WEEKEND OF GOOD EATING ENDS WITH HOMEMADE SOUP

We started the weekend Friday night with a pizza , veggies and dip and fresh fruit at one family home. The pizza was from Grande Cheese where the ladies there make a wonderful Ciociaria style pizza. Saturday was a club sandwich from Tim Horton's. But Sunday the cook was back. Fresh homemade vegetable soup simmered on the stove in the afternoon. I used up some left over meat sauce to make a small penne casserole with mozzarella baking it in the oven. With Easter on the horizon, I have to start planning the menu.

WHEN GRANPA CAN'T SLEEP

Thank heavens for all night Grocery Stores. While Barb was sleeping, a quick trip to Sobeys to buy our turkey for Christmas dinner that was on sale. We will be having fewer people at our Christmas table, but dinners the week of Christmas elsewhere.  So I did not need a big one- just 12 pounds. There will be lots of leftovers anyway as there are lots of other dishes. Yes, this morning I started a nice broth- chicken broth on the stove for a soup dish later today. With all the holiday eating, soup is a good filler and less calories. Besides I like soup so I eat it often. So with all the nocturnal activities, back to bed for an early morning nap while the soup simmers and Barb keeps an eye on it. I will need a trip to a good fish store to buy a few items for the Christmas Eve dinner- it will be just Barb and me this year. But it does not mean we can not have some wonderful seafood dishes like lobster and scallops! I need to review previous posts from other years on my dishes. There may be current readers that want some recipes for those easy dishes. My Christmas seafood appetizer gets readers year round!! Perhaps, I will make that soon as it is a simple dish and tasty!! Happy eating!

DECEMBER NEEDS SOUPS

So watching one's weight during the month of December is tough. But soups are a great way to get nutrition and fill up without all the calories.

So with ground beef made with one egg, some parsley and bread crumbs-salt and pepper to taste- rolled into little balls and fried- drain off the grease!

Escarole chopped, cleaned and lightly boiled- save a little of the water!

Good chicken stock made with a chicken leg, carrot, onion, celery stalk, parsley! Boil into the broth. When finished, add the ingredients together and you have soup for a meal.
Some Italians call it Wedding soup. My mother used to call it Sunday soup because it was the soup she made on Sunday. You can eat it any day of the week! I know I do!

ZUPPA DI BACCALA/SALTED COD SOUP

BACCALA SOUP/ZUPPA

As the weather turns cool outside, a pot of soup simmering on the stove warms the house and the stomach.

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons/30 ml Extra Virgin Olive Oil-EVOO

1 large onion-chopped

2 carrots-chopped

3 celery stalks-chopped

2 medium potatoes-diced

2 garlic cloves- finely diced

1/2 cup/125 ml fresh parsley -chopped

1 lb/454gm presoaked salted cod/baccala

4 plum tomatoes-crushed. Can use fresh, frozen or canned.

1/2 cup/125 ml raisins

3 cups/750ml chicken or fish stock

DIRECTIONS

Cover bottom of medium sized pot with olive oil.

Over medium heat add onions, garlic, celery and sautee 3-5 minutes until soft.

Add carrots and potatoes-stir.

Cook for  a further 5 minutes.

Add parsley and tomatoes and mix well.

Add the stock and bring to boil.

Simmer for approximately 30 minutes.

Add the cod/baccala and raisins.

Let simmer for a further 30 minutes.

It should be noted the raisins in the soup was my mother's touch. A little family secret for the baccala soup. People often asked why her cooking was so good. It was these little "touches " that made the difference.

With some crunchy Italian bread or your choice, it is a good meal all on its own. Baccala does mean cod. But it can also mean dummy! So if someone calls you a baccala, it is not a compliment.
#zuppadibaccala#granpalovestocook#usingraisinsinthesoupmama'ssecret#lotsofflavourinthesoup#agoodishforChristmasEvesevenfishesdishes

SUNDAY A BUSY DAY FOR THE COOK!

A busy Sunday making a chicken broth for Barb who has a cold and can do with the soup. A hearty meat sauce/sugo for the week is simmering on the stove. I will share with my two busy working daughters. Of course more healthy beans from the garden are ready to be cooked. One of my little grandsons loves granpa's healthy beans as he calls them. So far the garden continues to produce. An eggplant or two has been added to one of my weekend veggie mixes. The smell of the soup and sauce has made our home smell good!

SOUPS SOUPS SOUPS

With the cold weather approaching, soups become a staple in our home. Barb loves to take some to work a couple of days a week for her lunches. I have written recipes for several soups- Minestra, Basic Broth and Vegetable soup. The smell of soup cooking on the stove fills the house with a warm feeling. So I am going to try to find more soup recipes to feature here. Meanwhile I think I will go and have a bowl.
#soupsandmoresoups#vegetablesoup#soupisgoodforapackedlunce#granpalovestomakesoups#minestra#basicbroth#soupmakesagreataromainthehouse#granpalovestocook

A HEARTY SOUP SOOTHES THE SOUL-LA ZUPPA PER L'ANIMA

I love to make soups. Of course, I love to eat a good soup. Today I am starting with one kind of soup- la zuppa. It is the basic chicken broth. Every chef or cook always has the basic stock as a staple that can be used in different menu plans. I will be blogging about different soups in the future that involve more preparation.

A real Italian cook from the Ciociaria area would use an old chicken hen which gets boiled for 2-3 hours. I just use the North American speed-fast method , i.e. using a chicken leg with thigh.

This soup can be made for one meal or a larger batch for several meals. I usually make a larger batch for at least 3 meals. Modern cooks can use a slow cooker or crock pot. I still use a saucepan on the stove.
 
STOCK CHICKEN BROTH

INGREDIENTS ( use 1 each or more depending on the batch wanted)

1 or more chicken legs with thighs.

Saucepan that can accomodate 20 cups( 5 litres ) of water. Using a big pot is better so there is less chance of boiling over.

1- 3 carrots.

1- 3 onions.

1- 3 celery stalks.

1- 3 tomatoes- frozen ones, take off the skin- from your summer stock. Or a fresh tomato. Actually tomatoes are optional.

Parsley to taste.

Garlic cloves. 1-3 peeled and left whole.

Salt, pepper to taste.

DIRECTIONS

Water in the saucepan or large pot. Turn on to boil

Add chicken.

Clean carotts and leave whole adding to water.

Skin onions and leaves whole adding to water.

Add tomotoes.

Parsley whole or grounded.

Salt and pepper.
 
After bringing to broth to the boil, turn down heat.

Let broth simmer for at least an hour or even longer.

When all the ingredients are cooked, remove them to a separate plate with just the broth remaining.

The chicken and vegetables can be eaten separately. The boiled chicken tastes good with a little salt.

A BASIC SOUP

Use a portion of the broth. Keep in a separate pot.

Boil and cook your favourite soup pasta. Like baby shells, tubetti.

Salt to taste.

Some Italians like to use the egg noodle- tagliatelle for their soup.

Once cooked, drain and add to the broth for a quick soup. Add parmesean cheese if desired.


STRACCIATELLA

This is a flavourful soup when you do not want a pasta dish with dinner. Or you just want some light eating.

Put a portion of broth in a pot and bring to a boil. A nice quick mid-week dish. See you are using that extra batch you made.

While waiting for the broth to boil, beat 1-3 eggs with parmesean cheese. Depending again on how many portions you want.

Add the mixture to the boiling broth, stirring to break it up to distribute in the broth.

When it is in little clumps, it is done. It does not take very long. For the harried after work cook, looking good.

Serve in bowls and each person can add additional parmesean cheese as a topper. A fresh bun or crunchy Italian bread and the soup also make a good combo.

ITALIAN RISOTTO

Using the basic broth cook the portion of rice you want for dinner in some broth. The rice absorbs the taste and the liquid is boiled down.
Cook the rice to the texture you desire. I like a little al dente while Barb always likes any pasta or rice to be a bit "mushy". I still think al dente is better.

Added Notes- A good soup simmering in the house is so wonderful to smell. The aroma reminds me of my mother and the many times she made soup- la zuppa per la famiglia!