6A COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL November 2, 2016
Cook's Corner
Simple soup from scratch
BY BETTY KAISER
For the Sentinel
I
love soup! If it’s cold outside and
I don’t know what to fi x for supper
I usually put together a pot of soup. My
soup selection always depends on what’s
in the refrigerator and pantry. I’m not one
to see a recipe in a magazine and run down
to the grocery store for exotic ingredients.
Simple soup doesn’t have to be expensive
to be good.
Soup recipes are hard to share. Soup
making is not rocket science. A lot of eye-
balling of ingredients goes on putting to-
gether a pot of soup. A lot of tasting and
adding things like herbs, brown sugar, red
pepper fl akes or salsa goes on in my kitch-
en when soup is cooking. I have made
some great soups that I can’t recreate be-
cause I don’t remember what I added at
the last minute!
The fi rst decision for simple soup from
scratch is to decide if I’m going to make a
meat or vegetarian pot of soup. I check to
see what I’ve got on hand. Ground beef for
chili or meat balls; chicken. Fish or cheese
for a creamy soup. Sometimes it’s just a
great, quick, vegetable soup with potatoes
or pasta added.
My choice of meat is usually determined
by whatever I have cooked the night be-
fore. I often cook a whole chicken or roast
beef so that it makes two dinners and one
lunch. Meat goes a long way when there
are only two of us!
Once the soup’s meat or vegetarian
choice has been determined it makes my
liquid base choice easy: chicken, beef or
vegetable broth, tomato sauce/puree or
something creamy or pureed. From that
point on, it’s all about layering the ingre-
dients.
The next step is sautéing my veggie
base. I had been cooking a long time be-
fore I learned it’s called a Mirepoix. I do
know that it means three ingredients: on-
ions, carrots and celery. Garlic lovers will
often add minced garlic or swap it for the
carrots. I use two parts onion to one part
of each of the other ingredients in most
soups.
If I’m making a tomato-based soup I of-
ten swap out bell peppers for the carrots.
That’s called a Holy Trinity or Cajun/Cre-
ole version of mirepoix. I often add sliced
carrots later. Once I sauté my mirepoix,
I add the liquid (broth, water, etc.) and
spices.
This is where things get tricky and you
need really good eyeballs and taste buds.
My tendency is to add too much liquid.
So remember, be stingy at fi rst (follow the
recipe) because you can always add more.
If your soup is simmering all day, brown
your raw meat and add it fi rst thing but
hold off on adding the vegetables until an
hour before serving. Unless you’re dump-
ing everything in the crockpot!
Soup Basics
Heat a large soup pot over medium heat.
Sauté the onion, garlic, celery and carrots
in oil or butter.
Brown/cook the meat if needed (i.e. stew
meat).
Add liquid, spices and veggies (milk or
cream comes later).
Taste and adjust.
Simmer for a couple of hours.
Taste and adjust again.
Add any milk or cream just before serv-
ing.
Now, I know what you’re thinking and
you’re right…making soup is a day long
project. It’s usually an hour-plus to prep
and put together. Then it’s fi ve minutes
here and there of tasting and adding spic-
es, etc.
Today’s recipes, however, will only take
about an hour to put together and they’re
ready to eat.
If you’re in a hurry, try the Turkey Meat-
ball Tuscan Soup made with meatballs
from the grocery store freezer. If you’re
going to be gone all day you can even put
all the ingredients (except the spinach) in
a Crockpot on low. Add the spinach when
you get home, taste for seasonings. Serve
it with a lettuce wedge and some corn
bread and you’ve got dinner!
The Turkey and Wild Rice Chowder is
a great luncheon or dinner dish. Do your
chopping and other prepping in the morn-
ing. Then, a couple of hours before serving
put everything together to let the fl avors
meld. People will think you’ve worked all
day long! Enjoy!
TURKEY MEATBALL
TUSCAN SOUP
20 each Homestyle Turkey Meatballs
1/4 cup olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 carrots, sliced
6 cups chicken broth
1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes
1-15 ounce can white beans, drained
1-6 ounce package fresh spinach,
chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
In a large pot heat oil. Add onions and
garlic. Sauté 3-5 minutes. Add remaining
ingredients. Bring soup to a boil. Reduce
to a simmer and cook covered about 20
minutes. Serve with a generous topping of
grated Parmesan cheese. Serves 4 gener-
ously.
TURKEY and WILD
RICE CHOWDER
1 cup wild rice
1/2 pound mushroom, cleaned and sliced
1 medium onion, diced
2 celery ribs, sliced
1/2 cup red bell pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups chicken broth
1 teaspoon basil
1/2 teaspoon rosemary
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups diced, cooked turkey
1. Cook wild rice according to directions.
2. Sauté onion, celery, red pepper and
garlic until onion is opaque. Add mush-
room, chicken broth and spices. Bring to
boil and reduce to simmer.
3. In another pan: Melt 1/2 cup butter and
stir in 1/2 cup fl our; cook until bubbly.
Slowly add 2 cups milk, stirring well
until it comes to a boil.
4. Add fl our mixture to broth and veggies,
whisking until smooth. Stir in the rice
and turkey. Heat until thickened and hot.
Serves 4-6.
Keep it simple and keep it seasonal!
Betty Kaiser’s Cook’s Corner is dedi-
cated to sharing a variety of recipes that
are delicious, family oriented and easy to
prepare. Contact her at 942-1317 or email
bchatty@bettykaiser.com
B EYOND THE G ROVE
News from Lane County and
Cottage Grove's neighbors
Kickoff dinner for local
farming and forestry group
aimed to bridge
rural-urban divide
A
t a farm-to-fork style
dinner at Sweet Cheeks
Winery outside Eugene this
week, a group of Lane County
farmers and foresters kicked off
what they intend to be an ongo-
ing conversation with the Lane
County community on the value
of farming and forestry.
"Our Feast in the Forest event
this week highlighted nearly
20 different crops grown right
here in Lane County, either in
the food we sourced from local
growers or in the decorations
created with donations from lo-
cal growers," said Marie Bow-
ers, a grass and wheat farmer
who serves as the Lane Fami-
lies for Farms and Forests chair.
"Those of us who grow the food
and produce the fi ber in this
county are quite literally com-
ing to the table to talk with our
neighbors about what we do and
why we do it."
The event attracted roughly
100 attendees including grow-
ers, elected offi cials and other
infl uencers and community
members from throughout the
county.
"This is a unique group,"
said Gordon Culbertson, small
woodlands owner and Lane
Families for Farms and For-
ests vice-chair. "We've brought
together farmers and foresters
to talk to each other and to the
community in a way that hasn't
been done before. Collectively,
between agriculture and forest-
ry, this group represents about
9,000 jobs in Lane County.
It's imperative that we remind
folks why we're here and how
important what we do is to the
vitality of this community. If
you've never worked on a farm
or in the forest, you might have
questions about some of our
practices. We're here to answer
those questions and hear your
thoughts."
Lane Families for Farms and
Forests has been meeting regu-
larly since last summer. The
Feast in the Forest event served
as an initial event to start a dia-
log with the community, and the
group is planning future events
such as farm and forest tours
and meet-and-greet opportuni-
ties.
Lane Families for Farms and
Forests (LFFF) is a non-profi t
organization committed to har-
nessing support for Lane Coun-
ty's rich heritage of agriculture
and forestry, two cornerstones
of our local community. For
more information on Lane Fam-
ilies for Farms and Forests, visit
www.lanefamilies.com<http://
www.lanefamilies.com> or fol-
low us on Facebook @Lane-
FarmsForests.
LORANE
COUNTRY NEWS
hold its annual Thanksgiving
dinner at the Grange in a couple
of weeks. Watch for the date, as
everyone is welcome to come.
Be sure to vote. The school
bond will really help with need-
ed updates and safety for our
buildings.
There will be no school on
Veterans Day, Friday, Nov. 11.
BY LIL THOMPSON
For the Sentinel
L
orane Grange meets this
Thursday, Nov. 3 at the
regular time of 7:30 p.m.
Lorane Christian Church will
Congratulations!
Affordable Care Act
OPEN ENROLLMENT
Starts November 1st
Employee
Resident
of the
Month
of the
Month
Suzanne
Hansen
Call Paul to
help simplify
the complicated.
to our
Dee
Carpenter
for the Month of October, 2016
541-517-7362
Magnolia Gardens 541-942-0054
Paul Henrichs ~ Independent Agent
coverage4oregon@gmail.com
1425 Daugherty Ave. • Cottage Grove
W orship D irectory
DRAIN:
Gateway Family Fellowship
Church of the Nazarene
337 “C” St. Drain, OR
Sunday School 9:30am
Worship 10:45am
Living Hope Free Lunch
Wed. at 12:30pm
541-836-7051 www.drainnaz.org
HOPE U.M.C.
131 W “A” St. Drain, OR
541-315-1617
Pastor: Lura Kidner-Miesen
Bible Study: 10:45am
Potluck Lunch: 11:45
Worship: 12:30pm
COTTAGE GROVE:
6th & Gibbs Church of Christ
195 N. 6th St. • 541-942-3822
Pastor: Aaron Earlywine
Youth & Families Pastor: Seth Bailey
Services: 9am and 10:30am
Christian Education
Nursery for pre-k - 3rd Grade
www.6thandgibbs.com
Calvary Baptist Church
77873 S 6th St • 541-942-4290
Pastor: Riley Hendricks
Sunday School: 9:45am
Worship: 11:00am
The Journey: Sunday 5:00pm
Praying Thru Life: Wednesday 6:00pm
Calvary Chapel Cottage Grove
1447 Hwy 99 (Village Plaza)
541-942-6842
Pastor: Jeff Smith
Two Services on Sun: 9am & 10:45am
Youth Group Bible Study
Child Care 10:45am Service Only
www.cgcalvary.org
Center for Spiritual Living
Cottage Grove
700 Gibbs Ave. (Community Center)
Rev. Bobby Lee
Meets Sunday 3:00 p.m.
cslcottagegrove@gmail.com
First Presbyterian Church
3rd and Adams St • 541-942-4479
Pastor: Karen Hill
Worship: 10:00am
Sunday School: 10:00am
www.cgpresbynews.com
Old Time Gospel Fellowship
103 S. 5th St. • 541-942-4999
Pastor: Jim Edwards
Sunday Service: 10:00am
Join us in Traditional
Christian Worship
Church of Christ
420 Monroe St • 541-942-8565
Sunday Service: 10:30am
Grove Community Church
77820 Mosby Creek Rd.
Cottage Grove, OR 97424
541-942-0123
Pastor: Bryan Parsons
Worship: 10:30 a.m.
Nursery: Infant - Pre-K
Kidʼs Church: K to 5th grade
Our Lady of Perpetual Help
and St. Philip Benizi
Catholic Churches
1025 N. 19th St.
541-942-3420 / 541-942-4712
Pastor: Roy L. Antunez, S.J.
Euch. Liturgies; Sat. 5:30pm
Sun. 10:30am
St. Philip Benizi, Creswell:
552 Holbrock Lane • 541-895-8686
Sunday: 8:30am
Cottage Grove Bible Church
1200 East Quincy Avenue
541-942-4771
Pastor:Bob Singer
Worship 11am
Sunday School:9:45am
AWANA age 3-8th Grade,
Wednesdays Sept-May, 6:30pm
www.cgbible.org
Cottage Grove Faith Center
33761 Row River Rd. • 541-942-4851
Lead Pastor: Isaac Hovet
www.cg4.tv
Summer Schedule: Sunday Service 10am
Full Childrenʼs Ministry available
Covered Bridge Nazarene Church
152 S. M St.
541-942-4422
Pastor: Cindy Slaymaker
Sunday School: 9:30am
Worship 10:30am
Delight Valley
Church of Christ
33087 Saginaw Rd. East
541-942-7711
Pastor: Bob Friend
Two Services:
9am - Classic in the Chapel
10:30am - Contemporary in the
Auditorium
Hope Fellowship
United Pentecostal Church
100 S. Gateway Blvd. • 541-942-2061
Pastor: Dave Bragg
Worship: 11:00am Sunday
Bible Study: 7:00pm Wednesday
www.hopefellowshipupc.com
“FINDING HOPE IN YOUR LIFE”
Living Faith Assembly
467 S. 10th St. • 541-942-2612
Pastor Rulon Combs
Worship & Childrenʼs
Church 10:00 am
Youth 180 Mondays 5:30-8pm
Non-Denominational
Church of Christ
1041 Pennoyer Ave * 541-767-0447
Preachers: Tony Martin & Robert Evans
Sunday Bible Study:10:00am
Sunday Worship:10:50am & 5:30pm
www.pennoyeravecoc.com
St. Andrews Episcopal Church
1301 W. Main • 541-767-9050
Rev. Lawrence Crumb
“Church with the fl ags.”
Worship: Sunday 10:30am
All Welcome
Seventh-day Adventist Church
820 South 10th Street
541-942-5213
Pastor: Kevin Miller
Bible Study: Saturday, 9:15 am
Worship Service: Saturday, 10:40 am
Mid-week Service: Wednesday, 1:00 pm
Trinity Lutheran Church
6th & Quincy • 541-942-2373
Pastor: James L. Markus
Sunday School & Adult Education 9:15am
Sundway Worship 10:30 am
Comm. Kitchen Free Meal Tue & Thur
5:00pm TLC Groups
tlccg.com
United Methodist Church
334 Washington • 541-942-3033
Pastor:Lura Kidner-Miesen
Worship: 10:30am
Comm. Dinner (Adults $5, Kids Free)
2nd & 3rd Monday 5-6:00pm
cottagegroveumc.org
“VICTORY” Country Church
913 S. 6th Street • 541-942-5913
Pastor: Barbara Dockery
Worship Service: 10:00am
Message:
11:00am
“WE BELIEVE IN MIRACLES”
Our Worship
Directory is a
weekly feature in
the newspaper. If
your congregation
would like to
be a part of this
directory, please
contact the
Cottage Grove
Sentinel
at 541-942-3325.