I'm changing my soup to a vegetarian minestrone soup with beans, beer (probably something really light) and optional bacon.

Didn't read through the end. Earlier it said the spots were filled, but I see one soup opening. I'll take it if it is still open. I'll read through the entire thread later and figure out what kind to make. Off to a Moroccan cooking class.

Hellodali wrote:Joan - just FYI I plan to make two different types of blondies for my sweets contribution.

what are your 2 blondies? i'm going to bring walnut brownies and brown butter/sea salt cookies. i don't see a conflict, do you?

Thanks Mrs. Ingie for claiming the newly opened "last" spot! And Joan, the brownies and cookies sound perfect. See everyone at 5:00 on Wed.

Really looking forward to this event, which is always a lot of fun. See everyone on Wednesday!

=R=

There's a German soup that my mom used to make, which really is really supposed to be more meal-like, but mom served it as a soup. It's also supposed to be a summer soup, but if I can find fresh green beans, can be made now. It is Birnen, Bohnen und Speck, which translates to Pears, Beans and Bacon. What do you think?

My soup is "Five B Borscht"
Beer, Bacon, Beans, Beets, Beef
I've used this recipe to start, tripling the amounts (lots of soup!)
and instead of using all water, using stock (mix what I had on hand,
chicken, duck and beef) and beer for 1/2, and adding beans. I also
drained it, defatted the broth, then put it back together.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emer ... index.html

Ms. Ingie wrote:There's a German soup that my mom used to make, which really is really supposed to be more meal-like, but mom served it as a soup. It's also supposed to be a summer soup, but if I can find fresh green beans, can be made now. It is Birnen, Bohnen und Speck, which translates to Pears, Beans and Bacon. What do you think?

I saw fresh green beans at Fresh Farms yesterday.

stevez wrote:

Ms. Ingie wrote:There's a German soup that my mom used to make, which really is really supposed to be more meal-like, but mom served it as a soup. It's also supposed to be a summer soup, but if I can find fresh green beans, can be made now. It is Birnen, Bohnen und Speck, which translates to Pears, Beans and Bacon. What do you think?

I saw fresh green beans at Fresh Farms yesterday.

I saw fresh green beans at Stanley's Friday night.

I bought delicious fresh beans at Marianos this weekend.

I made my soup yesterday-
turned out really nice-
Vegan pea soup with barley, shitake, maitake and herbes de provence.(and oatmeal stout beer)
(My family all said it was very good, but would have been better with sausage LOL)
Of course that's what you get for letting the meatatarians taste it.

I will likely get there closer to 5:30 but since I'm bringing dessert that should be fine.

Joan, I think it will be white chocolate cherry blondies and chocolate chip coconut pecan blondies.

Soup sounds wonderful Elaine, as do Demitra's blondies!

I am curing the pork belly as we speak--used a rub of sea salt, Szechuan peppercorns, clove and brown sugar. One more day in the fridge then I'll braise it tomorrow in a mix of Belgian Ale, soy sauce, rice vinegar and aromatics (garlic, celery, onion).

Soup is done--I'm happy with the taste but still on the fence about the texture. Kind of want it a bit smoother--pureeing 4 gallons of soup with whole soybeans in it took forever but I can still detect the ginger (even though that was pureed into oblivion before cooking. Oh well--I still have some time to play with it. Just not sure I have the patience for trying to strain it all.

See you all on Wed.

This might be a good excuse to get a food mill?

leek wrote:This might be a good excuse to get a food mill?

I had one--I broke it

But yes, I think you're right. I'm going to test it again tonight--I tasted it after it cooled down and just the extra slow, low cooking softened the texture considerably. It might get there on it's own (I don't mind some thickness--I just don't want that unpleasant chewy/reedy texture of the ginger and, to some extent, probably the skin of the soybean. But yes, a food mill is probably a worthwhile investment--just not looking forward to spending the hours it will likely take to put that much soup through one...

Haven't gotten any feedback yet as to whether or not the pear/green bean/bacon soup sounds appetizing. It will also have potatoes in it.

I think the pear/green bean soup sounds great- would it be possible to keep the bacon on the side as a garnish?
or it is needed as a cooked in ingredient?
this crowd can be vegetarian heavy...

We have PLENTY of vegetarian/vegan options--over half as of now, even with Ms. Ingie's contribution. I'd say go ahead and include the bacon as an ingredient if the recipe calls for it. And, yes, it sounds very tasty!!

Thanks for the feedback. You need the bacon or smoked butt in there to give flavor to the broth, so non-veg it is.

Looking forward to trying it!

boudreaulicious wrote:pureeing 4 gallons of soup with whole soybeans in it took forever

That's a LOT of soup. In past years, I've made 2 gallons and found that to be sufficient for soup and bread night.

Do you have an immersion blender?

leek wrote:Do you have an immersion blender?

I do and I started using it but it wasn't strong enough for such a huge pot. The blender worked much better.

Steve--I made extra in case I needed to strain and lost some of the liquid. Also, we've been told that we run out of soup earlier than other groups so I made a bit of extra and asked that everyone please make 3 gals if they can.

thanks!

Hi,

I will make a dessert bar something or another. I have lots of ingredients, I just need to narrow down what it will be. I am inclined to make a seven-layer magic cookie.

If I cannot make it Wednesday, I will drop it off at irisarbor on Tuesday evening.

Regards,

Cathy2 wrote:Hi,

I will make a dessert bar something or another. I have lots of ingredients, I just need to narrow down what it will be. I am inclined to make a seven-layer magic cookie.

If I cannot make it Wednesday, I will drop it off at irisarbor on Tuesday evening.

Regards,

Sounds great Cathy--thanks!! Hope you can make it!

Cathy2 wrote: I am inclined to make a seven-layer magic cookie.

OOH! I love those!

so, i've got 64 brownie triangles and 90 browned butter/sea salt cookies ready to go. i'll bring a couple of platters to serve the cookies on. see everyone around 5 tomorrow. justjoan

justjoan wrote:so, i've got 64 brownie triangles and 90 browned butter/sea salt cookies ready to go. i'll bring a couple of platters to serve the cookies on. see everyone around 5 tomorrow. justjoan

Great--thanks Joan!!

Hi,

Lacking sweetened condensed milk, I went with 44 chocolate chip cookies cooked crisp.

Bringing them over to irisarbor shortly.

Regards,

Cathy2 wrote:Hi,

Lacking sweetened condensed milk, I went with 44 chocolate chip cookies cooked crisp.

Bringing them over to irisarbor shortly.

Regards,

thanks Cathy!

Cathy2 wrote:Hi,

Lacking sweetened condensed milk, I went with 44 chocolate chip cookies cooked crisp.

Bringing them over to irisarbor shortly.

Regards,

Wait, you were out? How is that possible? What am I going to do with you? I think I have a can, maybe even 2, & I'm still on dessert sabbatical. Did you check the pantry?

Those poor souls have to muddle on only knowing your fantastic crisp chocolate chip cookies. They are so deprived. Well, let's try to make sure they don't find out. xo