Vichyssoise (Potato Leek Soup)

Ingredients:

• 3 Tablespoons butter
• 3 cups leeks, sliced and washed
• 4 cups potatoes, peeled and diced
• Salt and pepper
• 8 cups water
• 1/4 cup dry white wine or sherry
• 2 cups heavy cream

How to Prepare:
In a large pot, melt the butter. Add leeks and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes. Add potatoes, season with salt and pepper. Add water and wine or sherry and bring to a simmer. Cook until vegetables are tender.

Place about 1/2 the soup in a blender, puree, and return to the pot. Stir in the cream. Serve hot or cold.

Crockpot Ratatouille

Ingredients:

• 1- 19 oz. can tomatoes, with juice, broken up
• 1 small eggplant, with peel, cut into 1/2" pieces
• 1 cup finely chopped onion
• 1 medium green or red pepper, chopped
• 1/4 cup chili sauce or ketchup
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 3 cups sliced zucchini, with peel, 1/4" thick
• 1 teaspoon parsley flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil

How to Prepare:
Measure all ingredients into crock pot. Stir, and cook on low for 8-9 hours or high for 4- 4 1/2 hours. I serve this over rice.

Hearty Stew with Burgundy Sauce

Ingredients:
Burgundy Sauce:

• 1 1/2 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup chopped onions
• 1 medium carrot, chopped
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1/4 cup chopped leeks
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1/3 cup tomato paste
• 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp. dried basil
• 1 large bay leaf
• 2 2/3 cups Burgundy wine
• 5 1/3 cups vegetable stock
• 6 peppercorns, cracked
• 7 Tbs. whole-weat or unbleached white flour
• 1 Tbs. vegetarian Worcestershire sauce

Stew:

• 2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 cups sliced onions
• 6 medium carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
• 4 parsnips, peeled and cut into chunks
• 2 large cloves garlic, pressed
• 5 cups quartered mushrooms
• 2 medium red potatoes, cut into chunks
• 1 cup peeled and diced turnips
• 1 1/4 cups chopped green pepper
• 4 cups vegetable stock
• 1 Tbs. dried sage
• 3/4lb. frozen tofu, thawed and crumbled or cubed, or 10oz. seitan chunks
• 1 cup frozen peas
• Freshly ground pepper to taste
• Pinch salt (optional)

How to Prepare:
1. In a soup pot, heat 1 1/2 tsp. oil over medium heat. Add onions, carrot, cedlery, leeks, and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, until soft.

2. Add tomato paste, bay leaf and sauce herbs. Stir to coat. Cook gently, stirring, until tomato paste begins to brown.

3. Stir in wine. Add stock and peppercorns. Bring to a rapid boil and cook for 20 to 30 minutes, until reduced to approximately 4 cups. Strain.

4. Dissolve flour in Worcestershire sauce and a small amount of water or stock. Whisk flour mixture into sauce. Simmer 15 minutes, until thickened. Set aside.

5. For stew, heat 2 Tbs. oil in heavy pot. Saute onions, carrots, and parsnips over medium-high heat until they begin to brown. Stir frequently.

6. Add garlic, mushrooms, potatoes, turnips,and peppers. Stir and cover. Cook 5 min., stirring periodically. Add stock, scraping bottom of pan with wooden spatula to remove any brownings. Add sage and tofu or seitan.

7. Stir in Burgundy sauce and simmer about 30 min. Add peas. Turn off heat and alow stew to sit 6 minutes before serving. Add desired seasonings and garnish.

300 calories, 10g. protein, 6g. fat, 39g. carbohydrate, 0 cholesterol, 139mg. sodium, 8g. fiber

Quick and Zesty Vegetable Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. lean ground beef
• 1/2 cup chopped onions
• 2 cans (14 1/2oz. each) Italian style stewed tomatoes
• 2 cans (13 3/4oz. each) beef broth
• 1 can mixed vegetables
• 1/2 cup uncooked medium egg noodles
• 1/2 tsp. oregano

How to Prepare:
In a large pot, brown meat with onion. Cook until onion is tender; drain. Salt and pepper to taste. Stir in remaining ingredients. Bring to boil; reduce heat. Cover and simmer 15 minutes or until noodles are tender.

Shrimp and Corn Chowder

Ingredients:

• 2 tsp. oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 celery stalk, sliced
• 1/2 cup chopped ham
• 3 Tbsp. flour
• 1/2 tsp. pepper
• 1/4 tsp. dried thyme leaves
• 3 cups milk
• 1 package (16 oz) frozen sweet corn, thawed
• 1 can (13 3/4 oz)reduced sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup Minute Brown Rice, uncooked
• 1/4 lb. shrimp, cleaned, coarsely chopped
• 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

How to Prepare:
Heat oil in 4 quart saucepan on medium-high heat. Add onion, celery and ham; cook and stir until vegetables are tender. Stir in flour, pepper and thyme.

Stir in milk, corn and broth. Cover. Bring to boil, stirring occasionally.

Stir in rice and shrimp. Return to a boil. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Let stand 5 minutes. Stir in parsley.

Cream of Tomato Soup

Ingredients:

• 2 T. butter
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 T. all-purpose flour
• 1 quart tomato juice
• salt to taste
• 2 T. sugar
• 2 cups milk

How to Prepare:
In a Dutch oven, over medium heat, saute' onion in butter until translucent. Remove from heat. Stir in the flour so that no lumps remain, then slowly whisk in tomato juice. Return to the heat and add the sugar, and salt to taste. Cook until just boiling, but turn off the heat before it boils. Let cool 10 minutes, then slowly stir in milk. Serve immediately.

Cheeseburger Chowder

Ingredients:

• 1/2 pound ground beef
• 1 can (10 3/4oz) condensed cheddar cheese soup, undiluted
• 1 3/4 cups milk
• 1 cup frozen shredded hash brown potatoes
• 1 can (4 oz.) chopped green chilies
• 1 tablespoon taco seasoning
• 1 tablespoon dried minced onion
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• coarsely crushed corn chips, shredded Monterey Jack cheese, and chopped green onions, optional

How to Prepare:
In a large sauce pan, cook beef over medium heat till no longer pink; drain. Stir in the soup, milk, potatoes, chilies, taco seasoning, onion, and chili powder until blended. Bring to boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes or until heated through. Garnish with corn chips, cheese, and green onions, if desired.