Apple Oatmeal Squares & Apple Snow

(Makes 1 dozen 3 in. squares)

2 large tart apples, peeled, cored, and diced small (can use Jonathans, Empires, Northern Spys, JonaMacs, Cortlands- I like to use 2 different types for variety). I like to microwave the apples on high for 2 to 3 min to soften them a bit after I dice them up. I let them cool a little, then add the baking soda).

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter

1 large egg1

1/2 cups flour1 tsp cinnamon ( I use Saigon Cinnamon)

1 tsp ground ginger

1/2 cup quick cooking (not instant) oats

1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. and lightly grease a shallow 9 by 12 or 13 in baking pan. Combine the apples and baking soda in a nonmetallic bowl and let stand while proceeding with step 2.

2. Cream the sugars, butter, and egg in a mixing bow. Beat in the flour and spices, then stir in the oatmeal, apples, and nuts. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.

3. Bake for 30 to 35 min, or until the cake begins to shrink from the edges of the pan and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan about 20 min. then cut into squares.

Apple Snow
(Makes 3 cups)

1 cup unsweetened applesauce, chilled ( I make my own from fresh apples from local apple orchards)
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp salt
1 large egg white
1/2 cup heavy cream

1. Combine there applesauce, confectioners' sugar, cinnamon, lemon juice, and salt in a large mixing bowl. In a separate bowl beat the egg whites until soft peaks form and fold them into the applesauce mixture.

2. In a separate chilled bowl, beat the cream until stiff peaks form. Fold the whipped cream into the apple mixture and serve spooned over Apple-Oatmeal Squares. Apple Snow may be stored, tightly covered, in the refrigerator up to 24 hrs before serving.

Kathy's Potato/Bacon Soup

from: Kathy Facione

12 medium size potatoes,
cubed2 medium onions,
chopped3 Tsp. butter
1 lb. bacon, cooked crisp, drained and crumbled
3 chicken bouillon cubes
2 Tlb. dried parsley
6 cups water
2 cups milk
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper

1. Combine all ingredients in a large kettle.

2. Mix together and cook over medium heat for 20 - 30 minutes.

3. Place in a large slow cooker on low for about 3 hours.

4. Last hour add 2 Tlb. flour and 1 cup water. Put in shaker and shake well before adding to soup. Add 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese to soup. Mix and continue cooking.

Chicken Soup

from: Brenda Couch

PARBOIL BONELESS, SKINLESS CHICKEN BREASTS (3), CUBE AND SET ASIDE.

COOK in 3T butter
1/2 ONION
2 STALK CELERY
1 CUP GREEN BEANS

ADD 4 CUPS WATER, AND 4 CUPS OF CHICKEN STOCK.
COOK TILL VEGGIES ARE ALMOST TENDER.

ADD EGG NOODLES AND CONTINUE COOKING UNTIL TENDER.
ADD 1 CUP CREAM WITH ABOUT 4TABLESPOONS OF CORNSTARCH SLOWLY UNTIL DESIRED THICKNESS.

SEASON WITH SALT AND PEPPER TO TASTE.

PUT IN YOUR CROCKPOT ON WARM AND OFF YOU GO!

Loaded Baked Potato Soup

from: www.tastykitchen.com

½ sticks Butter
1 whole Medium Onion, Finely Chopped
2 stalks Celery Finely Chopped
1 teaspoon Minced Garlic Or Two To Three Chopped Cloves
1 teaspoon Salt
1-½ teaspoon Fresh Cracked Pepper
8 whole Large Baking Potatoes
3 cans Chicken Broth
8 ounces, fluid Sour Cream
1 cup Heavy Cream
2 cups Shredded Sharp Cheddar
1 package Cooked, Crumbled Bacon

Preparation Instructions:

Turn crock pot on high and put in the butter. Add chopped onion and celery. (If using fresh garlic, add it with the onion and celery.) Add salt and pepper. Stir and let cook while you peel and chop the potatoes.

Cut the potatoes to 1/2″ squares. Add potatoes and garlic (if you’re not using fresh garlic) to the pot. Add 2 cans of the chicken stock. Add some of the remaining can if the potatoes are not covered.Cook on high for 4 hours (8 hours on low) or until the potatoes are done.
Once potatoes are done, mash some up with a potato masher. We like a lot of chunks, so we only mash about 1/4 of the potatoes.

Add in sour cream, heavy cream, cheese and bacon (minus a handful to put on top for garnish).If soup is too thick, add enough of the remaining can of chicken stock to thin the soup. If it’s too thin, cook remaining baked potato in the microwave; scoop out, mash and add to soup. Each crock pot is different, so the required broth may vary.

Ladle soup into bowls and add additional cheddar and bacon for garnish.

* You may need up to 8 baking potatoes depending on the crock pot. Have an additional baking potato for use if soup is too thin or use leftover mashed potatoes.

This recipe is versatile and you do not need to be overly concerned about exact measurements.

Sweet Fruit Salad

By: Tanya Rodriguez

2 red apples
2 yellow apples
1 can pineapple chunks in juice (no heavy syrup) drain
1 can fruit cocktail in juice (no heavy syrup) drain
1 bottle (little) heavy whipping cream
powder sugar
1 bag little marshmallows
walnuts
1 pack whipped cream
coconut

Beat Heavy whipping cream with powder sugar 'til whip cream consistency, set aside.
Chop apples in chunks mix with pineapple and fruit cocktail add the cream mix, marshmallows, coconut, mix well cover the top with whipped cream and decorate with walnuts, keep cold 'til ready to serve...enjoy!

Japanese Soba (buckwheat) Noodle salad

200 g Japanese Soba noodles (cook according to the directions)
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup rice vinegar or white vinegar
2 - 3 TBSP brown sugar
1 tsp sesame oil from Japan (found in Asian section - it has more aroma than regular sesame oil)
1 TBSP sesame seeds
4 - 5 cups organic spring salad from Costco
2 medium size tomatoes - diced
3 (about half bunch) green onions - chopped
6 Japanese Shiso leaves -finely chopped (optional)
sesame seeds to sprinkle

Cook the Soba noodles, wash with cold water, drain.

Mix soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, sesame oil and sesame seeds, and set aside

Mix Soba noodles and vegetables, and add the dressing and toss right before you eat.

Lemony Potato Salad (Leslie Snow)

from Southern Living-

2 lbs. red potatoes, cut into eights
1/4 cup olive oil
3 Tbsp. lemon juice
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper
3 green onions, thinly sliced
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

1. Bring potatoes and salted cold water to cover to boil in a large Dutch oven;
boil 15 to 17 minutes or just until tender. Drain and let cool 5 minutes.

2. Whisk together olive oil and next 4 ingredients in a large bowl.
Add warm potatoes, green onions and parsley; toss to coat.
Serve at room temperature or chilled.

Tuna Shell Pasta Salad (Brenda Couch)

1 box pasta shells, cooked and drained in cold water to box instructions
1-12 oz can of albacore tuna, drained
1 C chopped celery
1 C each chopped red pepper and green pepper/ or brocolli flowerettes
1/2 cup drained capers (flower buds from vines grown in France; they have a lemony buttery taste OR you can use one can of drained artichoke hearts cut in half.
1/2 to 3/4 cup Hellmans Mayo
1T. lemon zest and juice of one half lemon
Chopped scallions for garnish

Toss all together with enough mayo to suit your taste and chill. Serve as a stuffed tomato for lunch on a bed of lettuce with a tomato garnish.
Enjoy!

Western Salad (Tammy Gantt)

(this is a cold salad)
Brown 1 lb. ground chicken (or turkey) with a package of fajita seasoning. Let cool. Chop 1 head of iceburg lettuce and put in bowl. Layer the following ingredients in any order on top of salad: omit anything you don't like

1 can chick peas, drained
1 can black beans, drained
1 can corn, drained
1 sm can black olives
red onion
1 avocado, diced into small chunks
a few tomatoes, diced
the ground chicken mixture

You must use Wishbone Western Dressing!
Yummy!

Spiced Peach Salad- Naoko Perriton

1/2 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 cups water
1 tablespoon whole cloves
4 cinnamon sticks (3 inches each)
2 packages (3 ounces each) peach or apricot gelatin
1 can (29 ounces) peach halves

In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar, vinegar and water. Place cloves and cinnamon on a double thickness of cheesecloth; bring up corners of cloth and tie with kitchen string to form a bag. Place in saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
Remove from the heat and discard spice bag. Add gelatin; stir until dissolved. Drain peaches, reserving syrup; set peaches aside. Add water to syrup to measure 2 cups. Add to gelatin mixture; stir well.

Refrigerate until slightly thickened. Thinly slice peaches; add to gelatin. Pour into a 2-qt. glass bowl; chill until firm.

If desired, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon and 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves may be substituted for the whole spice; combine with the gelatin before adding to sugar mixture.

French Bread

From the kitchen of: Amy Day

2 pkg Yeast
1/2 c warm water
2 c hot water
3 T sugar
1 T salt
5 T Olive Oil
6 C Flour
1 egg white

1. Dissolve yeast in 1/2 cup warm water for 10 minutes. Mix well in a Bosch Mixer-- hot water, sugar, salt, olive oil, and 3 cup of the flour. Stir in dissolved yeast. Stir in remaining flour and mix well. Let dough rest for 10 minutes. Stir vigorously on "2". Rest 10 minutes. Repeat 3 more times.

2. Turn out the dough and knead until lightly covered with flour. Divide in 1/2. Take each 1/2 and roll into a 9x12 rectangle. Starting at the long end, roll in. Pinch together the ends. Make 2 loaves. Let dough rise for 30 minutes on baking pan. Gash. Brush top with egg white and bake at 400 degrees for 35 minutes or until golden brown.

Tuna-Mayo Rolled Sushi

by Mika Patch

Shopping List:

5 sheets of Sushi Nori (roasted seaweed)
2 1/4 cups of Japanese short grain Rice (sticky rice)
2 1/2 cups of filtered water
4 TBSP rice vinegar (regular white vinegar is okay, but rice vinegar is better)
3 TBSP sugar
1 tsp salt
2 tuna cans
1/3 cup mayonnaise
2-3 leaves of Romain hearts cut in half
1 English cucumber
1 Avocado (optional)
15 pieces of peeled cooked shrimp or imitation crab sticks (optional)
Bamboo Sushi Roll mat (I have seen it at Hiller's or any oriental stores)
Soy sauce
Wasabi paste (optional)
Gari (pickled sweet ginger) (optional)

How to make it:

1) Wash the rice in water a few times, drain, add water and cook according to the package directions.

2) Mix rice vinegar, sugar and salt, and microwave it until sugar dissolves. Pour over hot cooked rice and mix well. Wait for the rice to cool.

3) Squeeze all the water out from the tuna cans, and mix very well with mayonnaise. You can add more mayo if you wish.

4) Cut vegetables in long strips.

5) Place Sushi mat on the table, place Nori (seaweed), and thinly spread rice over Nori. Place a long strip of green leaf lettuce in on rice, put tuna-mayo mixture on top, avocado, cucumber, and shrimp (see picture). Roll it very carefully. Cut into 8 pcs. Garnish with pickled sweet ginger on the side. Dip in soy sauce and wasabi and enjoy! Makes 5 rolls (40 pcs).

Making Sushi rolls requires some practice. I recommend reading or watching some information on the Internet before you first make them. I found following Website on how to make California Rolls. Very helpful.

http://whatscookingamerica.net/Appetizers/CaliforniaRoll.htm

Mediterranean Pasta Salad

from Loretta Harbertson


Cook one pound of Orzo 47 pasta for about 11 minutes, stirring often to keep from sticking.

Drain and rinse well, place in a large bowl to cool, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, mix well, sprinkle with some
garlic salt and savory salt.

When cooled add:
1 can sliced black olives, drained
5 green onions, chopped
1/2 cup parsley, chopped
4-5 slices of oil packed sun-dried tomatoes, minced
1/2 cup fresh mint, chopped
1/2 of a 6 oz container of tomato-basil Athenas feta cheese, crumbled
3 oz of solid, water packed feta, cut in small cubes
1/3-1/2 cup sherry vinegar or seasoned rice vinegar (rice is sweeter)
Zest of one lemon

Mix all together, add freshly ground pepper, drizzle with more olive oil if needed. Add salt to taste.

Makes a large salad that keeps well.

Baklava

BAKLAVA-(about 30 squares or diamonds)

3C. Chopped, toasted nuts, (pecans, pistachios, or walnuts, or almonds)
Make sure they are chopped fine or coarsely grind. Set aside
Stir together in a small bowl:
1/2 c. sugar
1 T. grated lemon zest
1 t. ground cinnamon

Melt: 1 C unsalted butter

You need to preheat oven to 325 degrees and butter a 13X9 in baking dish
Unfold and stack on counter (make sure you have room to work here) one pound of phyllo dough at room temp. Cover with a damp cloth or plastic wrap

Start with 2 phyllo sheets, brush with butter and add 2 more phyllo sheets to a total of six or eight sheets. Next sprinkle half the nuts and half the sugar. Cover with 2 sheets of phyllo and butter and repeat until there are 6 sheets left. Cover with the remaining nuts and sugar mixture, and repeat the layering 2 sheets with butter until finished, reserving some butter for the top sheet. Cut into diamonds, or squares about 1 1/2 X 1 1/2 inches. for serving in baking cups. Bake 30 minutes, and reduce the oven temp to 300 degrees and continue to bake until it is golden brown, about 45 minutes.

While baking, combine in saucepan

1 1/2 C. sugar
1 1/2 C. water
1/3 C honey
1 T. Lemon zest and the zest of one full orange

Bring mixture to a gentle boil, stirring to dissolve sugar and reduce to a simmer for 15 min.
When baklava is done, pour the syrup all over the baklava and let cool completely before serving. Best is used within a couple of days. Phew!

Modified from Joy of Cooking Cookbook, by Rombauer, Rombauer Becker, and Becker

Armenian Gata

10 cps (2 and 1/2 lbs) all purpose white flour
1/2 cp sugar
1 T salt
2 pkg yeast ( I use rapid rise)
1/2 cp lukewarm water
1 tsp sugar
5 eggs, beaten with a fork
1 and 1/2 cp butter (2 and 1/2 sticks)
2 cp milk, scalded

Melt butter in milk and cool to lukewarm. Mix flour, sugar and salt in a large bowl ( I put it in a bread kneading machine bowl). Dissolve yeast in lukewarm water and add sugar and let rise. Add yeast, eggs and cooled milk mixture to flour mixture and stir until it holds together. It will be a sticky dough. Let rise for 1 to 2 hours in a warm place. Roll out small sections of the dough at a time and cut with about a 6 inch round glass or cookie cutter. Fill with small amount of either meat or cheese filling. Fold over and seal. Coat with beaten egg yolk and top with poppy seed for the meat ones and sesame seed for cheese (or vice versa). Bake at 375 degrees for 12 to 15 min.

Meat Filling:
1 lb ground beef
1/2 cup chopped sweet onion
2 T. olive oil
6 oz chopped pine nuts (optional)
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tsp paprika (Hungarian sweet is good to use)
1 T. cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg (I use whole nutmegs and grate them, a fresher taste)
1 tsp curry
salt to taste

Saute onions with olive oil until onions are clear. Add ground beef and cook with fork until color just turns. Remove from heat and add seasonings. Salt to taste. Add pine nuts. Fill bread with about a 1-2 tsp of the meat mixture per bread circle.

Cheese Filling:
3/4 lb american brick cheese, grated
1/4 cp olive oil
3/4 chopped fresh parsley, Italian
pine nuts, optional
Mix together and put 1 -2 tsp in the bread circles.

Sweet filling - if desired as a variation:
2 T. cinnamon
1/3 cp sugar
2 tsp grated orange peel
1/4 tsp nutmeg.
About a tsp in each bread circle, etc.

Simple Farro & Bean Stew

1 pound / 16 oz / 453g red beans, soaked for at least 4 hours preferably overnight, then drained
10 cups / 2.5 liters water
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
28 ounce / 800g can whole, peeled tomatoes, drained and chopped
1 medium carrot, chopped
3 small-med (1/2 pound / 8 oz) new potatoes, chopped
2 stalks celery
2 cups / 13 oz / 370 g pearled farro
1 - 2 cups water or vegetable broth
fine grain sea salt to taste
1/2 head / 9 oz savoy cabbage, chopped
1/2 bunch / 4 oz kale, de-stemmed and chopped

Parmesan and olive oil to serve. Or do what I did with this bowl - whisk together a bit of leftover harissa and some olive oil for a spicier drizzle.

Cook the beans in a large pot or stock pot with the 10 cups / 2 1/2 liters of water. When the beans are cooked, remove a generous scoop of them from the pot, place in a bowl and mash them well. Return to the pot.

In a separate pan, saute the onion in the olive oil over medium-high heat. Just when it begins to color add them to the bean broth. Stir in the tomatoes, carrot, potatoes, celery, and farro. Bring to a boil again, then dial the heat down to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the farro is cooked through, 20 - 30 minutes. Be sure the vegetbles are cooked through as well. If you need to stir in more water or broth do so one cup at a time until the stew is the consistency you like. Taste. You are going to need to salt quite a bit. Start with a teaspoon and go from there until the flavors become bright.

Stir in the cabbage and kale, and cook a few minutes more, until they collapse. Serve topped with plenty of freshly grated Parmesan and a generous drizzle of good olive oil (or alternately harissa oil/feta).

When you go to reheat leftovers you may need to add water to thin the stew out, and then readjust the seasoning.

Serves 12.

101 Cookbooks http://www.101cookbooks.com/

Raspberry-Yogurt Cake

Makes 8 serving – serving size: 1 slice

Yogurt gives this simple cake a wonderful tang and tenderness. Fresh raspberries make it
irresistible. Try it with blueberries, too.

Ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 t baking powder
½ t baking soda
¼ t salt
½ c granulated sugar
¾ c plain fat-free yogurt
2 T canola oil
1 large egg
2 t vanilla
1 cup fresh raspberries, or frozen unthawed raspberries

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. coat an 8-inch round cake pan with cooking spray and set aside.

2. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl and whisk to mix well. Set aside.

3. Combine the sugar, yogurt, oil, egg, and vanilla in a medium bowl and whisk until smooth. Add the sugar mixture to the flour mixture, stirring just until a moist batter forms.

4. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle the top evenly with raspberries. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until the cake is lightly browned and the top springs back when lightly touched in the center. Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes before slicing. Serve the cake from the pan, warm or at room temperature. The cake is best on the day it is made.

5. Calories 167, Calories from Fat 40, Total Fat 4 g, Saturated Fat 1 g, Cholesterol 28 mg, Sodium 221 mg, Total Carbohydrate 28 g, Dietary Fiber 1 g, Sugars 15 g, Protein 4 g.

Hummus with Green Goo

This hummus is light, almost billowy, and remains so even after a couple days in the refrigerator.
It's worth noting the green drizzle is great on lots of things, not just hummus. I've been enjoying it over eggs, roasted vegetables, drizzled in crepes, and it goes particularly well with quinoa.

Hummus:
1 pound / 453 g dried chickpeas, soaked in water for at least 4 hours, drained
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup water
scant 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons fine grain sea salt
1/3 cup / 80ml tahini
Green Goo
1/4 cup Italian parsley
1 jalapeño, destemmed
1 large clove garlic
scant 1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
2/3 cup / 160 ml extra virgin olive oil

In a large pot cover the chickpeas with 2 inches of water. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Add the baking soda, and reduce the heat. Simmer, skimming any foam from the surface, until the chickpeas are soft but still structured, roughly an hour. Drain.

Place 4 cups / 1.5 pounds / 650 g of the cooked chickpeas in a food processor. You can set aside any remaining chickpeas and have them as a snack or use them in a stew or soup. To the food processor add the water, lemon juice, and salt. Process for three minutes or until completely smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl once or twice along the way. If you like your hummus thinner add more water a small splash at a time. Add the tahini, process one more time. Taste and adjust the seasoning, add more salt or lemon juice if needed. Transfer the hummus to a serving bowl.

To make the "green goo" rinse out the food processor bowl, and use it again, and if you don't have a food processor, you can certainly do a hand-chopped version. Pulse the parsley, jalapeño, garlic, and salt in the food processor. Slowly drizzle the olive oil into the mixture while the processor is running, until an green emulsion is created. Transfer to a jar, taste, and adjust the seasoning.

Drizzle the hummus generously with the green goo. I realize now, I didn't use nearly enough in the photo up above.

Serve with pita chips, crackers, flatbread, or toasted lavash. Makes 4 cups of hummus.

http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/hummus-with-green-goo-recipe.html

Fudgy Chocolate Tart

Makes 10 servings – Serving size: 1 slice

For company, shower this tart with curls of dark and white chocolate for a stunning presentation. It’s bursting with chocolate flavor, so your family won’t mind having it plain.

Crust:
1 c all-purpose flour
½ t salt
½ t baking powder
¼ t baking soda
¼ c canola oil
3 T reduced-fat sour cream

Filling:
2 c fat-free milk
1 large egg
2/3 c granular no-calorie sweetener
1/3 c unsweetened cocoa
¼ c granulated sugar
¼ c cornstarch
Pinch of salt
2 t vanilla extract

Make crust
1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Coat a 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom with cooking spray and set aside.
2. Combine the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in a medium bowl and whisk to mix well. Combine the oil and sour cream in a small bowl and whisk until smooth. Add the oil mixture to the flour mixture and stir until a stiff dough forms. Shape the dough into a disk and place between 2 sheets of waxed paper.
3. Roll the dough to a 12-inch diameter circle. Remove the top layer of waxed paper and place the dough, with waxed paper facing up, into the prepared pan. Starting from the edge of the dough, gently remove the waxed paper. Trim the edges of the crust and prick the bottom all over with a fork. Bake 10-12 minutes or until the crust is lightly browned.
4. Cool completely on a wire rack.

Make filling
1. Combine the milk, egg, no-calorie sweetener, cocoa, sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan and whisk until the cornstarch dissolves. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, about 6 minutes or until the mixture comes to a boil and thickens.
2. Transfer to a medium bowl and cover the surface of the filling with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming. Cool to room temperature and stir in the vanilla. Spoon into the prepared crust, cover, and refrigerate 2 hours or until firm.

Coconut Red Lentil Soup

See the photo in the main entry if you aren't sure what type of lentils and split peas to buy. For those of you who are curious, I used the Terre Exotique Madras Curry Powder I picked up in Paris - it looks like it is available here now too (I think I've come across it on Amazon's grocery section). Vegans - you can easily make this vegan by using coconut or olive oil in place of the butter called for.

1 cup / 7 oz / 200g yellow split peas
1 cup 7 oz / 200g red split lentils (masoor dal)
7 cups / 1.6 liters water
1 medium carrot, cut into 1/2-inch dice
2 tablespoons fresh peeled and minced ginger
2 tablespoons curry powder
2 tablespoons butter or ghee
8 green onions (scallions), thinly sliced
1/3 cup / 1.5 oz / 45g golden raisins
1/3 / 80 ml cup tomato paste
1 14-ounce can coconut milk
2 teaspoons fine grain sea salt
one small handful cilantro, chopped
cooked brown rice or farro, for serving (optional)

Give the split peas and lentils a good rinse - until they no longer put off murky water. Place them in an extra-large soup pot, cover with the water, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and add the carrot and 1/4 of the ginger. Cover and simmer for about 30 minutes, or until the split peas are soft.

In the meantime, in a small dry skillet or saucepan over low heat, toast the curry powder until it is quite fragrant. Be careful though, you don't want to burn the curry powder, just toast it. Set aside. Place the butter in a pan over medium heat, add half of the green onions, the remaining ginger, and raisins. Saute for two minutes stirring constantly, then add the tomato paste and saute for another minute or two more.

Add the toasted curry powder to the tomato paste mixture, mix well, and then add this to the simmering soup along with the coconut milk and salt. Simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes or so. The texture should thicken up, but you can play around with the consistency if you like by adding more water, a bit at a time, if you like. Or simmer longer for a thicker consistency. The thicker this soup got, the more I liked it.

I've been enjoying big ladles of this soup over ~1/2 cup of warm farro - brown rice was good as well. Sprinkle each bowl generously with cilantro and the remaining green onions.

Serves 6.

101 Cookbooks http://www.101cookbooks.com/