Tag Archives: soups

Red Lentils-Sausage Stew

Slow Cooker Red Lentils-Sausage Stew

Happy New Year 2016!

Red Lentils-Sausage Stew

Red Lentils-Sausage Stew

In the Italian tradition, lentils-sausage stew was our New Year’s food for luck. It seems across the continents good luck is thought to be prosperity,  good health, happiness, success and longevity. We aren’t Italian, we  wanted to try another tradition to celebrate the New Year’s.  It would be interesting to prepare the New Year’s evening menu recipes from around the world which are noted to be Lucky New Year’s Food. 

Here is my suggestion for your 2017 New Year’s Menu celebration.

Italy:  Cotechino con Lenticcjie, pork and lentils
American South: Black-eyes peas, Hoppin’ John, cooked greens
Japan:  Toshikoshi Soba, long buckwheat noodles
Ireland  Buttered Bread Sandwiches
Spain:  12 grapes  referring to Champagne
Berlin:  Berliner Pfannkuchen, jelly doughnuts
Greece: Vasilopita, a New Year’s Cake with a coin hidden in it.                                                                        The person getting the coin will have good luck all year.

Slow Cooker Red Lentils-Sausage Stew

Red Lentils-Sausage Stew

Red Lentils-Sausage Stew

Slow Cookers or Crock-Pot cooking are  great for winter hearty stews, soups or casseroles. Red Lentils-Sausage Stew is a good example of easy meal preparation.  We had a romaine tossed salad, crusty garlic bread, Cinnamon Apple Sauce and Brown Sugar Marble Pound Cake om/crock-for desert. No Champagne, however, we did have some Soft White Wine by Oliver’s Winery.  It was a quiet and satisfying New Year’s Eve. Looking forward to 2016 offerings. 

 

Red Lentils-Sausage Stew

Slow Cooker Red Lentils-Sausage Stew

Julia Ann
A slow cooker makes a hearty stew of red lentils, sausage and vegetables. A winter time comfort food to enjoy with crusty bread.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours
Total Time 3 hours 20 minutes
Course Entree
Cuisine Italian
Servings 8 cups

Ingredients
  

  • 1/2 sausage remove casing and crumble, or crumble whole sausage
  • 1 cup red lentils rinse
  • 1/2 cup onion chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • 1/2 cup carrots coarsely chopped
  • 1/2 cup celery coarsely chopped
  • 1 medium potato chopped in 1/2 inch cubes
  • 14.5 oz tomatoes and juice
  • 1 cup frozen cut spinach
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 2 cups water
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon oregano
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions
 

  • Layer all the vegetables on the bottom of the slow cooker.
  • Add the crumbled sausage.
  • Pour in the broth and water.
  • Add the seasonings and stir into the broth.
  • Cover, cook on high for 3 hours.

Notes

3 links of bratwursts were used in this recipe; other sausages links or ground sausage could also be used. 
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

 

Wishing you many blessings during 2016:  healthy lives, friends, safety and joys in abundance.

Netta Belle's Choice cookbookinabox

 

 

Stone Ground Cornbread

Corn Bread

Corn Bread

 A grist mill grinds grain into flour, corn into cornmeal.

The corn kernels were ground between two large stones operated by water wheel to turn the stones. The corn is coarser than the corn from grocery store brands.  The taste is the same, delicious, and added a new dimension to the phrase of “cooking from scratch.”  Stone Ground Cornbread is very good with the Meatless Navy Bean Soup.

Stone Ground Cornmeal

Bridgeton Mill Stone Ground Cornmeal

Karen Jean of Bridgeton Mill has a recipe for Cornbread from Scratch on the package which I did use though not completely.  I like to bake with honey instead of sugar.  I am also learning how to bake/cook with coconut oil. Neither change the consistency nor flavor of the cornbread.  Honey and coconut oil were substituted for the brown sugar and cooking oil recommended in the Stone Mill Cornbread.

Bridgeton Mill in Parke County, Indiana

Bridgeton Mill in Parke County, Indiana

Bridgeton Mill, Bridgeton, Indiana in Parke County, Indiana

This is a brochure from Bridgeton Mill, it looks just like that. This mill was built in 1823, rebuilt in 1870.  Michael and Karen purchased it in 1995, and essentially have rebuilt it to its original use.  They even had to restore the dam.  They rebuilt the dam to restore the water power. To quote from the  brochure, “falling water spins the wheel for power.”  You just have to see it to appreciate it. 

Cornmeals are only a  small part of their products.  There are grits, some made from purple corn, flours, pancake mixes cornbread mixes and fish batter.  There are many USA food products of jelly, jams, honeys, and locally made ice cream.  I have only mentioned a very small list of interesting items.  Plan a visit to Bridgeton Mill when you are in Indiana.  Tell them cookbookinabox® and Julia Ann sent you.

Parke County, Indiana has a Covered Bridge Festival, highlighting tours of 31 covered bridges in the area.  The second weekend in October and for 10 days, the town of Rockville, Indiana and surrounding area is one big festival of foods, arts, crafts and antiques. 

Stone Ground Cornbread to enjoy.

Stone Ground Cornbread

Julia Ann
Stone Ground Cornbread is a delicious home baked cornbread to accompany soups, casseroles and left overs for breakfast feasts.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Course Bread
Cuisine American
Servings 8 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 1 1/4 cup cornmeal
  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 2 tablespoon coconut oil

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven 425 F.
  • Mix the flour, salt and baking powder together.
  • Add the milk, egg, honey and coconut oil.
  • Pour into a hot greased cast iron skillet.
  • (Or pour into a greased 8 x 8 baking pan.
  • Bake 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.

Notes

This recipe was adapted from Karen Jean's of Bridgeton Mill recipe...................
Julia Ann and cookbookinabox® in partnership with Netta Belle’s Choice® bring you great recipes for your cooking experience.©2007-2018 Netta Belle’s Choice® The Art of Gourmet Cookery. cookbookinabox® “Reg. U.S. Pat. & Trdmk. Off.” Reg. “Trade-marks Canadian Intellectual Property Office. “Netta Belle’s Choice® The Art of Gourmet Cookery® cookbookinabox®.All rights reserved.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

 

Meatless navy Bean Soup

Meatless Navy Bean Soup and Corn Bread

Julia Ann and cookbookinabox® in partnership with Netta Belle’s Choice®  bring you great recipes for your cooking experience. ©2007-2020 Netta Belle’s Choice® The Art of Gourmet Cookery® cookbookinabox® “Reg. U.S. Pat. & Trdmk. Off.”Reg. “Trade-marks Canadian Intellectual Property Office. “ Netta Belle’s Choice® The Art of Gourmet Cookery® cookbookinabox® All rights reserved.

Potato and Crab Meat Soup

Potato and Crab Meat Soup

Potato and Crab Meat Soup

A Charleston Discovery

Potato and Crab Meat Soup that I make isn’t the real discovery.  Though a trip to Charleston, South Carolina was such a discovery of the beautiful, colorful city of many little flower gardens. There was a flower tucked into any place there was dirt, between houses, alleys or an empty spot.  It was fascinating to see all the brass door knockers and historical homes.  It has been many years since the visit,  I hope it is the same.

Also enjoyed a hearty bowl of crab meat  soup made with the “real stuff”  such as Atlantic crabs and cream.  The rest of the meal has been forgotten.  Soup set me out on a search for a Charleston Cook Book.  I came home with TWO HUNDRED YEARS OF CHARLESTON COOKING, 1976.  There was a recipe for “She” Crab Soup.  There was no way to duplicate the soup, however that did not stop me from trying an adaption or was it inspiration.

Potato and Crab Meat Soup

Potato and Crab Meat Soup

Julia Ann
Potato and Crab Meat Soup makes a good beginning for a holiday dinner or for a light, late night supper to celebrate the holiday eve.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Course Soups
Cuisine American
Servings 4 serving

Ingredients
  

  • 12 ounces lump crab meat drained and checked for shells
  • 1 large russet potato diced 1/2 inch size
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1/4 cup onion diced
  • 2 cups milk
  • 1 tablespoon flour
  • 1/2 cup cream or half and half milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/2 teaspoon spice and herb blend
  • A pinch of nutmeg freshly grated
  • 1 tablespoon sherry

Instructions
 

  • Cook in a double boiler or heavy large sauce pan to prevent scorching.
  • When using canned crab meat, check for shells; set aside.
  • Peel and dice the potato, cook until soft; drain and set aside.
  • Heat the milk and have ready to add to the mixture.
  • Melt the butter in the double boiler or sauce pan.
  • Add the onion and cook until it is soft and translucent
  • Add the crab meat and potato and stir in the heated milk.
  • Stir the flour and cream together to a smooth paste and pour into the milk mixture.
  • Add the Worcestershire sauce, Flavour-Enhancer Spice Blend, grated nutmeg and sherry.
  • Cook over low heat for 30 minutes without letting soup come to a boil.

Notes

Frozen crab legs or imitation crab meat can also be used in place of the canned crab meat. The soup could be made smoother and thicker by pureeing. Family preference is to have chunky soup.----------------------------------------------------
Julia Ann and cookbookinabox® in partnership with Netta Belle’s Choice® brings
you great recipes for your cooking experience. ©2007-2018 Netta Belle’s Choice® The Art of Gourmet Cookery® cookbookinabox® “Reg. U.S. Pat. & Trdmk. Off.” Reg. “Trade-marks Canadian Intellectual Property Office. “Netta Belle’s Choice® The Art of Gourmet Cookery® cookbookinabox® All rights reserved.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

 

This recipe does not do justice to the original Charleston recipe, though enjoyable as a warming winter soup.  My husband’s family use to have oyster stew on New Year’s Eve.  We are not into oysters, so on our New Year’s Eve we have the Potato and Crab Meat Soup, a fruit salad, cake and a glass of white wine.

Potato and Crab Meat Soup

Potato and Crab Meat Soup a holiday evening celebration.

Netta Belle's Choice cookbookinabox

Julia Ann and cookbookinabox® in partnership with Netta Belle’s Choice® bring you great recipes for your cooking experience. ©2007-2018 Netta Belle’s Choice®The Art of Gourmet Cookery® cookbookinabox® “Reg. U.S. Pat. & Trdmk. Off.”Reg. “Trade-marks Canadian Intellectual Property Office. “Netta Belle’s Choice®The Art of Gourmet Cookery® cookbookinabox® All rights reserved.

 

Simply Salads by cookbookinabox

cookbookinabox trip to the Farmer's Market

cookbookinabox trip to the Farmer’s Market

Simply Salads of fresh vegetables and fruit combined can be the center of lunch or part of an elaborate dinner.  Fresh vegetables and fruit can show up in the whole meal or menu.  Check out the menu below.

A trip to the local farmer’s market makes a bountiful supply of fresh vegetables and fruit for gourmet and ordinary cooking.  Road side stands, city markets, farmer’s markets, co-operative groceries and big name grocery stores are teeming with produce. Check out your community to find the foods for healthy eating.

Which recipe would you like to make?  Look for the heading “Recent Recipes” in the right column for these dishes listed below. Or use the category search.

       Select a recipe from each of the following list of foods to plan a menu for dinner.

Appetizer:  Celery and carrot sticks, pineapple chunks and strawberries

    Bread:  Sweet Potato & Cranberry Nut Bread or Sweet Wheat Bread

       Soup:  Summer Vegetable Soup or Corn and Mushroom Chowder

           Salad:  Cabbage Apple Slaw  or Vegetable Fusilli Salad

               Entree:  Asparagus Tart or Collard Greens, Corn and Tortilla Strata

                   Vegetable:  Braised Carrots & Fennel,   Savory Baked Corn

                        Dessert:  Chocolate Cake or Apple Cobbler

                            Snack:  Molasses Cookies or Grand Canyon Hermit Cookies

How about quick and easy salads?

                                 Simply Salads by cookbookinabox®

Tomato avacado simple salad_0953Tomato, avocado and large pitted black olives are sprinkled with lime juice. To add more color serve it on a bed of romaine lettuce or spinach.  Need more veggies, try chopping scallions on top. Serve with your favorite salad dressing. Asparagus Tart and this simple salad would make a good luncheon or brunch meal.

Pear orange simple salad _3797Red Bartlett pear and a naval orange are diced with chopped red onion, feta cheese and chopped walnuts on top.  Anjou or Bosc pears, pecans or even add dried cranberries or cherries for another quick simple salad.  Use a sweet vinaigrette dressing. The Microwaved Steamed Salmon with Bok Choy is an easy entree to serve with Simply Salads by cookbookinabox.

Orange almond simple salad_3727Salad or dessert, a little of each,  a layered fruit salad of green grapes halves, pineapple chunks, diced navel oranges and sprinkling of toast almonds and coconut flakes on top.  The juice provide its own dressing.  This simple salad would be a sweet ending to the Corn and Mushroom Chowder.

As cooks, we sometimes get so caught up trying to give the best tasting gourmet dinner and an stunning  eye-appealing  presentation we get overwhelmed and frazzled.  Try some of the suggested Simply Salads by cookbookinabox® with any of the Recent Recipes listed on the side.

Recipes are free online.  You may reach it by www.cookbookinabox.com/blog or cookbookinabox.com.  Also follow us and Like us on Facebook.   Give us a a like on G+.

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Julia Ann and cookbookinabox® in partnership with Netta Belle’s Choice® bring you great recipes for your cooking experience. ©2007-2018 Netta Belle’s Choice® The Art of Gourmet Cookery® cookbookinabox® “Reg. U.S. Pat. & Trdmk. Off. Reg. “Trade-marks Canadian Intellectual Property Office.  “Netta Belle’s Choice® The Art of Gourmet Cookery® cookbookinabox® All rights reserved.

 

Classic French Bread

 

Stop and think of the aroma of freshly baked bread.  Home-made bread is always a delight and  a treat.  This loaf of Classic French Bread is easy and not to time-consuming.  It is worth the extra effort  to have a crusty warm loaf of bread with your favorite hearty soup. Left-overs, if there are any, can be used for bruschetta and bread pudding.

Make a big pot of soup using cookbookinabox® recipes for Summer Vegetable Soup and Corn and Mushroom Chowder as hearty soups.

Loaf of Classic French Bread

Loaf of Classic French Bread

Classic French Bread

Julia Ann
A small loaf of French Bread and an easy to do.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 2 hours
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 20 minutes
Course Breads
Cuisine French
Servings 12

Ingredients
  

  • 1 package dry yeast 2 1/2 teaspoons

Instructions
 

  • Put the warm water and yeast into a large bowl or a mixing bowl, let stand for 5 minutes or until the yeast has bubbled on top.
  • Whisk the flour, salt and sugar into a smaller bowl.
  • Add the blended dry ingredients into the yeast mixture.
  • Stir with spoon or beat with mixer using a dough hook until blended.
  • Turn the dough onto a lightly floured bread board or counter and knead about 5 minutes; roll into a ball.
  • Spray a large bowl with the cooking spray.
  • Put the ball of dough into the greased bowl, roll it around to coat the top side.
  • Cover, let rise in a warm place (85 F) free from drafts until doubled in size (45 minutes or hour.
  • Punch dough down and pour onto a lightly floured board or counter and shape
  • into a loaf, round or long.
  • Put it onto a greased baking sheet.
  • Cover dough into warm place until doubled in size (30 minutes +/-)
  • Preheat oven to 450F.
  • Make 2 diagonal cuts across of the top with a sharp knife.
  • Beat the water and egg white together, brush over the top of bread.
  • Bake at 450F for 20 minutes or until the loaf sounds hollow when tapped.

Notes

To have a warm place: turn the oven on warm and turn it off while bread rises.
This can also be made in a food processor. Mix the flour, salt and sugar first in the process, then add the yeast mixture. Process until dough forms a ball, process additional minute. Turn the dough out to knead for 5 minutes. This recipe is from Cooking Light Annual Recipes 1999, p 35......cookbookinabox® in partnership with Netta Belle’s Choice® s, bring you great recipes for your cooking experience. 2007-2018 Netta Belle's Choice cookbookinabox "Reg. U.S. Pat. & Trdmk. Off." All rights reserved.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

 

Enjoy your soup and crusty Classic French Bread, Make it often.

 

cookbookinabox® in partnership with Netta Belle’s Choice®  bring you great recipes for your cooking experience.

Netta Belle's Choice cookbookinabox ©2007-2018 Netta Belle’s Choice® cookbookinabox®  “Reg. U.S. Pat. & Trdmk.Off.” Reg. “Trade-marks Canadian Intellectual Property Office.” nettabelleschoice.com and cookbookinabox.com. All rights reserved.