USING MOM'S SOUP RECIPES

February 23, 2010
March Soup Night is approaching and I don't know what the big pot of soup will be yet, but I will also make my Mother's Green Bean Soup. (Disclaimer: soup menus are always subject to change without notice!) Actually, I think I make her Green Bean Soup a little different than she made it, but it's still delicious. I have some of her recipes written down and I want to make sure they are preserved. My Chicken Soup and Cauliflower Soup are also Mom's recipes.

And since it's the last Soup Night of the season, I think I will make some special appetizers and a special dessert. As always I'll put out a veggie tray, some olives and cheese and crackers. I'll add a wheel of Brie topped with apricot jam wrapped in puff pastry. Also I will add my Jiffy Braunschweiger Dip. I can't take credit for the recipe though - I think I got it from Pampered Chef. It's braunschweiger, blue cheese and sour cream pureed into a lovely smooth dip. (Recipe below). If you like braunschweiger, you will love this! It's a big hit among some of my friends. I know, I know - it's really bad for you, but it's one of those guilty pleasures. I only make it once or twice a year for parties. I will also make my Kahlua Ice Cream Sandwich Dessert. I'll share that recipe here too. (Again, I can't take credit for this one, it is also a recipe from Pampered Chef. It was actually a recipe used to highlight the Strawberry Slicer.)

But first, here's how I remember Mom's Green Bean Soup: makes a pretty large pot of soup.

1 med onion - diced
1 Tbs. vegetable oil
3 quarts of water (enough to cover beans by about an inch)
1 Tbs. salt
2 lbs of frozen Green beans ( you can use fresh - clean and cut into 1 inch pieces)

2 Tbs Vegetable or canola oil
2 Tbs flour
3 cloves garlic finely minced
1 Tbs paprika
1 Tbs parsley finely minced.
1 Tbs chicken boullion (optional, reduce salt by half if you use this)

Saute the onions in the oil. When they are translucent, add the water, salt, and green beans. While this comes to a boil again, and the beans are cooking, move on to the next step.

The next step that takes place in the small skillet will happen quickly, so pay attention!

Take a small skillet and add the oil, and flour. Cook the flour over med heat until it just starts to change color to light golden. You should already have the other ingredients ready - garlic minced, parsley finely minced, paprika measured.

Just as soon at the flour turns a light golden, add the minced garlic, stir for just about 10 seconds.
Add the parsley and paprika and stir for just a second or two. Now, don't wait another second, or the garlic and paprika will burn. Scrape the entire mixture from the skillet into the boiling green beans. This mixture will not thicken your soup but will give it some body and will add a lot of flavor. Let the soup boil for a second to get most of out the mixture you just added. Turn down the heat and let cook until beans are done to your liking.

If your soup needs more seasoning now, this is where you will add the chicken boullion or more salt and pepper. If you are lucky enough to find some vegetable boullion, you can use that to keep the soup vegetarian.

You can add any kind of starch you want here. Small noodles, spaetzle, whatever you like -- or not.

Note: While I was writing down this recipe for you I decided to call my Mom to make sure I got the recipe right. Well, to my surprise, I got it all wrong! Apparently I was making the green bean soup the same way she made her Cauliflower Soup!!!! which she actually did occasionally. So the saving grace here is, you can make the soup this way with green beans, or cauliflower. And now you have THREE Soup Recipes! because .....

Here is the way my Mom actually made the green bean soup: This is the exact recipe as she e-mailed it to me:

1 1/2 c sliced green beans

2 med potatoes, cubed

3 cloves garlic, smashed with the back of a knife

2 tsp. dried dill

1 Tbs fresh parsley, chopped

1 tsp salt

1/4 c. additional water

2 or 3 Tbs flour

1/4 c sour cream

Put the beans, garlic and potatoes in a medium sized pot. Add enough water to cover by about an inch. Add dill and parsley, and bring to a boil. Turn heat down to med/low and simmer about 15 minutes. In a separate large cup, mix the 1/4 c water, sour cream and flour to make a slurry to thicken the soup a little. When potatoes are fork tender add the thickening mixture and stir quickly to avoid lumping. Mixture must come back to a boil, and then turn heat down again to get thickening results. Re-season to taste.

So how will I make the Green Bean Soup for March Soup Night? The way my Mom made it, with sour cream and dill. It'll be a great choice for our vegetarian guests. Thanks Mom!

Here's the recipe for the Jiffy Brauschweiger Dip:

1 piece of braunschweiger - 12 oz. or so

1/2 c. sour cream

8 oz piece of a good sharp blue cheese

Put it all in the food processor and whiz til it's smooth. If you think you'd like it softer, just add a little more sour cream. That's it! This is really good on plain crostini, pita chips, or even Saltines.

Here's the Kahlua Ice Cream Dessert:

12 ice cream sandwiches ( low cal ones are fine for this)

1/4 c. + 2 T Kahlua or any coffee liqueur

12 oz. container Cool Whip. (I use the fat free)

12 Strawberries, sliced (optional)

1 c. Chopped Walnuts or Pecans (optional)

Use a 9 x 12 cake pan. Put ice cream sandwiches in the pan to cover the whole bottom. Usually all 12 will fit just right. You can cut one or two of them into pieces to make them fit.

Now pour the liqueur over the whole thing. Try to make sure you get some liqueur all over. MORE IS NOT BETTER HERE! This is going back in the freezer and it will not freeze properly if you put in too much liqueur.

Spread the slightly softened Cool Whip over the top. Cover with saran and put it back in the freezer for at least 4 hours. You can make this up to 2 days ahead of time. The Kahlua will get all soaked up into the ice cream sandwich cookies.

Optional: When it's time to serve, top the whole thing with chopped nuts, and sliced strawberries. The strawberries are really yummy on here so I would recommend not leaving them off. It's good plain too, but ... well ... I love the berries and nuts on this.

Just cut squares and serve. Everyone will want seconds and thirds!