SOUPS & STEWS

  ROASTED GARLIC POTATO SOUP

4 heads garlic
2 strips bacon, diced
2 cloves garlic
1 c. onion, diced
1 c. carrot, diced
6 c. potatoes, diced
4 c. fat-free, low sodium chicken broth
1 c. 2% low-fat milk
1 bay leaf

PROCEDURE

Individually wrap heads of garlic in foil and bake in 350 degree oven for 1 hour. In duch oven, fry bacon until crisp. Add garlic cloves, onion and carrot and saute for 5 minutes. Add potatoes, chicken broth and bay leaf. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Unwrap heads of garlic and squeeze pulp into a blender. Romove 2 cups of potatoes and broth from dutch oven and add to blender. Puree in blender until smooth. Add puree and milk to dutch oven. simmer for 10 minutes or until heated through and serve.

CHEDDAR CHEESE SOUP

This soup was the featured special at a restaurant in chicago called "The Farmer's Daughter"...it is incredible for a cold winter day.

INGREDIENTS

2    teaspoons arrowroot, dissolved in 2 cups of chicken stock
1     tablespoon chopped onion
1/4  cup diced carrots
1/4  cup diced celery
1     cup water (I usually replace this with light beer)
1/4  cup butter
1/2  cup flour
3     cups hot whole milk (this is no time to mess with low fat)
1/2   pound sharp cheddar, diced
1/2   teaspoon salt
1/8   teaspoon baking soda
1/4   teaspoon paprika
1      tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1/8  teaspoon yellow food coloring
chives for garnish

Procedure
Cook vegetables in water until tender.  Add butter...melt.  Add flour and stir until smooth.  Add 1-1/2 cups chicken stock, arrowroot misture, and cheese.   Stir until cheese melts.  Add milk, salt, soda, paprika, parsley & food coloring. DO NOT BOIL SOUP! If you rewarm it, a little extra milk may be needed.      

Serves 8   

Keilbasa Stew 

This is a masculine favorite which uses Keilbasa sausage as its primary flavoring ingredient. Only the sausage and the Guinness Stout are absolutes - you may vary the rest of the ingredients to suit your preferences.

INGREDIENTS (all amounts to taste)
Olive Oil
Butter
Keilbasa sausage, sliced into 1/4-inch (minimum) slightly diagonal slices
potatoes, sliced into pieces like the sausage of same thickness, skins may be left on
Onions, chopped in large chunks (Vidalias, if avalable)
Carrots, chopped like the sausage and potatoes
Mushrooms, chopped in half (if small, leave whole)
Broccoli Florets, cut into bite size pieces if large
1 bottle Guinness Stout (Very dark, distinctly flavored beer - if you can't find any, don't make this recipe)
fresh minced garlic or roasted garlic to taste
Worchestershire sauce, to taste (about 1-2 tablespoon minimum)
Salt
Fresh Ground Pepper

PROCEDURE
In a large pot, get oil/butter mixture hot, then add sausage and saute' until edges get well browned, add onions and keep frying until golden, stirring often.  Add potatoes and  carrots, then after the hard vegetables are starting to cook to golden, add broccoli & finally mushrooms.  When everything looks golden, add Stout & Worchestershire sauce, salt and pepper to taste.  Add cover and lower heat to simmer until potatoes and carrots are tender and the sauce has cooked down a bit to a mellow richness.  Serve with a crusty bread and a tall cold beer.