Marty Aftewicz

recipe

  • Corned Beef & Cabbage Soup

    Corned Beef & Cabbage Soup

    Corned Beef & Cabbage Soup

    Corned Beef and Cabbage are a favorite combo. So why not make it a soup?

    The result is a gentle but flavorful soup which might become one of your favorites. Enjoy!

    Total time to prepare – Approximately 1 hour 30 minutes. Serves twelve (10-12).

    Ingredients

    • 10 cups Vegetable Broth
    • 8 cups Beef Broth
    • 2 Sweet Onion, diced
    • 4 Garlic cloves, minced
    • !/4 cup Butter (1/2 stick)
    • 6 Celery, chopped
    • 4 Carrots, chopped
    • 1 1/2 lbs Yukon Gold Potatoes, unpeeled and cubed
    • 1 cup Barley, quick-cooking
    • 1/2 cup Ground Mustard
    • 2 tsp Dried Thyme
    • 2 tsp Black Pepper
    • 2 tsp Salt
    • 1 1/2 lbs Corned Beef, sliced into 1/2″ pieces
    • 10 cups Green Cabbage, or a small head, chopped.

    Directions

    1. Slice the potatoes into bite-size pieces, with the skin on. Some markets have small Yukon gold potatoes which are convenient and can be sliced into quarters. Boil for 15 minutes and set aside. This will slightly reduce the starch and enhance the flavor of the soup.
    2. In a soup pot or large Dutch oven, add 2 cups of the vegetable broth, keep the 8 cups for later. Heat on medium.
    3. Add onion, celery, carrots, barley and garlic and cook until softened, about 15 minutes. The instructions refer to stalks of celery and number of carrots.
    4. Add the remaining vegetable broth, plus the beef broth. Bring to a boil while adding the cabbage, salt, thyme, pepper and mustard. After this reaches a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and stir occasionally.
    5. Stir in the potatoes and corned beef, again return to a simmer for another 10 minutes or so, until potatoes and corned beef is heated. Taste and add more salt and pepper if this suits your taste.
    6. Enjoy! Please subscribe for more Recipes for a Happy Life and interesting stories.
    7. Also, perhaps you are interested in my book, Hope Landing, a story set in a small town on the Great Lakes. If you order through my website, I will sign a copy and provide free shipping.

  • Shakin’ Creamy Chicken Soup

    Shakin’ Creamy Chicken Soup

    Shakin’ Creamy Chicken Soup

    This soup recipe is supposedly handed down from the Shakers, a religious sect that spun off from the Quakers in the mid-1700s. They aren’t around anymore since they practiced celibacy. I wonder how they thought that would work out long term. 

    Anyhow, the soup is souper-tasty and easy to make. You’ll likely add this recipe to your list of favorites and you won’t have to become celibate to make it!

    Total time to prepare – Approximately 1 hour 30 minutes. Serves twelve (10-12).

     Special Equipment Needed:

    • Dutch oven or stockpot

    Ingredients

    • 14 cups Chicken Broth
    • 1 Sweet Onion, diced
    • 4 Garlic cloves, minced
    • !/4 cup Butter (1/2 stick)
    • 1 cup Heavy Whipping Cream
    • 1 cup Celery, thinly sliced
    • 1 1/2 cup Water
    • 3/4 cup All-purpose flour
    • 2 cups of Rostisserie Chicken, shredded – white or dark meat, or mixture
    • Salt and black pepper to taste
    • 12 oz Egg noodles
    • 1/4 cup Chopped Parsley

    Directions

    1. Place the diced onion, minced garlic, and thinly sliced celery into a dutch oven or stockpot with one cup of the broth. Simmer on low with no lid.
    2. While step one is simmering, add 1 cup of broth and the butter in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and continue boiling for 15-20 minutes until the liquid is reduced to about 1/4 cup and has the consistency of syrup. Remove from heat and gently stir in the whipping cream with a whisk or wooden spoon. Set aside. The vegetables and spices in the pot should now be tender. Add the remaining 12 cups of broth and bring to a boil. Simmer uncovered for about 15 minutes. 
    3. While the broth is simmering, shred the chicken. Do not use the skin and you may use white or dark meat, or any combination you prefer. Set aside.
    4. Bring another large pot of water of boil, add salt and add your pasta. Cook per the package instructions. You may use any type of noodles you prefer.
    5. Combine the water and flour in a medium bowl and whisk until smooth. You may use one of those tiny electronic frothers or immersion blender if you prefer. If you prefer your soup to be less thick, reduce the amount of flour. Stir into the pot, return to a boil and stir constantly while simmering for about 2 minutes. Your soup will begin to thicken. 
    6. Stir in the reserved cream mixture, add the shredded chicken and season to taste with salt and pepper. Keep the soup on low but DO NOT BOIL. Sprinkle the parsley over the soup. 
    7. Enjoy! and visit me at www.martyatl.com for more Recipes for a Happy Life and interesting stories.