Catholic Schools Week 2011

The theme for Catholic Schools Week 2011 celebrates the fact that Catholic schools are an added value ("a plus") for the nation. Because of their traditionally high academic standards and high graduation rates, all supported by strong moral values, Catholic schools and their graduates make a positive contribution to American society. Catholic schools give a high level of service (the A+ level) to local communities because of the many service projects students undertake. "Giving back to the community" and "helping others" are values instilled in every Catholic school student. Catholic schools give a high level of service to the nation (the A+ level) by serving students from all economic backgrounds and giving them a strong academic and moral foundation, allowing them to succeed in life, serving in the government, industry, business, non-profit and educational fields. [National Catholic Education Association]

Chilled Strawberry Soup - National Soup Month

4 cups strawberries (can use frozen)

1 cup sugar

1 cup sour cream (can use vanilla yogurt instead or a combination)

1/2 cup cold water

Puree strawberries in a blender. Add to a saucepan, whisk in sugar and sour cream. Stir in cold water. Stir constantly over low heat until heated through; do not boil. Chill thoroughly, perhaps overnight.

I had the pleasure of eating this at a summer ladies luncheon out of an antique depression glass bowl. Perfect!

Split Pea/Vegetable Soup - National Soup Month

1 lb. dried split peas (2 cups)

3 qts. water

1 meaty ham bone

2 tsp. salt*

1/2 tsp pepper

1/4 tsp marjoram leaves

1 1/2 c chopped onions

3/4 c. chopped carrots

3/4 chopped celery

chopped garlic clove

Combine peas and water in a large kettle. Bring to a boil; simmer 2 minutes. Remove from heat, cover and let stand one hour.

Add ham bone, salt, pepper, marjoram, and onions. Cover and simmer 1 1/2 hours.

Add carrots and celery. Continue simmering until tender, 30-40 minutes. Serve hot. Makes about 3 1/2 quarts.

*I always taste it before adding any salt. You'll definitely need less than 2 teaspoons if your ham is salty.

Equipment - National Soup Month

Stock Pot

Of course you can make virtually anything work, but the best soup pots will work with you. On first glance, the $12 version you can get from your local discount store seems fine. It's big enough (often 12 quart or larger) to contain that large batch you want to make but that's only part of the equation. Broth-based soups often need to simmer for a long time, and cream-based soups scorch easily. You'll want a pot that keeps your delicious concoction from burning if you turn away for a bit. In addition to size, look for something that's heavy and has a bottom made of multiple metals bonded together. A common combination is a stainless steel outside with aluminum layers bonded to the bottom. You'll also want a lid that fits well. This version from Williams-Sonoma is a good choice, and this copper pot is the gold standard (but for $600 I would expect someone to actually deliver weekly meals to my house as part of the deal). I use an 8 quart Classic Farberware stockpot that I got for a wedding gift a long, long time ago and it's still in great condition!

Tureen

My least favorite thing about serving soup is the presentation. After carefully preparing ingredients and tweaking seasonings to perfection, I hate just plopping the possibly less-than-attractive kettle on the table. The alternatives are to keep the kettle out of sight by serving from the kitchen (not always practical when soup is a main dish for a family who will likely want seconds), or use a soup tureen. A tureen is typically porcelain or stoneware and has a lid to keep things warm. You'll want to look for one that's a reasonable size for your needs and, since it involves transporting a gallon of boiling hot liquid, look for one with a very stable base and useful-looking handles. (TIPS AND TRICKS: About 10 minutes before using your tureen, fill it with boiling or very hot water and then pour it out just before filling with soup. The hot water will warm up your dish and that will keep your soup hotter when served.) A tureen will typically come with a matching ladle.

Storage

There's one more dish that I bought recently for someone who likes to take soup for lunch. This CorningWare mug has a lid that really fits well and seems to be leak-free. It's big enough for a generous serving and microwaves much better than the plastic bowl he was using. Hardly essential, but I do recommend the product. (I got it at Wal-Mart for less than the price listed on the Corning website.)

a little word for today

Live entirely for God, and since you have to take part in conversations and social gatherings try to be of some use to others. Do not think that God is further away from you when you are in the midst of the busyness to which your vocation calls you than He would be if you were enjoying a tranquil life.

-from a little booklet called Golden Counsels of Saint Francis de Sales

The Machine Shed's Baked Potato Soup - National Soup Month

A family favorite!

2 1/2 lb. baby red potatoes (quartered)

1/2 lb. raw bacon, diced

1 jumbo yellow onion, diced

1/4 bunch celery, diced

1 quart water

2 ounces chicken base

1 quart milk

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. pepper

1 1/2 sticks margarine (or butter)

1/2 c flour

1 cup whipping cream*

1/4 bunch chopped parsley

1. Boil potatoes in water for 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.
2. In a large, heavy pot, saute bacon, onions, and celery over medium-high heat until celery is tender. Drain bacon grease and return bacon, onions, and celery to pot.
3. Add milk, water, chicken base, salt, and pepper. Heat over medium-high heat until very hot. Do not boil.
4. In a heavy, large saucepan, melt margarine and add flour (called a roux). Mix well and allow to bubble, stirring for 1 minute. While constantly stirring soup, add the flour/margarine mixture (roux) slowly. Continue stirring soup until thick and creamy.
5. Stir in potatoes, parsley, and cream.
6. Serve hot. Garnish with shredded Colby cheese, fried bacon bits, chopped green onions, or all three.

*Between the butter and the bacon, this is obviously not a low fat dish. You can make it a little better, however, by using milk instead of cream. I've even used fat free milk successfully.

Bean Soup - National Soup Month

This one reminds me of a better version of Campbell's Bean and Bacon Soup - my favorite as a kid.

2 c. dried beans (I typically use navy beans)

1 1/2 quarts water

1 ham bone or 1 1/2 lbs. ham butt

1 large chopped onion

1 cup chopped celery and leaves

4 cups canned tomatoes (diced)*

3/4 cup diced, peeled potatoes

1 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

Combine beans and water in large kettle; boil 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand one hour. Simmer beans without draining until tender, about 2 hours, adding more water if necessary.

In the meantime simmer the ham in water to cover. Skim fat from the broth and add beans. Stir in remaining ingredients; simmer until potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. Makes 10 servings.

*If I'm cooking for someone who doesn't appreciate solid tomato chunks, I'll replace the canned tomatoes with a 15 ounce can of tomato sauce.

Tips and Tricks - National Soup Month

Suggestions from an old church cookbook:

What to do with those bones -

You've just broiled two tender T-bone steaks. You savor their taste and texture, pick up the plates and scrape the bones off into the garbage pail. NO! NO! NO! What a waste! Instead you put them in a plastic bag and toss them into the freezer. The next time you have steak, you add those bones to the bag in the freezer. Then one day you prepare a nice beef roast. After you have carved the meat off the bones, you throw them in the garbage pail. NO! NO! NO! You put them in the kettle, add the steak scraps from the bag in the freezer, cover them with water, add some salt and start boiling them. Simmer them for a couple of hours and strain the broth into a large bowl.

Let the broth cool for about a half hour and then put it in the refrigerator to let it cool fully. The next day, scrape off the fat that will have risen to the top and you should have some jelly-like broth (the firmer it is, the better the broth). Place the broth in freezer bags, label and date them, and place them in the freezer. Later you can use the broth for soup, gravy or a variety of dishes. [The writer goes on to describe a similar procedure for poultry and ham bones.]

It's also worth your time to re-read Lucy's suggestions in Waste Not, Want Not for sorting leftovers to make soup later.

And last for today, I'd like to point you back to Lucy's Blue-Ribbon Southwestern Chili, a recipe from our archives that includes meat.

Adoration Resources

I was just writing a little piece for my parish on Eucharistic Adoration and found a nice resource I wanted to share with you.

The Real Presence Eucharistic Education and Adoration Association has compiled an impressive map and listings of places in the US, Canada, and Puerto Rico which offer times of Eucharistic Adoration. As their name indicates, they offer a number of resources on the topic as well, including an option to download their listing onto your mobile device to more easily find a chapel while you're traveling.

Obviously, I can't vouch for their accuracy (so you may want to call to confirm details if you're traveling a while to get to one of these chapels), but I did check the ones I personally know of and they were all accurate and included mapquest links to show the way.

What a very nice resource, and thank you to those who have made it possible!

Beef Barley Stew - National Soup Month

1 1/2 lbs. lean beef stew meat, cubed

1 chopped onion

3 cans beef broth (14.5 oz each) OR the equivalent of reconstituted beef soup base or bouillon

1 c medium pearl barley

1 tsp thyme, dried

1/2 tsp dried marjoram

1/4 tsp crushed rosemary, dried

1/4 tsp pepper

4 carrots, sliced

Brown meat and onion; add the broth, barley and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Simmer for an hour or until meat is tender and barley is fully cooked.

Add carrots and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 30-40 minutes. Garnish with parsley before serving.

Yield: 8 generous servings

Notes: I added some celery also. You may need to add additional water if the barley absorbs too much liquid. The seasonings all add important elements to this soup, but measure carefully.