Probe-4

Here are a few tasty, easy recipes we have enjoyed making recently.
fyi; We lean toward soups this time of year… enjoy.

Black bean & Butternut squash

1 cup – dried black beans
1 large yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small butternut squash (about 1 lb)
1 green bell pepper (seeded and diced)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 cup lager beer
salt and pepper

Soak and drain beans. 4 cups of water. boil beans, then simmer – 1 hour
Add onions and garlic to beans – 30 mins.
1″ cubes of squash – add squash, bell pepper, oregano and beer to pan. raise heat – 30 mins
add 1/2 tsp salt and pepper

Vegetarian Split Pea

• 1 pound dried split peas
• 1 stalk celery, diced
• 2 large carrots, peeled and diced
• 2 (14.5 ounce) cans low-fat, low sodium chicken broth
• 3 cups water
• salt and pepper to taste
• Rinse and pick through peas. Place them in a large pot with the celery, carrots, broth and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer until peas have fallen apart, 1 to 2 hours. Season with salt and pepper before serving.

Simple French Onion Soup

2 quarts vegetable broth, homemade or from the store
2 pounds yellow onions, peeled and thinly sliced (about 6-7 medium size, no need to be too precise)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil
3 teaspoons sugar
Salt & pepper
Loaf of French bread, cut in one-inch slices
½ pound Gruyere cheese, shredded or sliced

Directions:
1. Heat the oil in the pot over medium heat.
2. Add the onions to the hot pot and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently. The onions should become soft but not yet browned.
3. Add the sugar, salt, and pepper, and continue cooking for about 20 minutes. Stir frequently and lower the heat if necessary to
avoid burning the onions. They should be golden brown and soft. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. (The onions should be fairly sweet at this point.)
4. Add the garlic and broth and bring to a boil.
5. Reduce heat and simmer for at least 15 minutes. You can keep the soup warm on the stove until ready to broil and serve, or allow it
to cool and keep it in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
6. When ready to serve, heat the broiler and ladle the soup into individual oven-safe bowls.
7. Top each bowl with a layer of bread, trimming slices if necessary to cover the entire surface.
8. Cover the bread with the cheese. (Use sliced cheese and let it hang over the edges if you want the traditional messy French onion soup
look and you don’t mind scraping melted cheese off your bowls for hours later.)
9. Heat under the broiler until the cheese is melted and beginning to brown.