Ode to Julia - Sausage and Cabbage Soup

My niece Julia is a great cook and she has definitely inherited the family passion for good food.  My Aunt Trudy told me about a great recipe she got from Julia and she urged me to try it.  I'm always up for a great soup!

One of my favorite pictures of Julia!  She was such

a cute baby, I'm not sure what happened.............

 

 

Julia and I - 1989 (or thereabouts)

 

Karrie, Tonette, Julia and I - 1985 or so

(He He - Look at Tonette's hair)

 





Here are the ingredients for the soup:

 

2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 pound Jimmy Dean (you could use and sausage, Italian etc...), bulk, or removed from casings
1 yellow onion, half sliced and half minced

1 carrot diced
1 celery diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 c Sherry
1 sprig thyme
2 bay leaves
Hefty sprinkle of red pepper flakes (pizza peppers)
1 15-ounce can of white beans (cannellini, Great Northern, or kidney if you prefer), drained
1 c each peas and edamame (if you aren't sure about edamame, then double the peas)
4 c chicken stock
1 teaspoon salt, more to taste
1 pound cabbage, quartered, then sliced into 1/4-inch thick slices

 

Heat the olive oil on medium-high heat in a large (8-quart), thick-bottomed pot. Add the sausage, breaking it up into pieces as you put it into the pot in a single layer. When the sausage has nicely browned, remove it with a slotted spoon and set aside.

Add the onion, carrots, celery and sauté for 3-4 minutes, stirring often. Add the minced garlic and cook for another 1-2 minutes. Deglaze with sherry. Reduce by 1/3 and add bay leaf and thyme.

 

Add the stock, beans, edamame, peas and browned sausage. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes, then uncover and add cabbage. Continue cooking until the cabbage is tender, about another 5 minutes.

 

 Julia, this soup was really good.  I must admit, I was worried about sausage and cabbage going together, but the flavor is wonderful!  I love talking with you about recipes and food.  Love your passion and knowledge!  You have turned into a wonderful woman (even though I still think of you as 10).  I am proud to be your aunt (the best one you have.........).

 

 

Enjoy!



 



 

 

 

Cream of Mushroom Soup

Mushrooms, mushrooms, mushrooms!

I love mushrooms!  For me, there isn't anything better.  Tonight I felt like some creamy soup so I whipped this up!

Ingredients:

1 cup dried mushrooms
1/2 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon rosemary
1/2 teaspoon thyme
2 pounds sliced mushrooms
3 tablespoons flour
1 pint heavy cream
2 teaspoons butter
Olive oil
Salt Pepper

Place the dried mushrooms in 1 1/2 cups water.  Boil for 30 minutes.  Do not discard the broth that the mushrooms are in.  You will use that in the soup.

Heat up your sauce pan.  My favorite pan to use for soups is my dutch oven.  Add a little butter and oil to your heated pan.  Saute the onions and garlic until translucent - about 5 minutes on medium low heat.  Add the bay leaf, rosemary and thyme.  Do not let the onions/garlic brown.  The garlic will turn bitter.

Add the sliced mushrooms. 

When the mushrooms are brown, add salt and pepper.  Stir and then add the flour.  Stir the flour into the mushrooms.  The flour will make the mushrooms very thick.  Slowly add the mushroom broth, stirring constantly.  Add the reconstituted mushrooms.

Let that simmer and thicken - about 15 minutes.  Add cream.  Stir and let simmer for 15 minutes. 

The soup is easy and very flavorful.  Enjoy!  This recipe is listed on Simple Living and Eating!