Simmer Through January

Sick of winter yet? Is the cold getting to you? Tired of snow and bitter cold…scraping windshields and finding mittens? Yeah…me too.

Except…I love soup! I love throwing a pot of soup on the stove around lunch time and tending it absent-mindedly during the afternoon as the flavors blend and meld.

Add a pan of cornbread or a crusty loaf of french bread and you have a meal!

Here are two of my favorites:

CHEESY TORTILLA SOUP

• 8 corn tortillas
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 large egg
• 1 can chopped green chilies
• 1 package taco seasoning mix
• 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 1 cup oil
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 3 cans chicken broth
• 4 cups tomato juice
• 1 can chopped tomatoes, drained
• 1 cup dairy sour cream
• 1/4 cup flour
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 12 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, cubed

Tear tortillas into pieces and soak them for ten minutes in the milk. Add egg, half the green chilies and half the taco seasoning mix. Process the mixture in the blender until smooth. Add shredded cheese to mixture and stir.

Heat the oil in a 10-inch skillet. Drop the blended mixture into hot oil by small teaspoons and fry until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.

Melt butter in large Dutch oven; add garlic and onion and fry until tender. Add broth, tomato juice, chopped tomatoes, remaining green chilies and seasoning mix. Boil and cook 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Blend together sour cream, flour and sugar. Stir some of the soup into the sour cream and add the mixture slowly to soup. Drop the cheese and tortillas into soup. Heat through.

BROCCOLI CHOWDER

• 10 oz chopped broccoli
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 can condensed cream of chicken soup
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup peanuts, chopped

In a 2-quart saucepan, boil 1/2-cup water and add broccoli and onion. Cover and simmer 5 minutes. Do not drain. Add the soup, milk and cheese. Cook and stir until heated through. Top each serving with peanuts. Serves six.