Split peas, which come in green or yellow, are left on the vine to dry naturally as whole peas. During the sorting process they are bombarded against a baffle, causing them to split in two, which speeds the cooking process.
| 1 (16-ounce) package split peas |
| 8 cups water |
| 1/2-pound piece boneless smoked ham |
| 2 cups diced carrots |
| 1 cup chopped onion |
| 1 teaspoon salt |
| 1/8 teaspoon black pepper |
| 1/4 teaspoon dried tarragon leaves |
| 1 whole bay leaf (do not crumble) |
Rinse and sort split peas. Combine peas and water in a 5-quart pot over medium-high heat. Remove rind and fat from ham. Chop ham into cubes and add to peas. Stir in carrots, onion, salt, pepper, tarragon, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover, with lid slightly vented, and cook 2-1/2 hours, stirring occasionally. Add an additional 1/2 cup water while cooking if needed. Remove bay leaf before serving.
Serves 6
Calories per serving 360
Fat per serving 4g
Salt is an essential element in the diet of humans, animals, and even some plants. It has the distinguished mantle of being one of the most effective and widely used of all food preservatives.
| 2-1/2 cups thinly sliced potatoes |
| 1/2 cup chopped onion |
| 2 cups water |
| 1/2 cup grated carrot |
| 1/2-pound piece boneless smoked ham, cubed |
| 1/2 cup milk |
| 1/2 teaspoon salt |
| Dash of black pepper |
| 1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram |
Add potatoes and onion to water in a 3-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover, with lid slightly vented, and cook 10 minutes, then return heat to medium-high. Add carrot and ham to soup. Use the back of spoon to break up large pieces of potato. Stir in milk, salt, pepper, and marjoram. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover with lid slightly vented, and cook 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Serves 4
Calories per serving 209
Fat per serving 6g
The name broccoli originates from the Italian “brocco,” which means an arm or branch. There are two types of broccoli. The first grows as a dense curd similar to cauliflower and is called “heading broccoli.” The second type is more commonly known and is used for this soup. It is “sprouting” or “Italian broccoli,” which features a branching cluster of green flower buds sitting on a thick stalk.
| 2 chicken bouillon cubes |
| 1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped broccoli |
| 3 cups water |
| 1/2 cup milk |
| 3 tablespoons flour |
| 1/4 teaspoon salt |
| 1/8 teaspoon black pepper |
| 1/4 teaspoon dried basil |
| 8 strips smoked bacon, cooked and crumbled |
Add bouillon and frozen broccoli to water in a 3-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Pour milk into a tall glass, add the flour, and stir rapidly with a fork until smooth. Add the milk mixture to soup. Stir salt, pepper, and basil into soup. Bring to a low boil, stirring occasionally to break up frozen broccoli. Reduce heat to low. Cover, with lid slightly vented, and cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Ladle into serving dishes and sprinkle bacon crumbles over each serving.
Serves 4
Calories per serving 361
Fat per serving 24g
When cooking with cabbage, don’t be alarmed if it looks like too much for the pan. Push the cabbage pieces down into the broth with a spoon. It will cook down to about half the volume of the raw cabbage.
| 1/2-pound piece boneless ham, cubed |
| 1/2 cup diced onion |
| 1/8 teaspoon salt |
| 1/8 teaspoon black pepper |
| 1 extra large vegetable bouillon cube (or enough granules to make 2 cups broth) |
| 4 heavily packed cups coarsely chopped green cabbage |
| 1/2 cup grated carrot |
| 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce |
| 6 cups water |
| Dill weed, fresh or dried, for garnish |
Add ham, onion, salt, pepper, bouillon, cabbage, carrot, and tomato sauce to water in a 3-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Press vegetables down into broth with a spoon. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover, with lid slightly vented, and cook 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add an additional 1/2 cup water if needed. Ladle into serving dishes. Garnish with dill weed.
Serves 6
Calories per serving 97
Fat per serving 3g
It is best to have a few extra wonton wrappers available as you become familiar with the folding process. A few may also break in the middle as you determine the proper amount of filling. If in doubt about the folding procedure, most wonton wrapper packages have illustrated directions.
| 9 1/2 cups water, divided |
| 1 tablespoon minced green onion |
| 1/4 pound unseasoned ground pork |
| 1 egg |
| 2 tablespoons soy sauce, divided |
| 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger |
| 36–40 wonton wrappers |
| 6 chicken bouillon cubes |
| 1/4 cup chopped green onion, white and green part |
Pour 8 cups water into a 3-quart saucepan over medium-high heat.
In a small mixing bowl, combine minced green onion, pork, egg, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, and ginger. Mix until ingredients are evenly distributed. Lay out wonton wrappers. (You will need 36 for this soup.) Bring a small bowl of water close by your work area. Place 1/2 teaspoon meat mixture in the middle of each wrapper. Wet edges of the wrapper, fold wrapper over to make a triangle and press edges together. Wet edges again, bring the two outside corners together and press down to seal edges. Lay finished wontons on a tray until you have them all completed. Place wontons into the boiling water one at a time. Use a spatula to run under the wontons to make sure they don’t stick to the pan. Return water to a boil. Let wontons cook 5 minutes—they will float to the top when finished. Remove wontons with a slotted spoon and lay on a clean plate until needed. Discard cooking water. Pour 1-1/2 cups fresh water into saucepan over medium-high heat. Add bouillon, remaining soy sauce, and chopped green onion. Bring to a boil. Add finished wontons and cook 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Ladle into serving bowls, giving each serving 6 wontons.
Serves 6
Calories per serving 292
Fat per serving 5g
Cubing an ingredient in a recipe usually indicates a medium-size cut, ranging from a half inch to an inch in size. This method of cutting ingredients will give your recipe a more uniform appearance.
| 1/2 pound boneless pork chops |
| 2 beef bouillon cubes |
| 1/2 cup chopped onion |
| 1 clove garlic, minced |
| 1/4 teaspoon salt |
| 1/8 teaspoon black pepper |
| 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano |
| 1 cup water |
| 1 (16-ounce) bag frozen stir-fry vegetables |
Fully cook pork chops in a small skillet, browning lightly on the outside. Remove fat from pork, cube meat, and set aside. Add cooked pork, bouillon, onion, garlic, salt, pepper, and oregano to water in a 3-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil. Add vegetables. Vegetables will not be completely covered with broth but will cook down. Reduce heat to low. Cover, with lid slightly vented, and cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove immediately from heat. (Don’t overcook vegetables.) Stir and serve.
Serves 4
Calories per serving 192
Fat per serving 4g
Hoppin’ John is a traditional Southern soup made with meaty ham hocks or spicy sausage. The Northern version, which isn’t as taste-intense, features pork ribs or ham.
| 1 cup dried black-eyed peas |
| 8 cups water, divided |
| 1/2 pound smoked ham, cubed |
| 4 chicken bouillon cubes |
| 1/2 cup chopped onion |
| 1 clove garlic, thinly sliced |
| 1/4 teaspoon salt |
| 1/8 teaspoon black pepper |
| 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper |
| 1/2 cup quick-cook rice |
Sort and rinse black-eyed peas. Bring peas and 4 cups water to a boil in a 3-quart saucepan over high heat. Let boil 1 minute, then remove from heat. Cover tightly and let stand 1 hour. Drain water from peas. Add 4 cups fresh water to peas over medium-high heat. Stir in ham, bouillon, onion, garlic, salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cook, with lid slightly vented, for 90 minutes. Add rice to the soup. Cook 10 minutes more. Stir and serve.
Serves 4
Calories per serving 391
Fat per serving 6g
Zucchini is a perfect vegetable to buy from the farmers market during mid-summer when it is in season and plentiful. Peel and grate the zucchini. Freeze in 2-cup increments. It is a satisfying filler for soups and stews when old man winter comes calling.
| 1/2 pound Italian sausage |
| 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes, with juice |
| 1/2 cup orzo pasta |
| 1 cup chopped onion |
| 1 clove garlic, thinly sliced |
| 1 cup shredded zucchini |
| 2 cups water |
| 1/4 teaspoon salt |
| 1/8 teaspoon black pepper |
| 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano |
| 1 green bell pepper, chopped |
Cook sausage thoroughly, breaking into bite-size pieces as you stir. Drain fat from meat. Add cooked sausage, tomatoes with juice, pasta, onion, garlic, and zucchini to water in a 3-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in salt, pepper, and oregano. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low. Cover, with lid slightly vented, and cook 10 minutes. Add the bell pepper. Cover and cook 5 minutes more. Stir and serve.
Serves 4
Calories per serving 204
Fat per serving 8
Sweet potatoes are a vegetable with a hard texture and can be tough to cut. In order to obtain more uniform cubes, use a sharp knife and cut sweet potato into 1/2-inch rounds. Then cube each round.
| 1/2 pound boneless pork chops |
| 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can petite diced tomatoes with green chiles |
| 1/2 pound sweet potato, peeled and cubed |
| 1/2 cup chopped onion |
| 2 chicken bouillon cubes |
| 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin |
| 2 cups water |
| 1 cup frozen corn |
| 1/4 cup minced green bell pepper |
Fully cook pork, remove fat, and cube meat. Add cooked pork, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, onion, bouillon, and cumin to water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low. Cover, with lid slightly vented, and cook 10 minutes more. Ladle into serving dishes and sprinkle each serving with bell pepper.
Serves 4
Calories per serving 212
Fat per serving 5g
Cauliflower florets are an easy substitute for the broccoli in this recipe. When cutting vegetable florets down to an edible size, slice just above the stem where it starts to branch out. This will allow the smaller stems to separate. Save your stems; put them in a baggie and freeze. They will be perfect for the next pot of vegetable soup.
| 1/2 pound boneless pork chops |
| 4 chicken bouillon cubes |
| 1/2 teaspoon crushed rosemary leaves |
| 1/8 teaspoon salt |
| 4 cups water |
| 2 cups frozen broccoli florets, partially thawed |
| 1/2 cup quick-cook rice |
Fully cook pork, remove any fat, and cube meat. Add cooked pork, bouillon, rosemary, and salt to water in a 3-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover, with lid slightly vented, and cook 10 minutes. Cut any large broccoli florets in half. Add broccoli and rice to soup. Cover and cook over low heat 5 minutes more. Stir and serve.
Serves 4
Calories per serving 218
Fat per serving 4g