Fix-It and Forget-It Christmas Cookbook (13 page)

Note:

This is a great Soup for getting back to healthy eating after holiday feasting. No punishment here!

Many-Bean Soup

Trudy Kutter

Corfu, NY

Makes 12 servings

Prep. Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 8¼-10¼

Ideal slow cooker size: 6-qt

20-oz. pkg. dried 15-bean soup mix,
or
2¼ cups dried beans of your choice

5 14½-oz. cans chicken,
or
vegetable, broth

2 cups chopped carrots

1½ cups chopped celery

1 cup chopped onions

2 Tbsp. tomato paste

1 tsp. Italian seasoning

½ tsp. pepper

14½-oz. can diced tomatoes

1. Combine all ingredients except tomatoes in slow cooker.

2. Cover. Cook on Low 8-10 hours, or until beans are tender.

3. Stir in tomatoes.

4. Cover. Cook on High 10-20 minutes, or until soup is heated through.

Serving suggestion: Serve with
bread
and
salad
.

Blessing Soup

Alix Nancy Botsford

Seminole, OK

Makes 8-10 servings

Prep. Time: 20 minutes

Soaking Time: 8 hours, or overnight

Cooking Time: 4-12 hours

Ideal slow cooker size: 4- to 5-qt.

2 cups mixed dried beans—10-18 different kinds, if you can find them!

2-2½ qts. water

1 cup diced ham

1 large onion, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

juice of 1 lemon

14½-oz. can Italian tomatoes, chopped

½ cup chopped sweet red peppers

½ cup chopped celery

2 carrots, thinly sliced

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. pepper

1. Wash beans. Discard any stones. Place in slow cooker. Cover with water and soak 8 hours or overnight.

2. Drain water off beans.

3. Add 2-2½ qts. water to drained beans. Cook on High 2 hours.

4. Combine all remaining ingredients with beans in slow cooker.

5. Add more water if necessary so that everything is just covered with water.

6. Cover. Cook on High 4-6 hours or on Low 8-12 hours, or until beans and
other vegetables are tender but not mushy.

Note:

During one January that was especially dismal, I invited many friends, most of whom didn’t know each other, to my home. I put on a video about rose gardens around the world. Then I made this soup and a fresh bread crouton that could be eaten on top of the soup and tossed a large salad.

Garbanzo Souper

Willard E. Roth

Elkhart, IN

Makes 6 servings

Prep. Time: 20 minutes

Soaking Time: 8 hours, or overnight

Cooking Time: 6 hours

Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.

1 lb. dry garbanzo beans

4 oz. raw baby carrots, cut in halves

1 large onion, diced

3 ribs celery, cut in 1” pieces

1 large green bell pepper, diced

½ tsp. dried basil

½ tsp. dried oregano

½ tsp. dried rosemary

½ tsp. dried thyme

2 28-oz. cans vegetable broth

1 broth can of water

8-oz. can tomato sauce

8 oz. prepared hummus

½ tsp. sea salt

1. Place beans in slow cooker. Cover with water. Soak 8 hours, or overnight.

2. Drain off water. Return soaked beans to slow cooker.

3. Add carrots, onion, celery, and green pepper.

4. Sprinkle with basil, oregano, rosemary, and thyme.

5. Add broth and water.

6. Cover. Cook on High 6 hours, or until beans and vegetables are tender but not over-cooked.

7. Half an hour before serving, stir in tomato sauce, hummus, and salt. Continue cooking until hot.

Serving suggestion: Serve with
Irish soda bread
and
lemon curd
.

Note:

A fine meal for vegetarians on St. Patrick’s Day!

Russian Red Lentil Soup

Naomi E. Fast

Hesston, KS

Makes 8 servings

Prep. Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 3¾-4¾ hours

Ideal slow cooker size: 3½- to 4-qt.

1 Tbsp. oil

1 large onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

½ cup diced, dried apricots

1½ cups dried red lentils

½ tsp. cumin

½ tsp. dried thyme

3 cups water

2 14½-oz. cans chicken,
or
vegetable, broth

14½-oz. can diced tomatoes

1 Tbsp. honey

¾ tsp. salt

½ tsp. coarsely ground black pepper

2 Tbsp. chopped fresh mint

1½ cups plain yogurt

1. Combine all ingredients except mint and yogurt in slow cooker.

2. Cover. Heat on High until soup starts to simmer.

3. Turn to Low and cook 3-4 hours, or until lentils and vegetables are tender.

4. Add mint and dollop of yogurt to each individual bowl of soup.

Lentil Soup

Tina Snyder

Manheim, PA

Makes 10 servings

Prep. Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 8 hours

Ideal slow cooker size: 3½-qt.

4 cups hot water