SOUPS

CURRIED CARROT SOUP (serves 4)

To start:

1. 3/4 pound of carrots, peeled and boiled for approx. 15 minutes (or until tender, if using baby carrots)
2. 1 16-oz. can chicken broth
3. mild curry powder (you will just need a tablespoon)
4. Half cup half-and-half or double cream
5. Sour cream for garnish

Putting it together:

1. Puree the carrots in the food processor/blender.
2. In a medium pan, add carrot mixture into chicken broth.
3. Stir in well, bring to a boil, lower heat to a simmer.
4. Stir in cream, add curry powder, add salt and pepper to taste. Do not reboil! Your soup is ready!

Serving suggestion:
            Put a dollop of sour cream on the top when serving with a little fresh grated black pepper! Simple and delicious!

CHINESE FISHBALL SOUP (serves 4)

No need to shudder in fear! After all, we are all used to the concept of MEATballs. This is the

Chinese fish version -- delicious, nutritious, and very, very easy!

To start:

1. From the frozen section of your local Asian grocery store, look for packages of fishballs. Get a couple. There is usually a bewildering variety, but any type will do. You may find some Fuzhou fishballs which would be fishballs filled with a meat center, a specialty of the Fuzhou province in China. Those would work very well too. You will need to defrost these in the refrigerator overnight.
2. Assuming you now have sesame oil, you will also need 2 16-oz. cans of chicken broth.

Putting it together:

1. Bring the chicken broth to the boil.
2. Add fishballs, return to boil. Turn heat down to low, add 6 drops of sesame oil, black pepper to taste, and simmer for 3-5 minutes.
3. May be served as is, or with finely chopped scallions for garnish. Low carb and low fat!

Serving suggestion:
            As is, or with some added egg noodles to make a complete meal!

AVOCADO SOUP (serves 4)

To start:

1.    3-4 avocados, pitted

2.    1 16-oz. can chicken broth

3.    fresh chives

4.    Half cup half-and-half or double cream

5.    lemon juice and sour cream for garnish

Putting it together:

1.    Put avocados and broth in Cuisinart and blend together on highfor 2 minutes or until soup consistency is achieved.

2.    Pour mixture into saucepan, stir in cream. Heat on low heat,stirring constantly. Do not let mixture boil. Add salt and pepper to taste,with a tsp. of lemon juice.

3.    Spoon into small soup bowls, add dollop of sour cream inmiddle of each bowl, and sprinkle chives for garnish.

 POTATO, ONION AND LEEK SOUP

Easy vicchyssoise soup. Serves 4-6

To start:

1.    3 large potatoes, peeled and boiled until tender

2.    2 medium onions

3.    4 leeks

4.    1 can chicken broth

5.    1 cup cream

Putting it together:

1.    Clean leeks and slice into circular chunks, chop onions intolarge chunks.Saute both together in vegetable oil or butter until tender.

2.    Add potatoes, leek and onion mixutre with half of the chicken broth in cuisinart/blender. Blend on high until thick soup consistency is achieved.

3.    Pour mixture into pot, add rest of chicken broth. Slowly add cream on low heat until soup is hot, but making sure mixture does not boil.

4.    Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serving suggestion:

Serve chilled OR hot with fresh French bread. Sprinkle chopped chives over each bowl of soup for garnish and flavor.