basil dumplings

I love soup. When I make a broth based soup, I usually accompany it with bread, biscuits or dumplings. These dumplings are a family favourite. Last night, DS had three bowls of soup and dumplings, DD had two servings and BG just one.

I found the bones of this recipe in a magazine about a year ago. I've since altered it to reflect our preferences and this one goes very well with turkey vegetable soup...

1/2 c white flour
1/2 c whole wheat
1 t dried basil
1/2 t salt
3 eggs
4 T veg oil

In med bowl, combine the dry ingredients, stirring well.

In small bowl, beat together the eggs and oil until creamy.

Add wet to dry, stirring until smooth and sticky.

This part is important: drop by spoonfuls into BOILING soup. If the soup is not boiling, the batter will dissolve into the soup, resulting in a disgusting mess. trust me. Makes about ten T sized dumplings.

Cover and steam for 3-5 minutes.

Serve out in a bowl with the soup.

These are also fantastic with an Italian herb blend in a minestrone soup.

meatball soup

Usually, when I think meatball soup, I think of Italian Wedding soup. I really don't like Italian Wedding soup, but my three children LOOOVE it. I can't stand the smell of it. It actually triggers a gag reflex. Not good.
This Friday, I invited a friend over and said I'd make lunch. Soup is fast and easy. I went to grab my go-to bag of frozen broccoli and cauliflower and well, there wasn't quite enough. So...

1 c froz broccoli/cauliflower
3 c froz mixed vegetables(peas, carrots, corn, lima beans and green beans)(the inexpensive ones)
2 onions chopped
2 c sodium reduced chicken broth

2 c leftover burrito stuffing
1 c salsa
1 1/2 c frozen mini meatballs

I brought the first 4 ingredients to a boil, simmered for I think about 8 minutes. Then, I used my friend the immersion blender to buzz through the soup. I pulsed the soup instead of fully blending it, as I wanted to see pieces of the vegetables I was eating. Also for the eye appeal-green veggies plus orange veggies blended make brown soup. Brown soup is not very appetizing(unless it is a french onion soup mmmmm).

I added the next three ingredients and heated thoroughly. The burrito mixture of beans meat and spices added some thickening to the soup, the salsa added a bit of spice and colour and the meatballs a bit more spice and eye interest.

We eat with our eyes, and this was interesting to look at. The different reds of tomato and kidney beans, carrot orange, the different greens in the peas, salsa peppers and green beans and the shape of the meatballs meant each mouthful was beautiful.

An awesome soup for warming up.