Beet Borscht

Beet Borscht


4 Tbsp butter or oil

2 carrots, sliced or grated

1 large onion, diced

24 oz can tomatoes, chopped

6 beets, about 2 lbs, grated

1 - 2 small zucchini
(or small head cabbage), grated

8 cups chicken stock

1 tsp sugar

4 - 6 sprigs of dill, chopped

juice of 1 lemon

2 - 3 Tbsp red wine vinegar
 
Salt and pepper, to taste

sour cream

Melt butter in large saucepan. Add carrots and onions. Cook until soft, but not brown, about 3 - 5 minutes.

Add zucchini, beets, tomatoes, chicken stock, sugar and 1/2 the dill. Mix and bring to a boil. Let simmer about 45 - 60 minutes. Add rest of dill, lemon juice, and vinegar. Season to taste. Serve topped with with a dollop of sour cream. (It tastes great without it too.)

Chicken Barley Soup

My Mom's Chicken Barley Soup

1 tsp oil

2 cups mushrooms, chopped

1 onion, chopped

10 cups chicken stock

2 medium carrots, grated

2/3 cup pearl barley

1/4 - 1/2 tsp thyme or greek oregano, to taste

2 cups diced cooked chicken

fresh chopped parsley

Salt and pepper, to taste

Saute mushrooms and onion in oil until mushrooms are limp, about 5 minutes. While these are saute-ing, in a large pot add the chicken stock, carrots, pearl barley, and thyme or oregano.

Add sauteed mushrooms and onion to the stock mix. Bring to a boil and simmer for 45 minutes. Stir occasionally. Add chicken and parsley and simmer another 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, as desired.

Serves 4 - 5.

Almost Martha's Hot Fudge Sauce

A couple of years ago, I traveled to another city for a week-long conference. I stayed at a friend of a friend's place. Although we'd never met, from the first moments we spent together, my hostess made me feel so welcome in her home.

The most amazing thing was that even though I'd arrived late in evening, she asked me if I'd be interested in a bowl of ice cream with homemade fudge sauce. She was just thinking of making some for herself when I arrived. Sounds good to me, I replied. And it was!!

Here's her recipe (she said it was a Martha Stewart recipe):

Hot Fudge Sauce


1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup light cream*
1 1/2 Tbsp butter
1/4 cup cocoa
1/2 cup corn syrup
1/2 tsp vanilla

Put everything in a saucepan. Stir with a whisk until well combined. Bring to a boil and let boil for 2 minutes over medium heat. Stir constantly.

*I have substituted the cream with milk (even skim) and it still works amazingly well. Which is good if you need to watch your fat or calorie intake.