TENDER CRUMB: My FAVORITE Chocolate Chip Cookie

TENDER CRUMB: My FAVORITE Chocolate Chip Cookie: I have experimented with countless recipes searching for that perfect chocolate chip cookie. The characteristics of the perfect cookie are a...

It's been too long I know! Thought you might like a soup recipe..especially because of how lousy the weather has been! Yesterday my Fiancé and I went to a new spot called Smashmouth.it was new to me anyway until I saw it the Hammond Times. The owner is a Utube sensation..it's called Mad Food I think.his restaurant is on the corner of U.S. 30 and Rorhman Road. It's a hamburger stand like none you have ever been to. Ever had a bacon lettuce and tomato stuffed egg or a cheeseburger pizza.try this place out and watch the owner at mad food..this guy loves food. And here's your soup recipe: My Mom's Vegetable Soup I grew up eating this soup..probably came from my Irish Grandmother Buckley. She was the one who left Ireland from county Cork like so many others fleeing the potato famine probably. Mom always said she was the one who came to this country with the money to buy that huge farm in Cabery, Illinois near Kankakee (3 K they called it. Anyway she went o To marry my Grandfather Clodi ( supposedly French) and have those 14 children..seven boys and seven girls all on a home farm with shetland ponies to ride to school and full-bred racing horses..by all standards they were a wealthy family.what my Mom always complained bout is that her father never would spend any money for conveniences..hot and cold running water and most importantly an indoor bathroom.they lived with a potbellied stove in the front room and a cold- dorm with icicles on e windows for all those kids to sleep in. But there was never a lack of great food but when there are 16 people to feed it takes a lot of doing: here it is! In a deep casserole or Dutch oven cut up one stick of butter or margarine. I use half butter and half olive oil.I've gotten to prefer this flavor.add one head of cabbage cut up in long slender strips ( I take out the core first by hitting it on the counter and then removing with perry knife if necessary). To this I add two large cut up onions of the same slender ribbons on top of cabbage. If you like you could add some garlic now but I'm sure my Mother never did. She would be more likely to add parsnips or turnips too if she had them.we always had a garden behind the garage wherever we lived. Mom and Dad moved to 4 different houses to make extra money for their retirement. Anyway after The cabbage and onions have wilted down add some celery ( with stingy ribs removed ( cut off the ends and pulls the tough ribs off the horizontal stems). I generally use the inner core for sure leaves and all as this is where the best flavor comes.I Also bye celery hearts as often the outside ribs are in bad shape anyway.next I add thin sliced carrots( I do them in my food processor). I probably use 4 or 5 large carrots.next come potatoes that I cube carefully. I always use red potatoes as they have the best texture and flavor.plus that is what we planted in the garden..never knew there were white skinned potatoes till I noticed at restaurants when I was older. if you like chicken broth best that is what I would use but you can buy vegetable stock or make your own from leftover veggies. Add enough broth to cover all your ingredients after you have salted it all.I have never measured the salt but I Suppose there is at least a tablespoon unless our chicken broth is very salty.Cook until everything is soft to the fork.I love all vegetables soft as I was raised in e fifties before the al dente thing.if you like fresh spinach you could add that right before you serve this great winter warmer-upper! It's great with a little olive oil drizzles over the top and Parmesan cheese from the can( it's what I grew up with and it has it's own salty flavor. Enjoy and Bon Appetit