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Cabbage Soup Daily

Is there anyone left on the planet who hasn't done the cabbage soup diet? In the right frame of mind, I can live with it for a week, but the soup is really pretty tiresome. It's good for you though, all those vegetables! The ingredients of the original recipe are:

• 6 large onions
  
• 2 green peppers
  
• 4 whole tomatoes
  
• 1 large head of cabbage
• 1 large bunch of celery

These veggies are cut into spoonable-sized pieces, covered with water, brought to a boil for a few minutes and then simmered until tender. My copy of this recipe says to add herbs of your choice or even a packet of dry onion soup mix, but I'll get to that in a minute, because of course you know I am not here to explain the cabbage soup diet. It's all over the internet, so Google it if you must.

Cabbage soup becomes infinitely more interesting with the addition of several other healthy ingredients, and my purpose today is to immortalize my list of tasty supplements which turn it into something I can and do eat every day, sometimes for weeks at a time. It always tastes good to me. Starting from the beginning, then:

I use two 8-quart pots because I don't have a larger soup kettle. In the end, both pots are full to within an inch or so from the top, which is enough soup to last me for at least 8 days. All veggies are cut so as to be easily spooned up. As I cut up the ingredients, I just put half in each pot.

• 1 very large onion
• 1 small head of cabbage
• 1 green pepper (if it's not too spendy)
• 4-6 carrots
• 1 bunch of celery (I don't break this apart before cutting, I just lop off the dry top end, rinse well, and slice the whole bunch at once, leaves included, starting from the top. About halfway down, I stop and go back to the sink for another rinse, watching for the dirt that sometimes settles inside the outer stalks, wiping it out with my fingers if necessary.)
• a few red potatoes
• 1 turnip
• 1 rutabaga

At this point each pot is more than half full of veggies. Next comes the stuff that makes it taste good. Divide these evenly between the two pots:

• a 1 lb. 12 oz. can of peeled tomatoes (I prefer diced)
• 8 chicken thighs (I leave them whole but trim out as much of the fat as possible)

And finally, to each pot, add these:

• 1 t. basil
• 1 t. oregano
• 1 t. tarragon
• some dill weed
  
• some garlic powder
• some onion powder
• some red pepper flakes
• some mustard seeds
• some pepper

(And by "some" I mean probably less than a teaspoon, using your judgment based on your own taste.)

Now add water to cover and then some, to within an inch and a half of the top. Cover the pots, bring them to a boil, then turn them down and simmer for 25 minutes. Then add to each pot:

• 2-3 handfuls of egg noodles

Using a large spoon, gently push the egg noodles down into the liquid, put the covers back on, and simmer for another 15 minutes.

You'll notice I haven't mentioned salt yet. You can go ahead and add some with the noodles if you want to. Be aware that the noodles and potatoes tend to suck up the salt, though. I usually wait and add salt at the table. That way it heightens the flavor of the whole soup, not just the starches.

This soup will be better after it sits for awhile and the flavors have a chance to meld. I serve it in a wide bowl with one of the chicken thighs on top, along with a fork to pick it apart.

Eye to Eye with the Inner Nuke

Dateless Saturday Night Cookies

Mix well:
1 c. margarine
1 c. white sugar
1 c. brown sugar

Stir in:
3 eggs
3 T. wheat germ
3 T. brewers yeast
1 t. salt
1 t. soda dissolved in 2 T. cold water

Add gradually:
1.5 c. whole wheat flour
3 c. all-purpose flour

Stir in:
1.5 c. chopped pitted dates
1.5 c. chopped walnuts

Drop teaspoonfuls on ungreased baking sheets.
Bake at 375 degrees for about 10-11 minutes.
Makes 7-8 dozen cookies.

The original of this recipe (Mae's Date Cookies) came from Woman's Day Encyclopedia of Cookery, Vol. 3, p. 476. This version includes my tweaks. I am not a paragon of culinary virtue, so when I find a recipe I cannot screw up, I am very pleased indeed. I've made this recipe over and over with great success, and the best part about it is the recipe makes a very hefty stash of cookies.

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"Just as the eye needs light in order to see,
the mind needs ideas in order to conceive."
--Napoleon Hill--