Cookbook Review of the Month - November 2007
This month's selection is Quick Cooks' Kitchen Soups, a Barnes and Noble publication. I thought that since winter was on it's way that a book on soup was a great idea. There is nothing that tastes better on a cold winters night that a hot steaming bowl of soup. This is a beautiful book filled with a wide variety of soups, both hot and cold. The soups are put together with very few ingredients which makes them easy to put together quickly. From the very basic soup stocks to Red, White and Blue Soup, to Hearty Chowders to the most Delicious French Onion Soup au Gratinee, you'll them all in here.
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This book is a great asset to any cookbook collection. So few cookbooks focus on just soups, and this book is a great reference book in this area. Soups can be anything from a starting course to a full meal when served with a hearty loaf of bread and a great dish of salad. While it's true that it does take time to make a great pot of soup, you can freeze it and make several meals out of it. It's not as though you have to sit and actually cook it for so many hours, once assembled, you basically just have to watch and stir! What could be easier or more delicious? |
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Sample Recipe from the book: Easy Manhattan Style Clam Chowder
I choose this recipe because although I am not a Clam Chowder Lover, my husband loves it. It is composed of just a few ingredients and would be delicous served in a nice bread bowl (think Paneras) on a cold autumn evening.
Easy Manhattan Style Clam Chowder
Serves 4
Ingredients:
- 4 ounces of Canadian Bacon, diced
- 1 large Spanish onion, chopped
- 1 stalk celery, thinly sliced
- 1 can (10 ounces) clam juice
- 1 can (15 ounces) whole tomatoes, cut up
- 2 medium red potatoes, chopped
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/4 teaspoon lemon pepper
- 1 can (6 ounces) minced clams with juice
- 1/4 cup snipped fresh parsley
1. Saute the bacon in a 6-quart pot until lightly browned. Add the onions and celery, and saute until the onion is transparent.
2. Stir in the clam juice, tomatoes, potatoes, bay leaves, and lemon pepper. Cover the pot, and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat, and simmer until the potatoes are tender, 12 to 15 minutes.
3. Stir in the clams and simmer the soup for 5 minutes more. Discard the bay leaves. Top each serving with the parsley.
Quick Cooks' Tip:
If you use fresh clams, keep the cooking time short, 5 to 10 minutes, or the clams will be tough.
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