Rainy Day Oatmeal With Egg

This is the sort of breakfast that my Mom would have taught me, when I was young. Maybe she did, I don't remember...

>> See it done!

Ingredients

• 1 C Oatmeal, Quick Cooking.
• 2 Eggs.
• Butter / margerine, a teaspoon or so.
• A dash Curry Powder.
• 2 dashes of Ginger.
• A dash of Onion Powder.
• Boiling Water.

Preparation

1. Add oatmeal to a microwave safe individual serving bowl.
2. Add spices to oatmeal, and mix.
3. Pour boiling water over oatmeal and mix. Add water until slightly soupy.
4. Let oatmeal cook and cool. Oatmeal will be a clay like paste. This is what kidz love (yes, I had fun too).
Add butter, mix well.
5. Take a teaspoon (or use fingers), and mold the oatmeal into a bowl, pressing against inside edge of the outer bowl. Mold the bottom of the oatmeal bowl, decoratively.
6. Break open eggs - carefully - into a coffee cup. Don't break the yolks.
7. Pour eggs into the oatmeal bowl. Don't break the yolks.
8. Pour boiling water over the egg whites, carefully. Don't break the yolks. When done, the water should cover tops of the yolks. It's like poaching the agg.
9. Take a toothpick, and carefully poke 2 or 3 holes in each yolk. Don't break the yolks.
10. Cover the bowl with a larger and flat shallow plastic bowl, place in a microwave, cook 1 minute on high at 100%.
11. Remove from the microwave and check. Egg white should be solid white, yolk should be creamy like a sunny side up egg.
12. As necessary, repeat in 30 second bursts, until egg is properly cooked.
13. Break yolks, and mix with oatmeal in chunks.
14. Garnish / add condiments. I like grated cheese, salsa, minced onion, more salsa. Cover with bean salad or maybe cucumber / yogurt dressing, as available.
15. Eat when cool enough.

See It Done!

(Coming soon)!

Epidemic Mac&Cheese

This will be my second of three meals that use ingredients that can be stored for a long time - and cooked quickly.

The humble Mac & Cheese is a comfort food, favoured by many. Mac & Cheese comforts me, too - even more so, when it contains veggies and spices. Here, 3 of the 5 magical spices.

Ingredients:

• 1 Box Mac&Cheese mix.
• 1 T Onion chopped / minced, dried.
• 1/4 t Curry powder.
• 1/2 t Garlic powder.
• 1/2 t Ginger powder.
• 1/2 t Onion powder.
• 1/4 t Paprika.
• 1/4 t Tumeric.
• 4 T Butter / Margarine.
• 1/4 C Milk.

Preparation:

1. Boil water in a large pot.
2. Add dried onion to boiling water.
3. Add noodles to water, cook until tender.
4. Drain cooked noodles, put in mixing bowl, add butter, milk, cheese, mix well.
5. Add spices, mix.
6. Add butter, milk, mix well.
7. Add cheese powder, mix.
8. Serve, immediately.

CoronaVirus Rice

This started out as CoronaVirus Prevention broth - but I like curry and ginger. And someone else suggested adding rice.

CoronaVirus is not going away! Eat healthy!!


Here, we have all 5 identified healthy spices - some in rather generous quantity.

Ingredients

• 1/2 t Cayenne Pepper.
• 1/2 t Cinnamon.
• 1 t Curry Powder.
• 6 cloves fresh garlic.
• 1/2 C Ginger Root ("fresh ginger") chunks / 2 T ground ginger..
• 1/2 t Tumeric.
• 1 large onion, diced.
• 1 cube / 1 T powder bouillon.
• 2 C rice, well rinsed and drained, until clear water.
• 8 C water.

Preparation

1. Rinse and drain rice, repeatedly - until water drains clear. This removes starch.
2. Dice onion, mince 2 cloves of garlic, peel and mince 2 or 3 chunks of ginger root (as possible, without cutting yourself).
3. Add water to a deep pot or dutch oven, bring to a boil.
4. Add bouillon, curry powder, minced and whole garlic cloves, grated / minced / whole ginger root, diced onion, rice to boiling water.
5. Add any other interesting veggies, as desired.
6. Reduce water from boil, to slow simmer.
7. Stir, and cover mixture - and simmer. Stir frequently and well, until no water is visible, Remove from heat, and let it cool until all water is absorbed,
8. Refrigerate in a large pot with tight cover. Warm up in microwave, when hungry. If not hungry, force eat some anyway, regularly.

Protect yourself for CoronaVirus - drink lots of garlic water. I added ginger and onion, and someone else suggested rice. Drink / eat up - and wash your hands!

Cold Ramen Noodles

Most people cook Ramen Noodles. In hot weather, cold noodles are very satisfying - and can be “cooked” without heat.

This is great, for a planned emergency . When using all dried ingredients, this can be made any time when needed.

>> See it done!


Ingredients

• 1/2 t Curry Powder.
• 1/8 t Ground Garlic.
• 1/2 t Ground Ginger.
• 1 T Dried Chopped Onion - or 1/4 C Fresh Onion, minced.
• 1/2 t Paprika.
• 1 C Water.
• 1 Package Of Ramen Noodles (Shrimp, for me).
• 1/4 C Cottage Cheese.
• 1 splash of Mae Ploy Sweet Chili Sauce.
• Sprinkle of chopped chives.

Preparation

1. Combine spices, in a large cereal bowl.
2. Mix in onion (chopped or fresh).
3. Open Ramen Noodles package. Separate the noodles, flavour, oil, and vegs packets (Note that packets included will vary)..
4. Mix flavour and vegs packets (as included) into the spices bowl.
5. Crumble noodles into the bowl, mix with spices etc.
6. Add water, mix with contents.
7. Refrigerate noodles mixture, to marinate 2 - 4 hours.
8. Remove from refrigerator, when marinated.
9. Mix in cottage cheese, oil packet (as included), chili sauce.
10. Serve promptly.

See it Done!

Add flavour packet, onion, spices to a large cereal bowl.

Crush Ramen noodles. I use a plastic bag.

Add ramen noodles and water, to the bowl. Mix.

Cover, and marinate.

Mix in chili sauce and cottage cheese, once the noodles have expanded.

Garnish with chopped chives.

Sweet Plantains

This is one of my favourite memories, from my years in Miami - sweet plantains.

Ingredients

• 2 plaintains, black and soft, but not mushy.
• viniagrette salad dressing, 1/4 C.
• Mae Ploy sweet chili sauce, 1/4 C.
• salsa, fresh, 1/2 C.
• ginger, 1/4 t.
• California Taboulli.
• California Hummus.
• Trader Joes Cauliflower Curry Salad.

Preparation

1. Peel, then slice plantains, 1/4 " thick.
2. Add to microwaveable dish.
3. Add salad dressing, chili sauce, salsa, and ginger, toss lightly.
4. Microwave on high, 8 - 10 min.
5. Let it cool, for 5 minutes, as the plantains finish cooking.
6. Add curry salad, hummus, taboulli.
7. Enjoy when ready.

Guacamole

Guacamole is one of my favourite appetisers, to enjoy at a typical Mexican restaurant.


It's not hard to make, as long as you get the avocado ripe!


Ingredients

• 1 large / 2 medium ripe avocado
• 1 lime / 1/4 C lime juice
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 jalapeno pepper
• 1/2 medium onion (red is preferred, i used white)
• 1 roma tomato
• 1/2 bunch cilantro
• salt, to taste

Preparation

1. Cut the avocado(s) in half, remove pit(s), scrape contents into mixing bowl.
2. Dice avocado, using a nice sharp knife, in mixing bowl. No mess, knife goes right through.
3. Immediately add lime juice, to keep avocado green, and mix well.
4. Smash, then mince garlic, mix into diced avocado.
5. Dice jalapeno and onion, mix into avocado mix.
6. Dice tomato, mix into avocado mix.
7. Chop cilantro, mix into avocado mix.
8. Add salt, to taste.
9. Garnish with a couple cilantro stalks, and some tomato (or a splash of Mae Ploy), and serve.

Thai Style Peanut Sauce

Thai Style peanut sauce is a tasty addition to many quick meals. I keep a pint in the refrigerator, for anything that needs a kick.

Ingredients

• 1/4 C peanut butter
• 1 serrano chili pepper, carefully and finely minced (**)
• 2 T Mae Ploy sweet chili sauce
• 2 T soy sauce
• 1 t brown sugar
• 1 T sesame paste (Tahini)
• 2 T sesame or vegetable oil
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1 t ginger powder
• 1/4 C yogurt - plain, unsweetened

Preparation

1. Mix all ingredients, adding chili sauce, soy sauce, oil, and lime juice a bit at a time, and to taste, until the mixture is thin enough to pour.
2. Make it thin, to marinate cucumber slices - medium thick, to use as salad dressing - or really thick, to use as dip for sourdough bread, or taco chips.
3. The one rule is that you should make it in quantity, because it will be eaten in quantity.

Inspired by Season With Spice: Easy Thai Peanut Sauce - and limited by reality (and what I had in my kitchen).

(**) Follow Safety Precautions when you prepare this, please.

California Style Lime Peanut Bean Curry

Beans and peanut curry are a great combination. Dried beans keep forever in the pantry - and can be used easily in an emergency.

This is similar to California style red beans - except the flavourings use a curry powder base, instead of chili powder - and the lime / peanut butter. And, it takes some from the Cuban style black beans - except the sour black beans use an orange, but the red beans are sweeter and use a lime.

Only rinse the beans twice, to make sure they are clean - then stash in refrigerator, in water, while you prepare the other ingredients. No soaking overnight - and no repeated rinsing, and removing all of the flavour.

• 1 lb dried red beans
• 2 - 3 carrots, well scrubbed and chopped, 1/4" sections
• 3 - 4 cloves of garlic, chopped, 1//4" squares
• 1 medium onion, chopped, 1/2" squares
• 1 jalapeno pepper, chopped, 1/4" squares
• 1 sweet pepper, chopped, 1/2" squares
• 2 cubes / 2 t bouillon
• 1/4 t cayenne pepper
• 1/2 t coriander
• 1/2 t cumin
• 1 t curry powder
• 1 t garam masala
• 1 T ginger
• 1/2 t paprika
• 1/4 t tumeric
• 1 6oz can tomato sauce
• 1/2 C peanut butter
• 1 lime, scrubbed and whole

1. Rinse beans, twice, in large bowl. Let them sit in the refrigerator, in water, while you prepare the vegetables.
2. When vegetables are ready, dump beans and water - un drained - into a large pot.
3. Add vegetables, and enough water to make everything float.
4. Bring water to a boil, and add spices. Do not add lime, peanut butter, or tomato sauce, yet.
5. Reduce to simmer, cover, and let them cook. 2 - 3 hours gives me what I like - I suspect that you can't overcook this recipe, as long as you add water periodically. Sample beans and sauce, an hour after start.
6. If the beans and spices make you sneeze, you have just enough spices. The peanut butter and tomato sauce will bring the spice level down.
7. At 1 1/2 hours, the beans will be chewy. Add peanut butter, using a fork, stir until dissolved and mixed. Then add tomato sauce and the lime, stir again.
8. When beans are soft enough to eat without chewing, they are ready.
9. Turn off stove, uncover, let them sit until they are cool enough to enjoy.
10. Serve over Bengali style sesame mint rice, with sourdough bread.
11. Refrigerated over night, they are even more tasty.

California Style Red Beans

This is similar to Cuban style black beans - except the flavourings use a chili powder base, instead of curry powder.

Only rinse the beans twice, to make sure they are clean - then stash in refrigerator, in water, while you prepare the other ingredients. No soaking overnight - and no repeated rinsing, and removing all of the flavour.

• 1 lb dried red beans
• 1 - 2 carrots, well scrubbed and chopped, 1/4" sections
• 2 - 3 cloves of garlic, sliced
• 1 medium onion, chopped, 1/2" squares
• 1 jalapeno pepper, minced
• 1 sweet pepper, chopped
• 2 cubes / 2 t bouillon
• 2 bay leaves, whole
• 1/4 t cayenne pepper
• 1 T chili powder
• 1 t Kashmiri chili powder
• 1/2 t cumin
• 1/2 t mustard
• 1/2 t paprika
• 1/4 t tumeric
• 1 6oz can tomato sauce

1. Rinse beans, twice, in large bowl. Let them sit in the refrigerator, in water, while you prepare the vegetables.
2. When vegetables are ready, dump beans and water - un drained - into a large pot.
3. Add vegetables, and enough water to make everything float.
4. Bring water to a boil, and add spices.
5. Reduce to simmer, cover, and let them cook. 2 hours gives me what I like.
6. When beans are soft enough to eat without chewing, they are ready.
7. Turn off stove, uncover, let them sit until they are cool enough to enjoy.
8. Serve over Bengali style sesame mint rice, with sourdough bread. Garnish / mix with mango salsa.
9. Refrigerated over night, they are even more tasty.

Cuban Style Black Beans

This is quick, and easy to fix.


Don't rinse the beans, any more than necessary.

Only rinse the beans twice, to make sure they are clean - then stash in refrigerator while you prepare the other ingredients. No soaking overnight - and no repeated rinsing, and removing all of the flavour. That may be the missing ingredient, that I have not found - until yesterday.

• 4 C dried / 4 x 14 oz cans / 1 lb dried black beans
• 3 - 4 carrots, well scrubbed and chopped, 1/2" sections
• 3 - 4 cloves of garlic, quartered
• 1 medium onion, chopped, 1/2" squares
• 1 orange, scrubbed and whole (opt)
• 1 jalapeno pepper, chopped
• 1 sweet pepper, chopped
• 2 cubes / 2 t bouillon
• 2 bay leaves, whole
• 1 t caraway seeds (black caraway is best)
• 1/2 t cayenne pepper
• 1 t cilantro
• 1 t cumin
• 1/2 t paprika
• 1 6oz can tomato sauce (opt)

1. Rinse beans, twice, in large bowl. Let them sit in the refrigerator, while you prepare the vegetables.
2. When vegetables are ready, dump beans and water - un drained - into a large pot.
3. Add orange (opt), vegetables, and enough water to make everything float.
4. Bring water to a boil, and add spices.
5. Reduce to simmer, cover, and let them cook. Most recipes claim 1 1/2 hours - I decided 2 - 3 hours gives me what I like.
6. When beans are soft enough to eat without chewing, they are ready.
7. Turn off stove, uncover, let them sit until they are cool enough to enjoy.
8. Serve over Bengali style rice, with sourdough bread. Garnish / mix with mango salsa.
9. Refrigerated over night, they are even more tasty.

Sesame Mint Rice, Bengali Style

The difference is in how you cook it. This started out as plain old white rice - see how more interesting it looks, as fried rice? Learn tasty it is!


An online friend gave me a link to a video from a Bangladeshi cooking show (no longer available), where they demonstrate how to cook Basmati rice.

Well, I speak not a word of Bengali, nor do I have any Basmati rice - but the technique used, in cooking the rice, intrigued me.
I've eaten lots of Chinese fried rice (wok cooked), this was the first time I tried frying it myself (in a deep pot, no less). Here, we have all 5 identified healthy spices.

>> See it done!

Ingredients

• 2 C white rice.
• 4 C water (3 1/2 C for the rice, 1/2 C for the vegs).
• 1 t bouillon (opt).
• 2 or 3 pods cardamom.
• 1/4 t cayenne pepper.
• 1 stick cinnamon, broken up or 1/2 t cinnamon.
• 4 (1/2 t) cloves.
• 1/4 t coriander powder.
• 1/2 t curry powder.
• 1/2 t garam masala.
• 1 t ginger.
• 1 T mint.
• 1 T sesame seed.
• 1/4 t tumeric.
• 2 cloves garlic, sliced / 1 1/2 T minced garlic.
• 1 jalapeno pepper, diced (opt).
• 1/2 medium onion, chopped. Or 1/8 C dried, minced onion, with 1/8 C water added.
• 1/2 C yogurt - unflavoured, unsweetened. Or 1/2 C peanut butter, with 1/4 C extra water.

Preparation (Or See it done!)

1. For easiest cooking, get all of the ingredients ready for the pot, before heating it up. It seems like extra work - but the end result is worth it!
2. You want the rice clean and very dry. Only rinse the rice, if specifically instructed on the rice paskage. If you rinse it, let it drain until completely dry.
3. The cinnamon stick is the fun ingredient. It provides little flavour bursts, with the cinnamon stick slivered, then chopped into little 1/8 square fragments. If the cinnamon stick is tough and hard to chop (cinnamon stick is just tree bark), soften it in the microwave for a minute with a teaspoon of water in a saucer.
4. Heat up a dutch oven, and add cooking oil to cover the bottom. Turn heat down to 50%.
5. Saute the rice. Add white rice - and stir frequently, until it becomes a light yellow / tan.
6. Add ingredients to the rice, in proper order. For each ingredient, one by one:
   • Stir the rice, making a hole in the rice, to expose the bottom of the pot.
   • Add the ingredient into the hole, stirring constantly, until the air fills with the aroma.
   • Mix the ingredient into the rice, stir again, and continue with next ingredient.
7. The ingredients, in proper order:
   • Garlic. Stir until aromatic.
   • Onion. Stir until soft and transparent.
   • Mint / Sesame. Stir until aroma is enjoyed.
   • Cardamom / Cinnamon. Stir until aroma fills the air.
   • Other herbs / spices. Stir briefly, until spices are warm. Do not inhale the spices vapour - as cayenne pepper is caustic.
     • bouillon.
     • cayenne.
     • cloves.
     • coriander.
     • curry.
     • garam masala.
     • ginger.
     • dried onion (if not using fresh onion).
     • tumeric.
8. Add water, bring to Boil (100%), stirring occasionally.
9. Add yogurt or peanut butter, and stir.
10. Reduce heat to Simmer (25%), cover - and cook until all visible water is gone, stirring regularly.
11. When visible water is gone, and you cannot hear boiling, stir once more, turn stove off, stir again, cover, and let it sit. Have faith - do not remove the lid to check. Let it sit for 10 - 15 minutes, then uncover.
12. When rice is soft, you're done.
13. Garnish / mix with chopped celery / cucumber / green onion / tomato.

You get flaky, soft rice, with a nutty flavour, and a hint of cinnamon, ginger, and mint. It's not Basmati rice - that's a registered trademark - but it's not sticky like my previous Sesame Mint Rice.

In truth, the only things common between my recipe and the one in the video is "rice", onion, and probably tumeric (maybe cinnamon?). It was still educational, learning how to fry rice.


Sesame Mint Rice, topped with Cuban Style Black Beans.


http://recipes.nitecruzr.net/2015/05/sesame-mint-rice-basmati-style.html



See it Done!

Heat up a pot until water drops sizzle, and add oil.

Add rice, turn heat down to 50%. Stir rice, frequently, as it toasts. Toasted rice has a wonderful yeasty aroma.

As it toasts, rice will get gradually browner.
See the beautiful golden tan? Stir constantly. This is how the yeasty flakiness starts.

Saute rice and garlic briefly, and make a hole to saute the onion.
See how the rice is becoming a beautiful golden brown?

Add onion, and saute until it's soft. Then mix that into the rice.
The rice is becoming a rich, chocolate brown.

Mix the onion into the rice, and make a hole. Add the mint and sesame seed, saute until the aroma fills the air.

Make a hole for the cardamom and cinnamon, and saute that briefly. A new aroma wafts to your nose.
See how dark the rice gets - contrasting with the green mint and white onion and sesame seed?

Add the herbs / spices, let them warm briefly, and mix with the rice.

Note that in contrast with the inspiring aromas of cinnamon, garlic, and mint, the spices will have a harsh aroma.


Inhaling the vapour, as the cayenne pepper toasts, is not recommended.

Add the water and bring it to a boil (100%), add peanut butter or yogurt, mix well.

Peanut butter.

Yogurt.

Simmer lightly (25%), covered, until no water is visible. Stir, turn off heat, cover, let it sit until it's cool enough to not burn your mouth.


You get flaky, soft rice with a yeasty undertone - and hints of cinnamon, garlic, mint. and onion.

Sesame Mint Rice

Encouraged by my recent success with using mint as a spice, I decided to continue.


Jalapeno slices added, as a garnish. What can you do, to photo rice, after all?

Ingredients

• 2 C rice
• 4 1/2 C water (4 C for the rice, 1/2 C for the onion flakes)
• 2 t bouillon
• 1/2 t curry powder
• 1/2 t ginger
• 1 T mint
• 1 T sesame seed
• 2 cloves garlic, sliced
• 1 T onion flakes

Preparation

1. Start with rice, in water.
2. Bring water to boil, stir frequently.
3. Add bouillon, spices, garlic, onion.
4. Reduce to simmer, cover.
5. Stir occasionally.
6. When all of the water is absorbed by the rice, and the rice barely sticks to the spoon, stir once more, cover, and turn heat off.
7. Let rice finish cooking, and cool.
8. Serve topped with a bit of salsa (Herdez is my fave), sourdough bread, and lemonade.

---

A variant of this dish is prepared Bengali style.

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Chuck's Potatoes Au Gratin

This is yet another example of making what you want, with what you have in the kitchen.

• Butter, 1 T (opt).
• Celery, 1 stalk.
• Cornflakes or similar cereal, crumbled / crushed, 1 C (opt).
• Onion, 1 medium.
• Potatoes, 5 - 6 medium, sliced and quartered.
• Soup, anything creamy (I used tomato), 1 can.
• Milk, 1/4 C or so.
• Cheese, 1 C (I used Parmesan grated).
• Cumin, 1/4 t.
• Ginger, 1/2 t (OK, I like ginger).
• Pepper, 1/4 t (I add pepper to everything).
• Salt, 1/4 t (If you wish).
• Tumeric, 1/4 t (It's good for you).

1. Slice the potatoes, 1/4" thick - then quarter the slices.
2. Dice the onion, and the celery.
3. Mix celery, onion, and potatoes in a large casserole dish, and microwave until the potatoes are chewy (15 - 30 minutes).
4. Grate or mince the cheese, if necessary.
5. Mix the cheese, milk, soup, and spices - pour the mixture over the vegetables, and mix well.
6. (Opt) Melt butter / margarine, mix with cornflakes, pour over the soup / vegetable mixture.
7. Bake in oven or microwave, until potatoes are soft, and cheese is nicely melted (another 15 - 30 minutes).

Garlic Ginger Carrots

Simple to make, using just what I had on hand.

• 4 carrots, peeled and sliced
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 large garlic cloves, minced or thinly sliced
• 4 C water
• 2 t bouillon / 2 bouillon cubes
• 1/8 t cayenne pepper
• 1/4 t coriander powder
• 1/2 t cumin
• 1/4 t garam masala
• 1/2 t ginger
• 1/4 t black pepper
• 1/4 t tumeric

1. Saute garlic and onion, briefly - just long enough for garlic odor to arise.
2. Add water, and other ingredients.
3. Bring to boil, mix well.
4. Reduce to simmer, cook until carrots are soft enough.
5. Serve over boiled rice.

Cabbage / Curry / Potato Soup

Cabbage and potatoes are a good combination. Curry works well, here. Peppercorns and mustard seed are like pop rocks, in a stew. They give the mixture a subtle flavour while it cooks - then you eat the soup, and bite down on a flavour capsule (which should be reasonably soft from cooking long enough). If anyone in the group has trouble with eating seeds, substitute ground mustard and pepper.

• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 T curry powder
• 1 t mustard seed - or 1/2 t ground mustard
• 1/2 t paprika
• 2 t peppercorns - or 1 t ground pepper
• 1/2 head of cabbage, chopped
• 2 med yellow onions, diced
• 2 lb potatoes (6 - 8 medium potatoes), well washed, scrubbed, and diced 1/2" cubes
• 1/2 can (3 oz) tomato paste
• 4 C chicken or vegetable broth (2 bouillon cubes + 4 C boiling water)
• ground pepper, chopped green onions for garnish

1. Put 4 C water in a stew pot, bring to boil, add bouillon cubes.
2. Add garlic, onions, spices and tomato paste, bring to boil again.
3. Add cabbage and potatoes, add enough water (if necessary) to almost cover the cabbage and potatoes, bring to boil again.
4. Turn down to slow simmer.
5. Cook 1 - 2 hours, until vegetables are tender. Make sure cabbage and potatoes are very soft. Longer is better.
6. Garnish with ground pepper, and chopped green onions.
7. Serve immediately, if you're hungry. Best flavour may be obtained from refrigerating overnight.

Potato Soup

Potato Soup is wonderful during cold weather, served hot, or during hot weather, served chilled. A bit of San Francisco sourdough bread is a perfect accompaniment. It's a simple variation on Potato Leek Soup, with way less time taken.

• 4 cloves garlic, diced
  
• 1/2 t basil
  
• 1/4 t cilantro
  
• 1/2 t dillweed
  
• 1/2 t marjoram
  
• 1/4 t mustard seed
  
• 1/4 t parsley
  
• 1/2 t rosemary
  
• 2 med yellow onions, diced
  
• 3 lb potatoes (9 - 12 medium potatoes), well washed, scrubbed, and diced 1/2" cubes
  
• 4 C chicken or vegetable broth (2 boullion cubes + 4 C boiling water)
  
• 3/4 C oatmeal
  
• ground pepper, nutmeg, diced green onions for garnish
  

1. Put 4 C water in a stew pot, bring to boil, add bouillon cubes.
   
2. Add garlic and onions, bring to boil again.
   
3. Add potatoes, bring to boil again.
   
4. Add spices, and mix well, bring up heat to simmer, turn down to slow simmer.
   
5. Cook 30 - 45 minutes, until vegetables are tender. Make sure potatoes are very soft. Longer is better. Add oatmeal, mix well, and let it sit until soup thickens, turn heat off.
   
6. Garnish with ground pepper, nutmeg, and reserved chopped green onions.
   
7. Serve immediately, if you're hungry. Best flavour may be obtained from refrigerating overnight, but take precautions, if you do this.
   

If Prepared The Previous Night With most soups and stews, and this recipe is no exception, the flavour is intensified from sitting overnight, in a well sealed refrigerator container, after cooking. But be prepared. The oatmeal in this recipe will continue to soak up fluids, even when refrigerated. So if you prepare potato soup, and plan to serve it the next day, have a couple extra bouillon cubes ready. Make a couple cups extra broth, before warming the soup for serving. If the soup has turned into stew, or aspic even, warm it slowly and add 1/2 cup of broth, or even more, until it becomes a soup again. The flavour will be perfect, and the consistency will make the extra effort worthwhile.

Cabbage Soup

Cabbage is a pretty versatile vegetable - lots of other vegs go with it easily.

• 1 head cabbage
  
• 2 cloves garlic
  
• 2 or 3 carrots
  
• 1 bunch green onions
  
• 1 large yellow onion
  
• 1 or 2 potatoes
  
• 1/2 t black pepper / peppercorns
  
• 1/4 t cayenne pepper
  
• 1 t caraway seed / 1/2 t caraway
  
• 1/2 t celery seed / 1/4 C chopped celery
  
• 1/2 t mustard seed / 1/4 t ground mustard
  
• 4 cups chicken or beef stock (4 bouillon cubes in boiling water until dissolved)
• 1/2 t vinegar

1. Chop cabbage, onions, garlic, any other veg that looks interesting, dump into stew pot.
   
2. Mix stock, vinegar, and spices, boil, dump into veg mixture.
   
3. Microwave @ 100% for 5 minutes, 30% for 120 minutes.
   
4. Check cabbage, if tender, serve.