Deb's Monday Munchies
FOOD!

I love doing soups for parties!  It’s unexpected and easy.  I serve a few types of breads along with the soups as well as a few little dishes of condiments such as grated or crumbled cheese, chopped onion, chopped hot peppers, sour cream, soup crackers, and lime wedges.   I set out little plates and cocktail napkins for the appetizers, and a bunch of mugs for the soups.  The mugs are easy to hold, easy to set down, and not so big that people get too stuffed before they sample them all.  This is a great menu for any party, especially one where you have more guests than places at the dining table, because it’s easy to serve buffet style.  We’ve done this many times for “Game Night” parties, because it’s easy for people to refill a mug and get back in time for their turn and without worrying about where to balance a plate.  Another bonus is that the nice warm soup will help keep your guests warm so they’ll get nice dark henna stains!

Artichoke Dip
Ingredients
  • 1 can marinated artichoke hearts, drained
  • 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 tsp dill weed (optional)
  • 1 Cup grated parmesan (not the powdered kind!  The real stuff!)
  • 8oz. Cream cheese, softened (you can microwave 15 seconds at a time until soft)
  • 1 Cup mayonnaise
  • black pepper to taste  (shouldn’t need salt, the cheeses and artichokes are salty enough)
Instructions

Whir artichokes in food processor until roughly chopped.  Add remaining ingredients, pulsing processor at each addition, just enough to incorporate each new ingredient, but not so much that the texture is gone.  (Or chop the hearts by hand and stir everything together in a bowl.)  Spread mixture into greased pie plate or quiche pan and bake at 350 until bubbly and golden on the edges, about 20-25 minutes.

Serve with triscuits or bagel chips or other crunchy things.

Open-Face Reuben Appetizers
Ingrededients
  • One large loaf (or two small) of party size Rye or Pumpernickel bread
  • One small bottle of Thousand Island Dressing
  • 16 oz. Thinly sliced corned beef
  • 8 oz. Swiss Cheese, thinly sliced
  • One can Sauerkraut
Instructions:
Pre-heat broiler.  Arrange bread slices on foil covered baking sheet.  Spread each piece with 1,000 Island dressing, cover each with corned beef, a bit of sauerkraut, and top each off with Swiss cheese.  Place sheet under broiler until cheese is melted and bubbly.  Serve warm.

Peppery Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients
  • 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 4 1/4 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded, cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 5 cups (or more) chicken or vegetable broth
  • 1 teaspoon to 1 Tablespoon white pepper
Instructions
Melt butter in large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and nutmeg; sauté until onion begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Add squash and 5 cups broth. Bring to boil; reduce heat and simmer uncovered until squash is tender, about 30 minutes. Working in batches, puree soup in blender until smooth. Return soup to pot. Bring soup to simmer, thinning with more broth if you like.  Add the white pepper.  This is supposed to be peppery, but add a little at a time, allowing it to fully incorporate, then taste and add more as desired.

Ladle soup into bowls. Garnish with sour cream.


Black Bean Soup
(adapted from Everyday Cooking magazine)

Ingredients
  • 8oz cooked ham chopped or crispy bacon crumbled
  • 1 Tablespoon oil (olive or canola)
  • 1 sm red onion, finely chopped
  • 4 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1 jalapeno pepper finely chopped
  • ½ teaspoon cumin
  • ½ teaspoon oregano
  • 3 cans (15oz each) black beans, drained
  • ½ Cup cilantro leaves
  • 2 limes cut into quarters
Instructions
Heat the oil in a large soup pot over medium heat, add onion and cook, stirring, until golden.  Add garlic and jalapeno.  Sprinkle in cumin and oregano and cook until garlic is soft but not browned.  Add beans and 3 cans full of water.  Simmer for 10-12 minutes.

Remove from heat.  Reserve some cilantro for garnish, and add the rest into the pot.  Purée soup until smooth (I use an immersion blender… it is a fabulously handy kitchen tool!).  If you want the soup thinner you can add more water.

Serve in bowls topped with ham or bacon and cilantro and more jalapeno if desired.  Serve a lime wedge on the side, or squeeze onto the soup before serving.  This step cannot be skipped!  It adds SO much to the flavor of the soup.


Russian Sausage Soup
(adapted from “The Complete Book of Soups and Stews” by Bernard Clayton Jr.)

Ingredients
  • 2 heads of cabbage one pound each
  • 2 quarts beef stock
  • 2 Tablespoons butter
  • 1 large onion chopped
  • 2 small carrots finely chopped
  • 2 Cups celery root, scraped and cut into fine strips (I’ve substituted fennel root and regular celery for this with no ill effects)
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 tsp Dill Weed
  • 1 pound Kielbasa cut into ¼ inch slices
  • 2 Tablespoons minced parsley
  • 2 Cups chopped, seeded, peeled tomatoes (I use canned)
  • 2 diced potatoes
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • sour cream
Instructions
Slice cabbages into wedges, cut out hard core, and coarsely chop the rest.  Set aside. In a stock pot melt butter, when bubbling add onions, carrots, and celery root.  Cover and  cook on medium low until veggies are translucent and getting tender, about 10 mins.

Add stock.  Add salt to taste.  Add bay leaf and dill weed.  Simmer for 20 mins. In a skillet heat the sausage slices until lightly browned.  Add sausage, parsley, tomatoes, and potatoes to the soup.  Continue to simmer for an additional 20 mins. Add cabbage.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer over low for 5 minutes.  Be careful not to over cook.

Serve hot with freshly ground pepper and sour cream.

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