Mint Cucumber Soup!!!!

This is for Kim. She asked for the Cuke Soup,  with lots of cukes what do we do?????  This recipe is from a cookbook my Mom got me years ago called, Hollyhocks and Radishes, by Bonnie Stewart Mickelson.  These folks live in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and they have some lovely recipes!!!

Mint Cucumber Soup

• 1 med. onion
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 3 T. butter
• 3 med. cukes, sliced and peeled
• 3 T. flour
• 2 cup chicken broth
• 2 T. chopped fresh mint
• 1 c. plain yogurt
• 1 c. light cream
• salt and pepper to taste

 in large skillet saute onion and garlic in butter until soft, add cukes and cook till soft 5-8 minutes.

Stir in flour, cook 1 minute.  Add broth bring to a boil and reduce to simmer 8-10 minutes.  Puree in batches, I use a hand held wand blender and leve it kind of chunky.  Pour in bowl, add mint.  Chill.

Before serving  blend in yogurt and cream add seasonings and garnish with mint.  Wonderful.

Cooking cucumbers increases their flavor. 

Some people just puree the cukes in a blender, add broth and cream, buttermilk or yogurt and add some seasonings and that is good too!!!!



                                             What to do with all of those tomatoes?

•                                       Roasted Tomato Garlic Soup
• 4 lbs. tomatoes
• 2 heads garlic- peeled
• 1-large onion
• Fresh basil
• Chicken stock- enough to thin soup to desired consistency 
•         Quarter tomatoes removing seeds
•          Place in non-aluminum baking pan
•         Scatter sliced onion, and garlic cloves over tomatoes
•          Drizzle about 6 tbls. olive oil over  ingredients, kosher salt, pepper
• Roast in a 375 oven for one hour.
• Remove skins from tomatoes.
• Puree in two batches in blender, adding fresh basil to taste. (about a lightly packed cup)
• Return to heat, and final season with salt and pepper.
• Yield will be around two quarts.

                                                           The Parmesan Crisps are made by baking a small mound of cheese in a 375 oven until golden, and cooled.   

Last Saturday four of us from Sewing Guild went to Chicago for the Tie the Knot exhibit at the Chicago History Museum.  We met the Sew Chicago neighborhood group and had a tour of the exhibit with a wonderful Docent, enjoyed  lunch with the group and then toured the Old Town shops. 

The Tie the Knot exhibit was most interesting displaying wedding attire from the late 1800"s to present day.  Famous Chicago families had dresses on display, the McCormicks for one.  The newer styles included clothing from a Hindu wedding, Steam Punk wedding and a really fun dress made from one very very long zipper.  The show cover wedding dresses, going away clothing, bridesmaid dresses, waist coats for the men a few Tuxes, corsets, jewelry, shoes and a wedding cake preserved for a very long time.

Lunch was fun with all the gals from Chicago , I didn't get many pics just can't remember to take pics!!!!  The shops in Old Town were great more food than clothes but fun to see.

Andrea, Lorel, Carolyn and I took the trip down on the train from Harvard, Il. What a great way to travel!!  Got to Chicago in 2 hours for a mere $7.00 for a weekend pass. Hopped a cab for the museum, walked around Old Town, cabbed it back to the train station and back to Harvard by 7;30 pm.  This is so much fun can't figure out why we're not doing this more often!!!