use 3 Tablespoons oil.
Instead of fresh spinach you can use thawed frozen spinach.
If you have fresh, use a few leaves each of mint, marjoram, basil, rosemary, and thyme.
Instead of the green or wax beans you can substitute fresh shell beans or 1/2 Cup dried navy beans prepared as you would the chick peas.



                                                               Minestrone and Garlic Croutons

Serves 8 to 12

Chop

1 medium yellow onion

Slice
1 Cup celery
1 Cup carrots
1 Cup zucchini

Finely shred
2 Cups cabbage

Drain and rinse
1 (1 pound 4 ounce) can chick peas


Place in a Dutch oven

2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 Tablespoon garlic powder
1/4 Cup dried parsley
the chopped onion
Cook, stirring frequently, over low heat, until the onion is soft but not brown.

Add
4 Cups beef broth
1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
the sliced celery and carrots
the shredded cabbage
the prepared chick peas
1 teaspoon dried basil, sage or oregano
Cover and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.
Add
1 Cup elbow macaroni
the sliced zucchini
Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 12 minutes or until the macaroni is tender.
Season with salt and pepper
Ladle into soup bowls.
Top with
the garlic croutons
grated Parmesan or Romano cheese

Some crusty bread and a salad would round out the meal nicely.

Garlic Croutons

Cut into cubes
8 to 12 thick slices Italian bread
Place on a cookie sheet
Toast in a 300ºF oven until the cubes are dry but not browned.
Place in a skillet
1/4 Cup olive oil
1 teaspoon garlic powder
the toasted cubes
Heat and stir until they are golden brown.


                                                               Garden Soup

4 to 6 servings

Chop
2 onions
3 stalks celery
1/2 pound fresh spinach or other greens

Peel and dice
2 carrots

Put in a large stockpot
1 ham bone
Cover with water, and simmer over medium heat for 1 hour.

While the bone is simmering, place in a frying pan
1/4 Cup chopped salt pork or bacon
Cook over low heat until the fat is released.
Add
1 clove garlic, minced
several sprigs parsley
the chopped onions and celery
the diced carrots
Sauté lightly, without browning.

Remove the ham bone from the pot and skim any fat from the broth.
Cut off any bits of meat from the ham bone and return them to the pot.
Add the onion and carrot mixture to the broth and simmer for 1 hour.
Add
1 Cup green or wax beans, frozen or fresh
1 teaspoon basil
1 teaspoon rosemary
1 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon mint
1/2 teaspoon marjoram
4 large tomatoes, peeled and diced
the prepared spinach or other greens
1 Cup pureed winter squash or pumpkin
Simmer for 30 minutes.
Season with
salt and pepper
Taste and adjust seasoning
Serve hot, with a sprinkling of grated cheese.

                                                            ~~~

This was a holiday piece I wrote a few years ago for the CKUW radio show ‘2000 & Counting’ when we decided to chat about past Christmases… both good and bad.

I wish you all a very happy holiday season full of peace, health, joy and love.
And, of course, favourite foods.
Let's not forget television specials and Christmas music.

For those who don't know the story, the Christmas carol Silent Night was written in the nineteenth century because of a problem.      
In a small Austrian church the organ was broken and couldn't be repaired in time for the Christmas Eve Mass. So, in a couple of hours, Joseph Mohr and Franz Gruber created a simple song that could be played on the guitar.
It was called the song from heaven.
      
On Christmas Eve in 1914, the German soldiers singing Silent Night brought a touch of humanity to World War l. The British soldiers responded with another carol, The First Noel. For a few hours, peace returned, thanks to music.


The first year I was on the CKUW radio show 2000 & Counting, Older and Wiser I prerecorded our two holiday shows. That year the holidays occurred on Tuesday, the day we usually broadcasted, and we wanted to be home.
I taped each person telling a story and their favourite Christmas carol recording.
The segments filled the two hours easily.

Normally we did our shows live and, as our listeners knew, we did make mistakes. 
With prerecording, we were able to edit them. We sounded pretty good.

      
Maybe that's the problem with modern life.
We hear recordings and see shows that have had dozens of retakes.
Sometimes they show the bloopers.
It's pretty funny to see that even big stars make mistakes.
But, most of the time, all we only see a smoothly running show where everyone always says the right thing, the dinner is cooked to perfection and all problems are resolved with everybody hugging each other within a half an hour.

It can leave one feeling like he's been cheated or that he should try harder.


The first Christmas was a stinker.  Being in a big city with no available rooms is not fun. Add to that Mary was about to have her first baby in a barn with just a carpenter there to help.
I don't think any Christmas has ever gone according to plan.
And maybe Christmas just isn't supposed to be perfect.


A first Christmas away from all that's familiar can be rough.
Our first married Christmas was a big change.
Paul and I are originally from New York City.  Tons of people.
I came from a huge family - a first generation immigrant family.
My parents and their siblings couldn't get enough of each other.     
But, there we were in 1972, all alone in Surrey, British Columbia.
The two of us in a basement apartment watching Perry Como's Christmas Special.
It was something from home for us.
This was in the days before Skype. We hadn't seen our relatives for six months.    
When we watched Perry Como, it was good to know our folks were watching it, too.
For an hour, we were all together.
Then we went to bed for a long winter's nap.
     
The next morning we awoke hearing our puppy happily yelping and splashing in water.
No, he wasn't in a basin or a tub.
     
Surrey in those days was very rural. 
There were open drainage ditches running along the lengths of the residential blocks. The ditch in front of our house had gotten plugged. The rain had soaked our lawn and was seeping through three walls of our apartment. We were rapidly being flooded.

We piled things onto our bed.
The folks upstairs helped us carry everything else into their apartment.
Within a half hour water covered about two feet of our first Christmas tree.
We were safe and dry upstairs, sharing a cup of coffee.
Then we heard our phone ringing.
My folks had said they would call on Christmas Day.
If we didn't answer they phone, they would worry.
This was in the days before cell phones.
Our only phone was on the table in our apartment.
Our flooded apartment.

We braved the icy water and the risk of electrocution to answer the phone.
We wished my folks a Merry Christmas.
Keeping our teeth from chattering, we made small talk.
No mention of of our apartment suddenly becoming a wading pool.
What would've been the point of worrying them?


Living in British Columbia is just a memory.   
Perry Como's Christmas Specials are just a memory.
My parents, also, are just a memory.
But thanks to memories, we can enjoy a Christmas from the past.


During the holidays people often feel a bit down.
If this is your first Christmas after a major loss or change, be gentle with yourself.
Forget 'the rules'. Do what will make it easier for you.

It won't be perfect.
So what?
It will be real… another Christmas memory.

Anna Sultana’s Pasta Fagioli / A Christmas Bargain by Margaret Ullrich

December begins tomorrow.
The holiday season has begun, but it’s pretty much going to be same old, same old.
We’re in the fourth wave of Covid-19, the Delta variant is highly contagious, and the Omicron variant is just hitting North America.
You know the drill: get vaccinated, wear a mask, avoid crowds, practice social distancing, and wash your hands.
Stay safe and well.
We’re all in this together.

A bit of Covid-19 trivia…
When the World Health Organization began naming the variants, officials turned to the Greek alphabet to make it easier for the public to understand the evolution: Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta and so on.

The WHO said it had skipped to Omicron because Nu was too easily confused with ‘new’, and Xi is a common surname. The WHO wants to avoid causing offense to any cultural, social, national, regional, professional or ethnic groups.
Now you know.


Sometimes comfort food can help get one through times like this.
A traditional Italian comfort food is pasta fagioli.

A few years ago I posted Carmela Soprano's Pasta Fagioli recipe.
Pasta Fagioli is not as famous as minestrone.
While similar, Pasta Fagioli is basically, as the name says, pasta and beans, while minestrone includes a variety of vegetables.
Pasta Fagioli is also thicker and more stew-like than minestrone is.
It’s a simple, cheap recipe that got many Italians through hard times.
Whether you’re Italian or not, it could get you through hard times, too.

When Ma lived in Malta her original recipe called for cannellini beans and ditalini pasta.
Cannellini  are small, delicately flavoured white beans, similar to great northern beans, navy beans or white kidney beans.
Ditalini means ‘little thimbles’ because the small pasta resembles the small sewing aids.
We lived in College Point, a German / Irish town.
Ma couldn’t find cannellini beans and ditalini pasta in the A & P.
But she did find white kidney beans and elbow macaroni, so she used them.
It was the 1950s and she didn’t want to cause any trouble.


Hints:

If you have a bag of dried beans, the Carmela Soprano's Pasta Fagioli post also has instruction on how to prepare them. It will take a bit of time.

If you have pancetta or ham on hand you could substitute 2 slices of either, finely chopped, for the bacon.
If you're a vegetarian, you can leave the meat out.

Al dente means the pasta is tender yet still firm to the bite.

The soup can be frozen, either in a large batch or in portions, for up to 3 months.
Defrost the soup overnight in the fridge and use within 24 hours of defrosting.


                                                               Pasta Fagioli

Serves 8

Chop
4 slices bacon
2 Cups yellow onions

Finely dice
2 Cups carrots
1 Cup celery

Place in a Dutch oven
1/4 Cup olive oil
the chopped bacon
Cook, stirring frequently, over medium heat, until the bacon is just crisp, about 5 minutes.
Using a slotted spoon, remove the bacon to a bowl and set aside.

Place in the same dutch oven
the chopped yellow onions
Stirring frequently, cook over medium high heat, about 2 minutes.
Add
the diced carrots and celery
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Cook, stirring frequently, over moderate heat, about 7 minutes.
Add
1 to 3 Tablespoons garlic powder
Cook, stirring frequently, over medium high heat, 30 seconds.
Add
1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
1 teaspoon dried thyme
Over low heat, stirring occasionally, simmer about 5 minutes.

While the soup is simmering, drain and rinse
4 (15 oz.) cans white kidney beans
Mash about 1/2 cup of the beans well and stir them into the soup.

Add
the remaining beans
8 Cups chicken stock
2 Cups water
Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
Add
3 Cups elbow macaroni
the fried bacon
Continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is al dente, 8–10 minutes.

If the soup seems too thick, add hot water.
Taste and adjust seasoning.
Serve in bowls.
Add a grating of Romano or Parmesan cheese and a drizzle of olive oil.
Some crusty bread and a salad would round out the meal nicely.

                                            ~~~~

Back in November, 2002, I wrote an essay for the CKUW radio show ‘2000 & Counting' about getting Christmas gifts.  
It was a meant as a light piece, filled with hints.
Many of our listeners were seniors or college students, folks known for having to stretch their dollars.
Now, along with Covid-19 and its variants making us nervous about going to crowded places, we’re facing problems in the supply chain.
Christmas shopping never gets any easier.  Darn!!


Okay… listen up! There are four weeks left until Christmas. That means gifts. I know, I know, it's more blessed to give than to receive. But, unless you have ways of shopping that you'd like to keep secret, giving gifts means money.  

It's a little late to start a Christmas gift account at your bank and the utility companies really lose that Ho Ho Ho spirit if you try to skip paying their bills. 
 
If the charge cards are already maxed out - or you just want to keep your nearest and dearest on a cash and carry basis - gift getting is going to take a little effort.  

Desperate times call for desperate measures. As we're all stuck with holidays - oh, lucky us - I'll tell you some of my desperate measures.

Live off your hump. You know what I mean. Things like the 18 cans of tuna you have left from the time you bought 20 cans so you could get 50 bonus airmiles. Now's the time to crack those babies open. I know the family hates tuna. That's why there are 18 little cans of fishies swimming around your pantry.
Well, the family would hate a Giftless Christmas even more.
Think about it. Lousy dinners happen to everybody. But the family Grinch who comes up giftless at Christmas gets blabbed about throughout the neighbourhood and the generations.
You don't want to be remembered by your great-great-grandchildren as Granny Grinchie.

Try creative cooking. Pretend you're on the TV show Iron Chef. You've just been given a tube of ground beef, a bag of marshmallows, a jar of salsa, a bottle of raspberry vinegar, a carton of frozen spinach, a jar of maraschino cherries and a box of rice-a-roni. Think only a nut throws odd things together? How do you think raspberry vinegar was invented?
If the family gets snarky, tell them you found the recipe in a magazine. Drop names. Martha is always good, and if they can't appreciate all the effort you put into making dinner interesting… Well!
You know the speech.
Remember, guilt, when the other person has it, is a good thing.

Go ethnic. Granny's recipes don't have to be saved for Folklorama. God bless family. Go to an Italian restaurant and get a load of the prices they charge for a plate of Pasta Fagioli. That's two cheapies: noodles and beans! Grandma would die laughing if she saw those prices. Starch and beans got millions of people through tough times. Go thou and eat likewise.
  
Beans aren't good enough? Go past the recognizable cuts and shop the mystery meats. Put enough spices on them and the family won't know what hit them. I once made spaghetti and meatballs using animal organs only a mother could love. Guess what? Hubby had invited a friend. Well, the buddy was getting a free meal, so I followed the Cook’s Golden Rule: Don't apologize and don't explain.
The buddy said it was delicious, like the meatballs they serve at the Bay.
Hmmm… I notice the Bay is still in business. There's more than one way to skin a cat.   
  
Shop your house. No kidding. Grab a bag and stroll through your house. Look for things somebody foisted… uh… gave to you. Well, why should you be stuck with it until you're six feet under? Unless it was made by your preschooler - don't even think it, they DO remember - you're free to pass it on to someone else.
Just don't give it to the person who gave it to you.
   
Pack your own. Ever notice the little overpriced goodies the stores stuff into baskets and bowls? One current gift item is a box of pasta, a tin of sauce, some cheese and some wooden spoons nestled within a large bowl.
Are you too stupid to do the same thing? I didn’t think so. It's one way to get rid of some of those extra airmiles purchases. Let somebody else eat the tuna.


Still thinking about the folks in the flyers looking wildly happy over a toaster? 
Toss the flyers. Those models were paid big bucks. Stores want you to buy. A stress-free family holiday is not their goal. If they had their way you'd replace everything and pay 50% interest.
     
Remember how the best presents were things that showed that someone cared? Maybe somebody hunted down an out-of-print book by your favourite author. 
The gadgets that looked amazing seem strange on December 26.  
     

While you're shopping, get yourself some treats. 
I have a friend who picks up a bag of pfeffernusse cookies every year. When she feels like all she's doing is giving, giving, giving, she pops a pfeffernusse and gives herself an old time Christmas. It doesn't take much.     

God bless us, everyone.

Anna Sultana’s East Coast Seafood Chowder & Bacon Cauliflower Chowder / Full Worm Moon

On Tuesday we were thrilled to be walking on snow-free concrete.

We were sure that Spring was just a few days away.

Manitoba Merv had promised us an early Spring.

He couldn't lie to his fellow citizens.

Yeah, well, this is Manitoba, and it’s never wise to put away the snow shovels until the middle of May.

On Wednesday afternoon it started snowing, the heavy wet type, and by Thursday morning we had received another 10 to 13 cm of fresh snow.

We were not amused.

I packed away the light, Spring type recipes and made a pot of chowder.

As a kid growing up in Queens, New York I loved Manhattan Clam Chowder.

I had first tried it in the restaurant at Jones Beach.

It was served with a small bag of little round crackers and was much better than the soup one got from the Campbell soup can.

I have no idea why either item was called a chowder.

Soup is a rather light weight thing, made by adding meat and/or vegetables to a liquid, such as water or stock. 

A chowder is a creamy soup that can be almost as thick as a stew.

Like a soup, chowder can be seafood or vegetable, such as corn or potato chowder.

But, unlike a soup, the liquid is thickened with potatoes, cornstarch or flour.

Manhattan Clam Chowder is definitely not thickened.

False advertising, for sure.

About Monday’s full moon, the Full Worm Moon...

Not one of the nicest names for a full moon, but it got stuck with that name because the ground is thawing and earthworm casts are appearing, attracting robins.

U. S. tribes called it the Full Crow Moon, since the cawing of crows announced the end of winter, while other folks, mostly in the east, called it the Full Sap Moon, since it was time to start tapping maple trees. 

In Manitoba natives knew they’d still have snow and called it the Full Crust Moon, since the snow thawed during the day and froze at night, becoming crusted.

The European settlers called it the Lenten Moon, since it usually happened after Lent had begun, and it was considered the last full Moon of winter.

On March 9 and on April 7 we’ll be having very large full moons, known as super moons, which will appear about 14% larger and 30% brighter than a normal full moon.

April's supermoon will be the bigger of the two, since the moon will be at its closest point to Earth.

Hopefully the snow will be gone by then.

Hints:

Starchy russet potatoes release the starch into the chowder and thicken it. 

Red potatoes and Yukon golds aren’t as starchy, but will do if that’s what you have. 

About the fish… a mix of salmon, halibut and cod makes a nice blend.

If you only have one or two of them, that’s fine.

Just don’t use something like sole - it will disappear into the creamy base.

Relax about the amount of seafood you're adding. The recipe is just an estimate. 

A chowder is just a type of soup, not a cake.

If you want to get a bit fancy you could replace some of the fish with lobster tails.

Add with the shrimp, clams and mussels.

About the cauliflower chowder…

You can leave the bacon out and replace it with 4 Tablespoons olive oil.

                        East Coast Seafood Chowder 

Dice 

1/2 Cup celery

1/2 Cup onions

3/4 Cup potatoes

Place in a large pot

1 Tablespoon butter

Melt butter over low heat.

Add the diced celery and onions.

Sauté for about 5 minutes, or until onions start to brown.

Stir in to form a thin paste

2 teaspoons cornstarch

Stir in

1/2 Cup heavy cream

2 Cups milk

Simmer over low heat for 5 minutes.

Add

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon salt 

1/4 teaspoon pepper  

the diced potatoes

Cook until the potatoes are almost tender.

While the potatoes are cooking cut about 12 ounces of fish into spoon-sized chunks. (see hints)

Place in another large pot 

2 Tablespoons butter

Melt butter over medium heat.

Add the fish chunks.

Cook until fish is opaque and flakes easily with a fork.

Add

6 shrimp

1/4 C shelled clams 

box of mussels in wine, undrained

Once the mussels have opened (discard any that did not open), transfer the seafood into the chowder base.

Simmer 3 minutes.

Ladle into bowls.

Place dill and a dab of butter on each serving (optional).

Serve with crusty rolls or bread.

                        Bacon Cauliflower Chowder

Chop 

1 medium yellow onion

2 medium carrots, peeled

2 stalks celery

Cut into 1" pieces

4 slices bacon

Mince

2 cloves garlic

Place in a large pot

the bacon pieces

Cook over medium heat, until crispy.

Remove the bacon and drain all but 3 tablespoons of fat from the large pot.

Add to the large pot the onion, carrots, and celery.

Season with salt and pepper.

Cook the vegetables until soft, about 5 minutes. 

Add the minced garlic and cook 1 minute. 

Add

2 Tablespoons flour

Stir in to form a thin paste, and cook about 2 minutes more. 

Add 

the chopped cauliflower

1 teaspoon dried thyme

4 Cups vegetable broth

1 Cup whole milk

1/2 Cup heavy cream

Bring to a boil.

Reduce heat and simmer until the cauliflower is tender, about 15 minutes. 

Season with salt and pepper.

Garnish with the cooked bacon pieces before serving.

Ladle into bowls and serve with crusty rolls or bread.

Anna Sultana's Brodu tat-Tigiega - Chicken Broth, Maltese Style

We've been told - Get the shot, not the flu.

And most of us have done that.

But it is Autumn in Winnipeg.

Which, temperature-wise, is a lot like Winter in many other places.

Because it's colder people stay indoors more.

Germs are indoors more.

Indoors is now the perfect place for catching a cold, or the flu.

When we lived in New York, chicken soup was called Jewish penicillin.

Well, that chicken soup recipe wasn't just prepared by good Jewish Mamas.

Maltese Mamas made it, too.

And so can you.

Hints:

The stewed hen can be served as a main course.

You can also cut a few slices of breast and dice them to add to the broth.

Tiny pasta takes about 7 minutes, rice takes about 15 minutes to cook.

Have a ham hock instead of a stewing hen?

No problem.

That's perfect for making Ma's Split Pea Soup.

                        Brodu tat-Tiġieġa

Chop into roughly the same spoon-sized chunks

1 large carrot

1 onion

1 celery stalk

2 potatoes

Rinse

1 stewing hen

Set aside the liver and the heart.

In a large pot place

the cleaned hen

the chopped vegetables

Add

8 Cups water

1 bouillon cube

the hen's liver and heart

Simmer until the hen is cooked, about 2 to 2 1/2 hours.

Remove the hen.

Add

1 teaspoon tomato paste

3 Tablespoons rice or small pasta (stars are nice)

Simmer until the pasta or rice is cooked.

Serve with a hug.

Carmela Soprano's Pasta e Patate - Pasta and Potatoes

Those were three very nice recipes for Valentine's Day.

But we're still in the middle of winter.

And sometimes nothing hits the spot like a big plate of carbs.

In Artie's The Sopranos Family Cookbook, Junior's chapter, The Soprano Family Tradition, is my go to chapter for memory meals.

When a family is right off the boat there are so many things that have to be bought.

Clothes, bedding, furniture, utensils…

I mean, you can only pack so much.

What you might have had in the old country has to be replaced.

Whether the first home is a walk-up tenement flat or a fixer upper, folks get hungry.

Pasta e Patate - Pasta and Potatoes - whatever you call it, hits the spot.

For extra fibre, don't peel the potatoes.

Pancetta, bacon, sausages - or no meat at all - it's all good.

                        Pasta e Patate

Serves 6

Chop

2 thick slices pancetta or 4 slices bacon

1 small carrot, peeled

1 small celery rib

1 medium onion

Pour into a dutch oven

2 Tablespoons olive oil

Add

the chopped meat and vegetables

1 garlic clove, very finely chopped

2 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (1 Tablespoon dried)

Cook over medium heat until the vegetables are tender.

Stir in

1 Tablespoon tomato paste

salt and pepper to taste

Add

1 1/2 pounds red (boiling) potatoes, peeled and diced

6 Cups water

Simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 30 minutes.

Add

12 ounces small elbow macaroni or other small pasta

2 Cups boiling water

Cook, stirring often, until the pasta is tender.

If needed, add more water.

Stir in

1/2 Cup grated Romano or Parmesan cheese

Serve immediately.

Would I make Pasta e Patate again?

Of course.

It's still winter in Manitoba.

And I never was a fan of the no-carb diets.

One recipe down.  Forty-four more to go.

Carmela Soprano's Homemade Chicken Soup with Orzo

Paulie had a point about soup warming collective cockles.

I mean, it is January.

Another nice thing about soup is it is a budget stretcher.

Like I said, it is January. 

My Ma usually balked at the prices charged for chicken breasts, legs and thighs.

So she'd buy whole chickens and cut and cook the pieces she wanted.

The parts she didn't want, like the wings and backs, she'd store in the freezer.

They weren't great to eat.

In those days wings were not considered a snack item.

But they were great for making soup.

In Artie's The Sopranos Family Cookbook, Janice Soprano's chapter Sunday Dinner 

has a great soup recipe.

One that I actually believe her Ma made.

I can remember my Ma making this, too.

It's easy, filling and uses up bits and pieces, like the celery sitting in the drawer.

And those wings and backs.

Livia's recipe doesn't use the giblets.

If you like them, use them.

A word about soup…

It isn't like baking a cake.

If your chicken is on the small size, the soup won't explode.

Ditto for if you have more of one vegetable than another.

Or if you add a few cups of frozen vegetables 15 minutes before it's done cooking.

You've just created a new recipe.

Bravo!

                        Chicken Soup with Orzo

Serves 6

Rinse well

1 4-pound chicken

1 pound chicken backs and wings  

Place the chicken and parts in a 6-quart pot.

Add

cold water to cover the chicken and parts

Over medium heat, bring the water to simmer.

Reduce the heat to low and cook for 30 minutes.

Skim off the foam and fat that rises to the surface.

Add

2 medium carrots, washed and chopped

2 celery ribs, washed and chopped

2 onions, chopped

6 sprigs flat-leaf parsley (1 Tablespoon dried)

6 whole black pepper corns (1/2 teaspoon ground)

1/4 teaspoon salt

Simmer for 1 1/2 hours (2 1/2 if you bought a stewing hen).

Add water, if the bird shows above the surface of the water.

Remove the chicken and parts and place them in cold water a few minutes.

Discard the skin and bones and cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces.

Return the meat to the pot.

Reheat over medium heat.

Add

8 ounces orzo or other small pasta (or rice), cooked

Check the seasoning.

Serve hot.

Would I make Chicken Soup with Orzo again?

It's January in Winnipeg.

You have to ask?

One recipe down.  Fifty more to go.

Celery Seed (or ground) / Homemade Seafood Spice Blend - Margaret Ullrich

We all know about celery.

The dieter's friend.

Yeah, that's how it's sold.

But, that's not how it goes.

Usually it goes, as a wilted or slimy mess, into the compost or garbage.

Sometimes a recipe calls for celery.

But usually not very much celery.

Back to the compost or garbage.

What a waste...

Welcome to Celery Seed!! 

It has the flavor of celery, but doesn't wilt or need chopping.

Perfect, right?

The seeds can be added to soups, stews, pickled beets and pickling brine.

The seeds can also be easily ground and added to:

creamy coleslaw and potato-salad dressings

deviled-egg filling

oyster stew, fish chowder, or split pea soup just before serving

You can also add a touch to tomato juice or Bloody Marys.

No dripping celery stalk to get in the way.

Perfect.

Homemade Seafood Spice Blend

2 Tablespoons ground allspice

1 Tablespoon celery seed 

1 Tablespoon salt

2 Tablespoons powdered mustard 

1 Tablespoon ground ginger

1 Tablespoon paprika

3/4 teaspoon cayenne (ground red pepper)

Makes 1/2 Cup

This also works with chicken.

What can I say?

It had to be called something.