Hello Jeff

I want to write this, its a bit off topic, but I think you will enjoy it and others that are peeking will to.


Sweet summers with Grandma

I remember sitting on the front porch with Grandma drinking ice tea, she is telling me about her childhood days, along comes her little black dog named Mutsy, to join us and listen to the conversation, the sun is about to set, and Grandma decides she wants to go inside and stroll into the kitchen, so Mutsy and I follow her wondering what she had in mind, so she opens the cabinet to get some saltine crackers out and than into her pantry to grab a jar of strawberry jelly, back into the kitchen she goes, I was in awe wondering what she was up to, why crackers and strawberry jelly, I asked Grandma, I look down and Mutsys ears were half up wondering also, Grandma replied back saying well dear, this is a comfort food to me so I want you to try it, so I said okay, she got the crackers out and spread strawberry jelly on the crackers, I thought this was a bit odd, I have heard of peanut butter and crackers, so she made a few and gave them to me, and one for Mutsy, I tried it and absolutely loved it and ate a few more, and as for Mutsy she loved her cracker treat as well, so when we were done with our cracker treats we all went to the living room, to sit down on the couch to watch tv, Mutsy sitting between Grandma and me, all of us getting ready to settle in for a nice summer night.

Thank you for sharing your story, memories for me are somewhat the same. Food does indeed bring people together, each and everyone of us have a story to bring forth about grand times involving food.

COLD YOGURT GARDEN SOUP

2 cup of plain yogurt
1/2 cup of cold water
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp of dill weed
1/8 tsp of garlic powder
Dash white pepper
2 cups of peeled, seeded & diced English cucumber
1/2 cup of diced white radish
1/4 cup of diced red radishes
1 shredded carrot
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1/2 cup of shredded lettuce
1/2 cup of diced zucchini
2 tbsp of snipped parsley

In a large bowl, stir yogurt until creamy. Blend in water, salt, dill weed, garlic powder and white pepper.

Combine in the remaining ingredients. Mix well.

Refrigerate about 1 hour before serving.

Ladle into chilled bowls, cut one lemon then squeeze a small amount in each bowl. Spoon a small amount of olive oil around the top of the soup in each bowl.

If you like a little sea salt or fresh grinded black pepper. Taste before seasoning with salt or black pepper. The radishes have a nice peppery taste.

COLD FRUIT SOUP

3 cups of V-8 of cherry pomegranate juice
1 lb. pitted cherries
2 lbs. combination of summer fruit
3 cups of plain yogurt
Cinnamon to taste
Pinch of powder ginger
1 lemon cut into wedges with skin on
1/4 cup of pure cane sugar (can be omitted)

Put 3 cups of cherry pomegranate juice in a pot. Combine in 1 pound pitted cherries, seeds from one pomegranate.

Combine in an additional 2 pounds of summer mix fruits. Strawberries, blue berries, blackberries, experiment with different fruits.

Combine in a 1/4 cup sugar, 1 lemon cut into wedges, pinch of powder ginger, and cinnamon to taste.

Bring to a boil and simmer, covered, for 5 minutes. Cool for a few minutes, and then blend in the yogurt. Stir the yogurt in till well blended.

Refrigerate Serve cold with a dollop of sour cream, as they say. Will lasts in refrigerator for at least 3 days.

CREAMERY SUMMER FRUIT SOUP

2 lb. ripe peaches, peeled, pitted & cut
2 lb. ripe plums, pitted & cut
1 lb. of ripe apricots, pitted and cut in half, or 16 oz. of caned with juice
1 lb. pears, peeled, pitted & cut or 1 lg. can pears, drained with juice
1 lb. cherries, pitted or 1 (16 oz.) can cherries, drained, pitted with juice
1 cup of pure cane sugar
Water
1 tbsp of cornstarch
1 cup of cold water

Combine all the fruit and sugar in large pot and cover with water and juices retained from cans of fruit.

Cook until fruit is tender, 30 minutes to 45 minutes.

While fruit is cooking, mix cornstarch and water; when cornstarch is completely dissolved add to soup about 10 minutes before the soup is finished.

Let boil for the remaining 10 minutes. Allow soup to cool, pour into a food processor or a blender pulse till the fruit is broken up but not pureed, and then refrigerate. Chill for at least 2 hours.

When serving; serve in chilled bowls, with a dollop of yogurt or sour cream, or cool whip, can be added on top.

COLD APPLE SOUP

6 Granny Smith green apples
2 cup of apple cider
2 cups of cinnamon applesauce
1 tsp of grounded cloves
1 small bay leaf
1/2 cup of pure cane sugar
1 tbsp of dark brown sugar
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 cup of heavy cream
1/3 cup of apple liqueur
Ice cream caramel topping

Save 1 apple for cold soup.

Wash remaining apples peel and cut into quarters and remove core. Cut into small pieces; combine with cider, cinnamon applesauce in a saucepan and simmer 20 minutes.

Combine in cloves, bay leaf, sugars and salt.

Simmer, covered, stirring occasionally for 45 minutes more. Put through blender to puree, and set aside to cool.

When cool, combine in heavy cream and apple liqueur.

Peel, core and finely dice remaining apple and stir into apple mixture. Chill well.

Just before serving, heat up the caramel ice cream topping. Ladle the cold apple soup into chilled bowls.

Combine one tablespoon of melted caramel on top of the chilled soup in a swirled motion on the soup. Serve cold. Enjoy.

CHILLED SWEET YELLOW PEPPER SOUP

1 1/2 tbsp of un-salted sweet butter
2 med. carrots, chopped
1 lg. yellow onion, chopped
3 cloves o crushed garlic
1 1/4 cup of chicken broth
1 tsp of turmeric
2 yellow bell pepper, chopped
1 (3 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1/2 tsp sea salt
Dash of nutmeg
Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 cup of light cream
Sour cream, optional

In saucepan melt butter. Combine in the carrots, garlic, turmeric, and onion, cook, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Do not burn the garlic.

Stir in chicken broth; bring to boil over medium-high heat.

Stir in yellow pepper. Reduce heat; cover, simmer for 15 minutes or until pepper is tender. Remove from heat and cool slightly. Stir in cream cheese, salt, red pepper flakes, and nutmeg.

In a blender; blend half mixture until smooth. Transfer to large bowl. Repeat.

Cover with plastic wrap push down on the top of the soup, and then place cover on. Chill in the refrigerator 4 hours or more.

To serve: Stir in 1/2 cup of whole milk or cream. Sour cream may be added on top.

Love these cold soup recipes Jeff, great for a warm summers day, glad you enjoyed, writing about my Grandma and Mutsy, hope your having a good day.

I did enjoy that write thank you for sharing.

I hope someone will try these and like them .

I know that I am going to try them

Hope you indeed enjoy them. I like them.

Wouldn't it be great if there was such thing as coffee soup

Coffee soup is a drink.

4 oz Coffee
1 oz Milk
1 tbsp brown Sugar
1 oz Jagermeister

Coffee Bread Soup

2 slices bread, plain or toasted
1 cup hot coffee
1 -2 tablespoon sugar
1/2 cup half-and-half

Directions:

1 Break the bread or toast into bite-sized pieces.
2 Mix together the coffee, half-and-half and sugar.
3 Place the bread chunks in a soup bowl and pour the coffee mixture over all.
4 Sprinkle extra sugar or cinnamon sugar over the top.

COFFEE BLACK BEAN SOUP

1 pound(s) (2 cups) dried black beans
2 tablespoon(s) extra-virgin olive oil
2 medium onions, finely chopped, 1/3 cup reserved for garnish
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
2 large stalks celery , chopped
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely chopped
3 large cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon(s) ground cumin
4 cup(s) water
4 cup(s) brewed coffee
1 ham hock (optional)
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon(s) salt, plus more if needed
6 tablespoon(s) reduced-fat sour cream or plain Greek yogurt, for garnish

Chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish
Directions

Pick over beans; rinse well. Place in a large bowl with cold water to cover by 2 inches. Let soak for at least 6 hours or overnight. (Or use the quick-soak method: Cover the beans with 2 inches of water and bring to a boil; simmer 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand, covered, for 1 hour.) Drain.

Heat oil in a soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add all but 1/3 cup of the onions, bell pepper, celery, jalapeño and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are beginning to brown, 5 to 8 minutes. Add cumin and cook, stirring, 1 minute more.

Add the beans, water, coffee, ham hock, (if using) and bay leaf; cover and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Skim off any foam that rises to the top, reduce the heat, cover and simmer until the beans are very tender, 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours. If using, remove the ham hock and set it aside to cool; remove the bay leaf. Stir in salt.

Puree about half of the soup in a blender or food processor until fairly smooth. (Use caution when pureeing hot liquids.) Return the pureed soup to the pot and heat through. If desired, cut meat off the ham hock, trim away any fat and chop the meat into small pieces; stir back into the soup.

Serve the soup garnished with the reserved chopped onion, a dollop of sour cream (or yogurt) and cilantro, if desired.

Well I will be a monkeys Aunt, thank you for these recipes Jeff, going to give them a try.

I have they are pretty good.

You got a stirring stick to stir my coffee with umm I be good now, my bad.

I do indeed have many spoons.