The Screaming Saucepan

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Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 4 medium cloves garlic (minced)
• 1 cup fresh parsley (chopped)
• 1/2 tablespoon sea salt
• 1/4 tablespoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons white cooking wine
• 3 cans chopped or minced clams
• 4 oz. clam juice
• 1 lb. angel hair pasta
• 3 tablespoons fresh shredded Asiago cheese

Preparation

Simmer garlic, butter and olive oil in large skillet on medium heat until garlic is beginning to brown. Gradually stir in clam juice, clams, parsley and cooking wine. As that begins to simmer, add salt and pepper, stirring until evenly mixed. Reduce heat and simmer on low for approximately 20 minutes. As the sauce reduces, add more clam juice if necessary.

Serve atop al-dente angel hair. Garnish with Asiago and a dash of black pepper.

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

• 1 med. yellow onion
• 12 large carrots (quartered)
• 12 large celery stalks (quartered)
• 1 medium turnip (quartered)
• 1 medium parsnip (quartered)
• 2 tablespoons sea salt
• 1 tablespoon black pepper
• 3 sprigs fresh dill weed
• 1 whole chicken
• 1 lb. egg noodles

Preparation

Vegetable Broth

In large saucepan, add 1 tablespoon salt, 1/2 tablespoon pepper, onion (whole peeled), carrots, celery, turnip and parsnip, then fill saucepan 3/4 of the way up with water. Bring to a boil then reduce heat. Simmer on low to medium heat for about 2 hours, adding water if necessary as the soup boils down, stirring occasionally.

Chicken

Rinse chicken and remove gizzards, then place in separate large saucepan. Fill 3/4 of the way up with water. Add 1 tablespoon salt. Bring to a boil then reduce heat. Simmer on low to medium heat for about 2 hours, adding water if necessary as the broth boils down, stirring occasionally. Use collander to strain broth, marrying it with the vegetable broth while separating chicken. Let chicken cool on a wide plate, then clean the chicken, adding lean meat to the broth. (Note: This requires a considerable amount of extra effort, but it is well worth the comfort of knowing you’re not going to bite into a mass of gristle.)

For best results, cook egg noodles al-dente. Keep noodles and soup separate and only mix together on a per serving basis. Store in individual plastic or glass containers and refrigerate or freeze.

There’s some controversy on the spelling of ‘Papa.’ Please feel free to share comments.

This works well with 6 med. tomatoes at a time. Cut two slits across the top of each tomato (make an ‘X’), put them in a large saucepan and fill 3/4 of the way with cold water. Bring water to a boil for roughly a minute. Drain water and refill pot with cold water. Let stand for another minute. The tomato skins should peel right off.

Serves: 2-3

Ingredients

• 1 oz. Gorgonzola cheese (crumbled)
• 5 oz. Spring Mix
• 3 med. ripe tomatoes
• 1/4 cup olives (mixed)
• 1/2 med. red onion
• 1/4 cup Extra Virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
• 2 tablespoons Soy Sauce*
• 1 tablespoon Dill Weed**
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder***
• 1 tablespoon crushed black pepper

Preparation

Pour spring mix into a large salad bowl. Slice red onion thinly and add to spring mix. Slice tomatoes into eighths, slice olives into thirds (depending on size) and add all to the mix. Add the Gorgonzola, Dill, garlic and pepper. Pour olive oil, Balsamic vinegar and soy sauce.* Toss. Commence eating.

* An excellent substitute for soy sauce is Bragg’s Liquid Aminos.

** Fresh dill can be used here as well.

*** Finely chopped fresh garlic can be used here… but be careful.

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

• 1 med. yellow onion (chopped)
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 6 med. fresh peeled tomatoes (see instructions for Peeling Tomatoes) cut in half
• 12 large carrots (quartered)
• 6 potatoes (quartered)
• 12 mushrooms (halved)
• 12 large celery stalks (quartered)
• 2 tablespoons sea salt
• 1 tablespoon black pepper
• 1 lb. lean ground beef
• 1 lb. Ditalini pasta

Preparation

Soup Base

Pour 1/4 cup olive oil and 1/4 cup water into large (approx. 5 quart) saucepan. Add one half of the chopped onions and simmer on medium heat for about 5 minutes. Avoid browning the onions!

Vegetable Broth

Remove saucepan, add tomatoes and fill 1/4 of the way with water. Add 1/2 tablespoon salt and bring to a boil for about 10 minutes. Add carrots, potatoes, celery, mushrooms, another 1/2 tablespoon salt and 1/2 tablespoon pepper, then fill saucepan 3/4 of the way up with water. Bring to a boil then reduce heat. Simmer on low to medium heat for about 2 hours, adding water if necessary as the soup boils down, stirring occasionally.

Beef

Pour 1/4 cup olive oil and the rest of the chopped onions into a large skillet. Simmer for a couple of minutes on medium heat, once again avoiding browning the onions. Add ground beef, 1 tablespoon salt and 1/2 tablespoon pepper. Continue simmering on medium heat stirring frequently until beef is cooked evenly.

For best results, cook pasta al-dente. Keep pasta, beef and soup separate and only mix together on a per serving basis. You can satisfy the vegetarians in the house by simply leaving the beef out. Store in individual plastic or glass containers and refrigerate or freeze.