January is National Soup Month, and what better time is there to make warm, hearty soups to keep us from sliding into the doldrums of winter?
We’ve had some recent brutally cold weather. It’s not what we’re accustomed to. We’re not equipped to deal with this on a daily basis, and, frankly, it’s not something I want to get used to.
That said, when we’re cold to the marrow of our bones we should warm up from the inside out.
These hearty soups will stick to the ribs, and comfort as well as nourish. These are my top four favorites and can satisfy the biggest appetite at your table. Serve a bowl with some fruit or salad and rest on your laurels.

French Onion Soup
1/2 cup unsalted butter
4 onions, sliced
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 bay leaves
2 fresh thyme sprigs
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup red wine, about 1/2 bottle
3 heaping tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 quarts beef broth
1 baguette, sliced
1/2 pound grated Gruyere

Melt the stick of butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, bay leaves, thyme, and salt and pepper and cook until the onions are very soft and caramelized, about 25 minutes. Add the wine, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until the wine has evaporated and the onions are dry, about 5 minutes. Discard the bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Dust the onions with the flour and give them a stir. Turn the heat down to medium low so the flour doesn’t burn, and cook for 10 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste. Now add the beef broth, bring the soup back to a simmer, and cook for 10 minutes. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.
When you’re ready to eat, preheat the broiler. Arrange the baguette slices on a baking sheet in a single layer. Sprinkle the slices with the Gruyere and broil until bubbly and golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes.
Ladle the soup in bowls and float several of the Gruyere croutons on top.

Crab Bisque
1 cup onion, minced
1 cup carrot, minced
2 (10 1/2 ounce) cans chicken broth
4 tablespoons flour
6 tablespoons butter
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup cooking sherry
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
fresh chives, minced
salt
1/2 lb raw lobsters, chopped or 1/2 lb lump crabmeat

Saute onion and carrot in 2 tablespoons butter until soft. Set aside.
In 4 quart saucepan, melt 4 tablespoons butter and add flour, whisking constantly over medium heat until roux becomes light brown (about 5 minutes). Do not burn!
Slowly add chicken broth, whisking constantly to ensure mixture stays smooth.
Add onions and carrots, cover, and simmer for 1/2 hour.
Add cream, sherry, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, cayenne pepper, salt, and lobster or crab and simmer an additional 5 to 10 minutes.
Garnish with fresh minced chives if desired.

Chicken and Dumplings
4 chicken breasts (skin on)
4 ribs of celery (+ several leaves from the stalk)
2 onions (peeled, but whole)
1 bay leaf
1 tbsp. peppercorns

Cover with water and boil all the above in a large stockpot or Dutch oven (at least a five-quart pot, but I use an eight-quart stockpot).
Boil until chicken is tender. Cool, pull off the bone and chop into small pieces.
Strain broth very well. Return it to stockpot.

For The Dumplings:
4 cups all purpose flour (sifted)
1 stick butter (softened)
1 tbsp parsley
1 tsp salt
Enough broth to mix to make dough a consistency of pie dough

Add parsley and salt to flour. Cut butter into it.
Add broth a little at a time until you have dough the same consistency as pie crust dough.
Flour counter and place dough in center. Flour rolling pin and roll dough out to about 1/4” thick. Cut it in strips, then in desired size pieces.
Bring broth back to a rolling boil.
Add salt to taste and 2 tbsp parsley flakes.
Add chicken. Once broth is boiling hard, drop dumplings in just a few at a time, until all are used.
Turn down on low. Simmer 30 minutes or until dumplings are done.

Potato Soup
4 tablespoons butter
1 onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped
1 rib celery, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 cups chicken stock
1 cup whole milk
1 (12-ounce) bottle light-bodied beer
2 large russet potatoes, peeled and chopped
2 cups grated extra-sharp Cheddar (about 8 ounces)
Dash hot sauce
Dash Worcestershire
Sour cream, for topping
4 slices bacon, cooked crisp, for topping
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives, for topping

In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic and saute in butter until the vegetables begin to soften, about 4 minutes. Sprinkle the flour into the pan and continue to stir for 2 minutes to toast the flour. Add salt and pepper, to taste. Gradually whisk in the stock, then the milk and the beer. Stir in the potatoes and bring the soup to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer the soup until the potato is tender, about 20 to 30 minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat and using an immersion blender, puree the soup until smooth. Return the soup to low heat. Add the cheese a handful at a time, stirring until melted and smooth after each addition. Season the soup, to taste, with hot sauce, Worcestershire, and salt and pepper.
Divide the soup among bowls and top with sour cream, crisp bacon and chopped chives.

By Olivia Fowler
for the courier
We can all get tired of the same old food at every party.
There is a lot to be said for tradition, but to start out 2011, why not be flexible and try something different?
I love ginger and found these gingered melon balls light and fresh additions to a buffet table. If you don’t want to serve them in dessert dishes, fall back on trusty toothpicks for easy individual snacks.
You may not want to try these at the same get-together. But if you do, they work well together or with a variety of other snacks. Almost everyone will find a favorite from among these offerings.
So have a happy and carefree celebration to usher in 2011.

Gingered Melon
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup granulated sugar
4 teaspoons freshly-squeezed lemon juice
2 to 3 teaspoons finely-chopped fresh ginger
2 teaspoons finely shredded lemon zest (peel)
4 cups watermelon, cantaloupe, and/or honeydew balls
1/3 cup flaked coconut

In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine water, sugar, lemon juice, and ginger. Bring just to boiling; reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in lemon zest (peel). Let cool to room temperature.
Before using the ginger syrup, strain off and discard the ginger and lemon zest.
Pour approximately 3/4 of the ginger syrup over the melon balls, stirring gently to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.
To serve, spoon melon balls and a little of the remaining ginger syrup into individual dessert dishes. Sprinkle with coconut.

Crab-Stuffed Mushrooms
1 pound large mushrooms
6 tablespoons butter
3 green onions, minced
3 to 4 tablespoons minced red bell pepper
4 ounces crab meat
1 cup fresh fine bread crumbs
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon Cajun or Creole seasoning blend
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons Parmesan

Wash and trim the end of stems from mushrooms. Pop remaining stem out. Chop stems and set aside. Melt 2 tablespoons butter; brush over mushrooms. Spray a shallow baking dish (about 8-inch square, or one which will fit mushrooms in one layer) with butter-flavored spray or grease with butter.
Melt remaining butter in skillet; add reserved chopped stems, minced green onions and red bell pepper. Cook until vegetables are tender. Combine cooked ingredients with bread crumbs, crab meat, and seasonings. Fill each mushrooms, piling up. Sprinkle each mushroom with a little Parmesan cheese, if desired. Bake at 350° for 15 to 20 minutes, until hot and mushroom caps are tender.
Makes 16 to 20 stuffed mushroom appetizers.

Sweet and Sour Sausage
2 pounds kielbasa sausage, cut into 1/4-inch slices
1 (12 ounce) bottle tomato-based chili sauce
1 (12 ounce) jar red currant jelly
1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 cup water

Stir the sausage slices, chili sauce, red currant jelly, red pepper flakes, and water together in a slow cooker, cover, and set the cooker to Low.
Cook at least four hours, stirring once every hour.

Toasted Almond Spread
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups shredded Swiss cheese
1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted, divided
1/3 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons sliced green onions
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Assorted crackers

In a small mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Stir in the Swiss cheese, 1/3 cup almonds, mayonnaise, onions, pepper and nutmeg.
Spoon onto a lightly greased pie plate.
Bake at 350 degrees F for 14-15 minutes or until heated through.
Sprinkle with remaining almonds. Serve warm with crackers.

If you’re having a family get-together or a party for friends, almost everyone will enjoy at least one of these hot drink recipes.
The hot crock pot cocoa is one of those effortless recipes that looks work intensive, but isn’t, and brings real elegance to a traditional treat.
Having hot drinks on hand, keeping warm in a crock pot keeps out cold weather chills and also makes the entire house smell like the holidays.
I hope you all enjoy these and wish you a wonderful Christmas.

Hot Crock Pot Cocoa
2 cups whipping cream
6 cups milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 (12 ounce) package white chocolate chips
Garnish:
Whipped cream
Candy canes

Stir together the whipping cream, milk, vanilla, and white chocolate chips in a slow cooker.
Cover and cook on low for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally, until mixture is hot and chocolate chips are melted. Stir again before serving. Garnish with whipped cream and candy canes, as desired.

Hot Mulled Cider
1/2 gallon of fresh, unfiltered apple cider
1 orange
15 cloves
4 3-inch sticks of cinnamon
15 allspice berries
1 teaspoon of nutmeg
7 pods of cardamon
1/4 cup brown sugar

Pour apple cider into a 3-quart saucepan, cover, turn the heat on medium-high. While cider is heating up, take a vegetable peeler and peel away a couple thick strips of peel from the orange.
Press about half of the cloves into the peeled part of the orange. (You can also just quarter the orange and add the slices and cloves separately. Place orange, orange peel strips, the remaining cloves, and the rest of the ingredients into the sauce pan with the cider.
Keep covered and heat the mulled cider mixture to a simmer and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 20 minutes on low heat.
Strain to remove orange, cloves, and other spices.. Serve hot. Add a cinnamon stick to each cup if desired.

Wassail
1 can (1 qt 14 oz size) pineapple juice
1 quart orange juice
1/2 cup lemon juice
5 tea bags
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons whole cloves
3 cinnamon sticks

Combine fruit juices. Steep tea in 2 1/2 qts boiling water for 5-10 minutes. Remove tea bags. In sauce pan combine remaining ingredients with 1 qt cold water – bring to a boil and boil 3 minutes. Strain. Just before serving combine juices, tea and spiced water and bring to a boil.

Old-fashioned Hot Buttered Rum
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup butter
2 cups vanilla ice cream
Rum
Water
Nutmeg

Combine sugar, brown sugar and butter in a 2-quart saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until butter is melted (6-8 min).
Combine cooked mixture with ice-cream in a large mixing bowl, and beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often until smooth (1-2 min). Store refrigerated up to 2 weeks or frozen up to one month.
For each serving, fill one-quarter of a mug with mixture, add one ounce rum and three-quarters of a cup of boiling water. Sprinkle with nutmeg.