Beverages, Soups, & Salads
HOMEMADE HOT COCOA

1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup cocoa
pinch of salt
1/2 cup water
4 cups milk
1/4 teaspoon vanilla

Combine sugar, cocoa, and salt in heavy saucepan. Add
water and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring
constantly. Stir in milk, and heat thoroughly but do not
boil. Stir in vanilla. Serve immediately with marshmallows
if desired, or dollops of whipped cream.

Carrot Salad with Cumin

1 1/2 pounds carrots, peeled and grated.
Juice of 2 oranges
Juice of 1 lemon
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp ground cumin


Blend ingredients and pour over grated
carrots. Toss and serve.


Tomato, Mozzarella and Basil Salad

4 medium perfectly ripe tomatoes
salt to taste
8 slices mozzarella, fresh if available
8 basil leaves
Freshly ground black pepper
Extra Virgin olive oil for drizzling


Core and cut the tomatoes into 1/4 inch
slices. Sprinkle them with salt. Put the toma-
toes on a plate at an angle so they slices can
drain. Layer tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil
on a platter or four individual plates.
Sprinkle with salt and pepper, drizzle with
olive oil and serve.


Fruit Smoothie

Delicious in the summertime heat!

1 Banana
1 1/2 cup Vanilla Yogurt
3/4 cup frozen peaches
1 whole frozen strawberry container
1 tablespoon orange juice concentrate

Place all ingredients in blender, add ice to
fill blender and blend. Enjoy!

Authentic Caesar Salad (with safe eggs)

1 clove, cut in half
2 eggs, or substitute 1/2 cup pasteurized egg product
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons minced anchovies, or to taste
Dash Worcestershire sauce
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 large head romaine ;lettuce, trimmed, washed,
dried, and torn into bits
Garlic Croutons
1/2 to 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Rub the inside of your salad bowl with the garlic;
discard it. Bring a small pot of water to a boil.
Pierce a tiny hole in the broad end of the egg with
a pin or a needle and boil them for 60 - 90 seconds;
they will just begin to firm up. Crack them
into the salad bowl, making sure to scoop out the
white that clings to the shell. Beat the eggs with a
for, gradually adding the lemon juice and then the
olive oil, beating all the while. Stir in the anchovies
and the Worcestershire sauce. Taste and add
salt if needed and plenty of pepper. Toss well with
the lettuce; top with the croutons and parmesan,
then bring to the table and serve immediately.

For chicken Caesar Salad, top the salad with
grilled chicken.


Martha's Layered Pea Salad

This is the standard one my mom made and took everywhere. It was a staple at all our holidays, regardless
of the season. It went well with July 4th, but it was also great with those turkey sandwiches Thanksgiving
night while we were playing cards.

1 head of lettuce, broken up and washed
1 pkg frozen peas
1 cup raw cauliflower, chopped fine
1 bunch green onions, sliced fine
Mayonnaise
parmesan cheese & fancy shredded cheddar cheese
1 lb of bacon, fried crisp, crumbled and drained

Layer in 13x9 dish in this order, salt and peppering lightly each layer:

Lettuce
green onions
cauliflower
peas
cover with thin layer of mayonnaise, like you were frosting a cake Top with cheeses and bacon.

Chill at least an hour, serve cold. Yummy!!

Cheese Soup

3 cans chicken broth
1 small onion, chopped
1 large carrot, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
2 tbsp margarine
1 tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
1/3-cup flour
1/3-cup cold water
1 – 8 ounce package cream cheese, cubed and softened
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 can beer (optional)

In crock-pot or slow cooker, stir together first 7 ingredients. Stir together water and flour, and add to soup.
Cook on high an hour or longer, until soup is thickened. Stir in cream cheese and cheddar cheese until
blended. Stir in beer if desired. Cover and cook on low until heated throughout. I top mine with croutons.

White Chili

I make it simple too. I use a few cans of northern beans, add some chopped white chicken, a can of Ro-tel
tomatoes and green chili's, a 1/2 cup chicken stock (can be made with bullion or base.) After it is done, I stir
in 1/2 cup heavy cream or half and half. Then I serve with a sprinkle of Monterrey jack cheese and a little
dollop of sour cream. You can also serve fried tortilla strips on top of it.


Catt’s Vegetable Soup

My mom made vegetable soup from scratch, starting with simmering the bones overnight. Most of us do
not have that luxury so here is one I have done over the years. I hope it becomes a tradition in your house
during the cold weather as well as mine.

2 cups of chopped left over beef roast
1-cup leftover gravy (this is optional, just use water if you don’t have any)
1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
1 6 oz can tomato paste
5 potatoes, peeled, diced small and rinsed
3 carrots diced and rinsed
2 cups frozen corn
1 cup frozen peas
1 can green beans, chopped slightly
½ cup frozen black-eyed peas
2 tbsp minced onion (dried or fresh)
about 3 cups water with ¼ Kitchen Bouquet

Take the can of crushed tomatoes, the can filled with water, diced potatoes, carrots, and simmer for 20 minutes
in a large soup kettle or Dutch oven. Add the rest of the ingredients, salt and pepper to taste, and simmer
at least an hour. Stir frequently. Add more water if necessary, salt and pepper to taste.

Catt's Bean Chowder

This is so easy, I am almost ashamed to post it. 10 years or so ago, I went into a local salvage store and was
able to get canned northern beans, potatoes, carrots, butter beans, and other canned goods for pennies a can.
I developed this as a result of that great find, and I am glad I did. It is one I repeat and people who come to
my house to visit request it. My mom loved it, and she said it is not a soup at all, more like a chowder.

In the morning, before I left for work, I would dump in the crock pot:

2 cans Northern Beans
1 can Butter Beans
1 can potatoes, diced into small cubes
1 can carrots, diced into small cubes
I cup chicken broth (made with bullion, or base)
1 tsp minced onions
1/4 cup chopped celery (optional)
1 cup diced smoked sausage, ham, or kielbasa
salt and pepper to taste

I turn it to low and cook it all day. If it was a Saturday, I cooked it on high for about 3 hours. When it was
done, I served it over fried cornbread. Sometimes, I had a nice cold bowl of cole slaw, the chowder and the
slaw paired well with the different textures.

I know it is an easy one, but I have to tell you, I got these canned goods for $1 per case of 12. It made a
great winter meal, considering I got the corn meal cheap also, and since at that time I was a single mom, I
could not beat the price. To this day, when I get the canned goods 4/$1, I still make this at least once a
week. You can do it using the dried beans too, but I have no idea on the quantities - I don't measure.

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