Greek lemon rice soup

Ingredients
for 4 servings

4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/3 cup white rice
1 (12 ounce) package silken tofu
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Dierections

1. Bring broth and rice to a boil in a large saucepan. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until the rice is very tender, about 15 minutes.

2. Carefully transfer 2 cups of the rice mixture to a blender. Add tofu, oil and turmeric; process until smooth. (Use caution when pureeing hot liquids.) Whisk the tofu mixture, lemon juice, dill and pepper into the soup remaining in the pan. Heat through.

Tomatillo soup

This is a great soup that can be spiced up or tamed down depending on your individual taste. Keep in mind that you if can not purchase fresh tomatillos at your local grocery store you can substitute with canned tomatillos, drained and chopped. Try garnishing with sour cream, as indicated in the recipe. Top with a leaf of cilantro

INGREDIENTS
2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - pounded thin
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound chopped tomatillos
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced
4 cups chicken stock
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup sour cream (optional)
salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste



DIRECTIONS

1.Heat oil over high heat in a large saucepan or Dutch oven. Saute chicken in oil until both sides are browned, approximately 2 minutes per side. Remove the chicken, and set aside.
2.Add onions and garlic to saucepan, and saute until golden. Stir in the tomatillos, jalapeno peppers, and broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover the pot, and simmer for about 15 minutes.
3.Puree vegetables in batches in a blender or food processor. Return to pot, and reheat. At this point taste the soup; if not piquant enough, add cayenne pepper or pepper sauce.
4.Slice the chicken into thin slices, and then shred. Stir into soup. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
5.When ready to serve, stir in the minced cilantro and ladle into bowls. Put a dollop of sour cream on top of each portion, and let it melt a bit. Top each dollop with a single cilantro leaf, and serve immediately.

Italian Basic Soup

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups chopped onions or thinly sliced leeks (whites only)
1 cup thinly sliced celery
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
Coarse salt and ground pepper
3 (14.5 ounce) cans reduced-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes, with juice
1 tablespoon tomato paste
8 cups mixed fresh or frozen vegetables, such as carrots, corn, green beans, lima beans, peas, potatoes, and zucchini (cut larger vegetables into smaller pieces)

Directions

1. Heat oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add onions or leeks, celery, and Italian seasoning; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until onions are translucent, 5 to 8 minutes.
2. Add broth, tomatoes and their juice, tomato paste, and 3 cups water to pot; bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, and cook, uncovered, 20 minutes.
3. Add vegetables to pot, and return to a simmer. Cook, uncovered, until vegetables are tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, as desired. Let cool before storing.
4. Pour remaining soup in small batches into bowl of a food processor; carefully puree until smooth, and return to saucepan. Stir in cream; season with salt and pepper. Garnish with the reserved mushrooms, and serve hot.

Yield: 8 servings

NOTE:
This basic soup can be made with any combination of fresh or frozen vegetables, so it will taste a little different each time.

French Onion Soup Gratinee

INGREDIENTS

4 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon salt
2 large red onions, thinly sliced
2 large sweet onions, thinly sliced
1 (48 fluid ounce) can chicken broth
1 (14 ounce) can beef broth
1/2 cup red wine
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 sprigs fresh parsley
1 sprig fresh thyme leaves
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
4 thick slices French or Italian bread
8 slices Gruyere or Swiss cheese slices, room temperature
1/2 cup shredded Asiago or mozzarella cheese, room temperature
4 pinches paprika

DIRECTIONS

1. Melt butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Stir in salt, red onions and sweet onions. Cook 35 minutes, stirring frequently, until onions are caramelized and almost syrupy.

2. Mix chicken broth, beef broth, red wine and Worcestershire sauce into pot. Bundle the parsley, thyme, and bay leaf with twine and place in pot. Simmer over medium heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove and discard the herbs. Reduce the heat to low, mix in vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Cover and keep over low heat to stay hot while you prepare the bread.
3. Preheat oven broiler. Arrange bread slices on a baking sheet and broil 3 minutes, turning once, until well toasted on both sides. Remove from heat; do not turn off broiler.
4. Arrange 4 large oven safe bowls or crocks on a rimmed baking sheet. Fill each bowl 2/3 full with hot soup. Top each bowl with 1 slice toasted bread, 2 slice Gruyere cheese and 1/4 of the Asiago or mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle a little bit of paprika over the top of each one.
5. Broil 5 minutes, or until bubbly and golden brown. As it softens, the cheese will cascade over the sides of the crock and form a beautifully melted crusty seal. Serve immediately!