STORM's blog: "RECIPES--SOUPS"

POTATO BACON CHOWDER 8 slices bacon, cut up 1 cup onion 3 or 4 cups cubed potatos 1 cup cream of chicken soup 1 tablespoon chopped parsley 1 cup water 1 cup sour cream 1 3/4 cup milk 1/2 teaspoon salt pepper to taste Fry bacon until crisp. Add onion and simmer 2 to 3 minutes. Pour off fat. Add potatoes and water. Bring to boil, cover and simmer 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in soup and sour cream. Gradually add milk. Add salt, pepper, and parsley. Heat to serving temperature. Do not boil.

Oven-Baked Onion Soup 4 tablespoons unsalted butter 6 cups yellow onions, thinly sliced 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 6 cups beef broth 1/2 cup dry white wine 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper 3 tablespoons brandy 6 slices French bread, toasted 6 slices Gruyere cheese 2 ounces Parmesan cheese, freshly grated (1/2 cup) Melt butter in soup pot. Add onions and saute of medium heat until lightly browned. Add flour and blend. Stir in beef broth, wine, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. Remove from heat and add brandy. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place slices of bread in the bottom of 6 individual ovenproof soup bowls. Ladle soup over bread, top with Gruyere and sprinkle with Parmesan. Bake until cheese melts, about 5 minutes. Serve immediately.

OLD TIME BEEF STEW 2 tbsp. fat 1 lb. stew meat 1/2 lg. onion, sliced 1/2 clove garlic 2 stocks of celery, chopped 1/4 tsp. pepper 1/4 tsp. paprika 4 c. boiling water 1/2 tbsp. salt 1/2 tbsp. lemon juice 1/2 tsp. sugar 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce Dash allspice 3 carrots 8 potatoes, diced Heat fat in Dutch oven. Add stew meat, brown on all sides. This should take about 20 minutes. Add onion, garlic (on toothpick so you can retrieve it!) boiling water, salt, lemon juice, celery, sugar, Worcestershire sauce, pepper, paprika and allspice. Gentle cooking is what makes the meat tender, so cover and simmer (not boil) 2 hours. Stir occasionally. When meat is almost done, add the vegetables. Simmer about 30 minutes longer, or until everything is tender. Discard garlic cloves. 6 to 8 servings

NEW ENGLAND CLAM CHOWDER 24 fresh clams ( 3 6 1/2 ounce cans of whole or chopped clams with liquid.) 4 cups boiling water 2 tablespoons butter 1 small onion, chopped 2 slices lean bacon, cooked and crumbled 4 medium potatoes, thinly sliced 4 cups water 1 quart milk or half-and-half salt and freshly ground black pepper Clean the clams thoroughly with a vegetable brush if using fresh. In a large soup pot, cover the unopened clams with the boiling water. As each shell opens, remove the clam and set aside. Pour the liquor from each shell into the soup pot. Remove the thin skin from each reserved clam and cut off the black end and discard. Chop the tough parts of the clams and the the soft parts whole. Set aside. In a small saucepan, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter and saute the onion until transparent. Add the onion, bacon, potatoes, and the water to the soup pot. Simmer, covered, for 25 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. Add the reserved clams, milk, and remaining butter and simmer 10 minutes. Add the salt and pepper to taste and serve with crackers. Yields: 8 - 10 servings

MARTHA'S CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP 8 cups water 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves 4 large carrots, diced 2 stalks of celery, diced 1 medium onion, chopped 6 chicken bouillon cubes 3 cups cooked elbow macaroni 2 teaspoons dried basil freshly ground black pepper grated parmesan cheese In a large pot, heat water. Add chicken breasts, carrots,celery, onion, and bouillon cubes. Bring to a low boil, then simmer on low for 15 to 20 minutes, or until breasts are cooked through. Remove breasts to a plate and cut into bite-size pieces. Return chicken to the pot; add macaroni. Season with basil and pepper to taste. Reheat if mecessary (avoid overcooking, which may cause pasta to get mushy.) Serve with grated parmesan cheese. yields 6-10 servings.

KNOCK-YOUR-SOCKS-OFF CHILI 2 pounds lean ground beef 1 pound lean pork, cut into 1/2 inch cubes 4 coarsely chopped onions 3 cloves of garlic, minced 1 cup chopped green bell pepper 3 tablespoons chili powder (or to taste) 1/2 cup beer 4 cups tomato puree 3/4 cup tomato paste 4 ripe tomatoes, peeled and coarsely chopped 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 bay leaf 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1 teaspoon oregano 4 cups cooked red kidney beans 1 cup shredded Monterrey jack or cheddar cheese 2 flour tortillas, cut into wedges Brown the beef and pork in a large soup kettle. Srit in the onion, gatlic and bell pepper. Cook until tender. Add the chili powder, beer, tomato puree and paste, chopped tomatoes, cumin, bay leaf,black pepper, and oregano. Mix well. Simmer slowly for 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally. Add the kidney beans and cook 30 minutes longer. Temove and discard bay leaf. Ladle the chili into bowls. Sprinkle generously with cheese. Serve piping hot with tortilla wedges. Yields: 6 - 8 servings

HERBED CORN CHOWDER 6 slices bacon 1 medium onion, chopped 1 medium green bell pepper, diced (or 1/2 cup frozen green pepper) 2 cans (16 ounces each) cream-style corn 2 cans (10 3/4 ounces each) potato soup 2 cans milk 1 tablespoon snipped fresh chives 1 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley 1 teaspoon chopped fresh dill or thyme Cook the bacon in a large pan. Add the onion and bell pepper and saute in the bacon fat until softened. Add the corn, potato soup, and milk to the pan; stir until smooth and hot, about 10 minutes. While the chowder is warming up add the chives, parsley and dill. Yields: 8 - 10 servings

CREAM OF BROCCOLI SOUP 1 tablespoon butter 2 slices bacon, chopped 1 medium onion, chopped 1 small leek or 2 scallions, chopped 1 stalk celery, chopped 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour 4 cups chicken or beef stock florets form 1 large head of broccoli, chopped 1/2 teaspoon salt freshly ground pepper dash of ground nutmeg 1 cup light cream Melt butter. Saute bacon, then add onion, leek, and celery. Cook until heated through. Add flour and stir until well combined. Stir in stock; simmer for 15 minutes. Add broccoli; simmer for 15 minutes. Pour into blender and puree. Return to pot and season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Stir in cream and cook until heated through; so not boil. Yields 4 -6 servings

`BROWN STOCK 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 pound lean beef, cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes 5 pounds beef bones 5 quarts cold water 4 stalks celery, chopped 2 medium carrots, chopped 1 medium onion, chopped 1 medium turnip, chopped 10 whole peppercorns 6 whole cloves 1 bay leaf 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley, chopped salt to taste In a medium-sized skillet, heat the oil and brown the beef on medium heat. In a large soup pot, cover the beef and bones with water. Let stand for 1 hour. Add the vegetables. Tie the peppercorns, cloves, bay leaf, and parsley in cheesecloth bag and add to the soup pot. Simmer for 3 to 4 hours partially covered. Remove the meat, bones, and vegetables and discard the bones and vegetables. The meat may be used in other dishes. Strain the stock into a shallow container and chill to congeal fat. Lift off hardened fat and discard. Return the stock to the soup pot. Add the salt. Store in the refrigerator and use withing 4 days or freeze.

4 large potatoes 2/3 cup butter 2/3 cup flour 1 1/2 quarts milk salt and pepper to taste 4 green onions, chopped 1 cup sour cream 2 cups bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled 5 ounces cheddar cheese, grated Bake potatoes until done. Melt butter in medium-large saucepan. Slowly whisk in the flour until thoroughly blended. Gradually add milk to mixture, whisking constantly. Add salt and pepper.Simmer over low heat, stirring constantly. Cut potatoes in half. Scoop out pulp and set aside. Chop half the potatoe skins, discarding the remainder. When milk is hot, whisk in potato pulp. Add green onions and potato peels. Stir well. Add sour cream and bacon. Heat thoroughly. Add cheese gradually until melted. Garnish with chives, cheese and bacon. Serves 8