Garlic Soup January 28, 2013

GARLIC SOUP

Raise your hand if you’ve been feeling under the weather. Okay, everyone put your hands down now. Remember, this is January. I personally think everyone should stay home and sleep through this month. But this modern world won’t let us, and so we go out there and we get sick. I’ve been fighting some sort of crud for a few weeks. I’ve had enough, so I declared war. Thus, this soup was created. It’s kind of my version of a flu shot.

• 2 whole bulbs of garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil, or as needed
• 3 cups veggie broth
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup spinach and/or kale
• 1 Tablespoon miso
• 1 bay leaf
• Seaweed to taste
• Oregano, thyme and cayenne to taste
• Nutritional Yeast to taste

In a large saucepan or frying pan, sauté half the minced garlic until browned. Add veggie broth, water, and bay leaf. Let simmer about a half hour or so. Add rest of garlic, seaweed, and spices. Let simmer about 15-20 minutes, then add  the miso and spinach. Do not boil. Cover with lid and let simmer a few minutes until spinach is wilted. Your soup is done.  Pour some into your favorite bowl and sprinkle with yeast. This will send all those crud germs fleeing in terror!

Enjoy!

PEAR LIQUOR October 11, 2011

I have a surplus of pears. These are wonderful organic and locally grown (my yard:) pears. I’ve canned them, I’ve dried a gallon of them, I’ve made them into a conserve, and I still have pears. Lots and lots of them. So, I’ve come up with the following recipe.  I’ve made something similar before, so I’m sure I’ll like it. In fact, I didn’t even like pears until I tried making them into a infusion like this one.

Here’s my recipe:                                                                                  Pear Infusion:

In a quart jar add two ripe diced pears, one-half of a peeled, chopped orange, one-quarter (more or less) whole nutmeg, five whole cloves, five or six white peppercorns, and one small piece diced crystallized ginger. Fill jar to the top with good quality vodka. Cap, shake vigorously and let sit in a dark spot until Christmas season (or about two months). It would be interesting to make a fruit cake with the vodka soaked fruit. This becomes a lovely amber color.

This is easy and fast to put together. It makes for nice gifts when you strain it and pour into small, pretty labeled jars. This recipe can be doubled or tripled, just add more of everything. I’m going to make a larger batch as soon as I get some more vodka!

Enjoy!