Soups & Salads

Cauliflower and Cheese Soup

1 head of cauliflower - separated into florettes
1 onion - chopped
1 small carrot - chopped (mostly for color)
1 stalk celery - chopped
4 cups chicken stock
2 cups light cream (I use half and half)
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
salt and cracked pepper
chives or bacon bits

Place cauliflower, onion, carrot, celery, and chicken stock in soup pot.
Cover and cook until tender.
Puree in blender.
Return to soup pot.
Blend in cream, Worcestershire, and cheese.
Add salt and cracked pepper to taste.
Stir to mix well.
Gently heat until cheese is melted.
Garnish servings with extra cheese, chopped chives or bacon bits.

Cream of Asparagus Soup

1 lb fresh asparagus
1 cup whipping cream
3 cups chicken stock
2 tsp margarine
1/4 cup diced onions
2 tsp diced celery
2 tsp flour
salt, pepper, and cayenne to taste

   * Cook asparagus in water until very soft.
   * Blend asparagus until pureed.
   * Sauté onions in 2 tsp (10 ml) margarine, using a medium-sized pot.
   * Add celery, cook for 2 minutes.
   * Sprinkle on about 2 tsp (10 ml) flour.
   * Add hot chicken stock.
   * Add cream, boil for 5 minutes on slow heat.
   * Adjust seasoning and strain.
   * Serve immediately.

Source: La Tour d'Argent, Houston, Texas

Spanish Garlic Soup

3 slices of bacon, cut crosswise into thin strips
3 TBSP olive oil
8 cloves garlic, sliced
1 TBSP tomato paste
3.5 cups beef broth (2- 14.5 oz cans ok)
1/4 cup dry sherry
salt, pepper
fresh cilantro
poached eggs, if desired

In a heavy 3 quart saucepan, cook bacon pieces until crisp and golden
brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
Discard bacon drippings.

In the same pan, heat olive oil over medium heat and add garlic and
cook, stirring often, until lightly browned. Meanwhile, dilute the
tomato paste with a bit of the broth, then add remaining broth and
diluted tomato paste to the garlic mixture. Bring to a boil, cover,
reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.

Remove garlic from broth with a slotted spoon, discard. Add sherry to
broth, season with salt and pepper to taste. Reheat until broth begins
to boil. To serve, put a poached egg in a bowl and spoon broth over. Add
cilantro if desired.

Taco Soup

  2 lb. ground beef                      
  1 onion, chopped     
  2 cloves garlic
  3 -4 tsp chili powder
  1/2 tsp. cumin
  salt and pepper to taste
  2 small cans tomato sauce
  1 lb. American Cheese
  1 small can minced green chilies      
  1 can low carb Edens Black soy beans (not drained)
  2-3 tbl. jalepeno salsa (it is a tomato-less salsa, you can substitute
minced jalepenos or leave it out)
  2 c. sour cream
  
Saute onion in olive oil, when translucent, add garlic and saute briefly.
Add beef and cook till completely browned.  I used a good ground chuck, so I
didn't drain the meat, that way I could keep the flavorful juices in the
pan.  Add chili powder and cumin, and salt and pepper.  (I used garlic salt,
it wasn't garlicky enough for me.)  Add tomato sauce and mix.  I added the
cheese 1 slice at a time so they would melt nicely, using a low heat and
stirring constantly.  Then add the green chilies, beans and salsa, let it
get nice and hot, then add the sour cream and stir again.  It was a nice
thick but soupy texture, very tasty.