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Engaging stories of love, joy, comfort and friendship with proven scrumptious, healthy recipes, we celebrate LOVE as the secret ingredient for wonderful food!

Beef Klusky Soup

March 9, 2022 by Mary 11 Comments

Memories…

Smells of home, so comforting. Remembering my mother making this Beef Klusky Soup. The scent wafting through the apartment all day the other day I made it, of the beef cooking in salted water making the broth – well I was in a little bit of heaven. Lovely childhood memories were floating back. Mom standing at the stove, in her tie-around-the waist apron with 2 pockets in front, stirring this huge aluminum pot that was her mother’s. My dad clearing his throat and then proclaiming with absolute pleasure, “Mother, delicious as always!” 

We were six kids and he often called my mother “Mother” in front of us.

I remember some grease circles moving around on the top of the soup, not really knowing what they were, but I too, loved the soup and particularly the klusky! Klusky are Polish dumplings. And, when they are made correctly, they are divine. A Mother’s hug in your mouth and tummy, so warm and nourishing.

More recent memories

I had only made this Beef Klusky Soup one other time before, when I first went away to college and wanted a little bit of home. I was with Steve (my now late husband) but we were far from being married, just starting to date.

It was terrible.

The klusky were like rocks – definitely made of cement.

Steve, who was always gentle in his criticism of my cooking, even then couldn’t hold back. 

So I never attempted to make it again, until just now.

You see, my mother grew up during the Great Depression so she was always very careful with food, never wasting any and using only just enough. She really was a master at managing money, yet feeding all of us fine food. 

Too much meat – soaking in the salted water – notice the salt rings around the meat pieces – fascinating!

But, I always thought this trait was cheap. And perhaps indicated that we didn’t have much money? (We had a perfectly fine amount of money growing up, particularly with all eight of us living at home.) So in my younger days, every recipe I made from her, I generously upped all the ingredients. Including in this soup recipe, I upped the amount of meat but I’m not sure that played out right as the soup was thicker with all that meat and it was not really needed. 

Follow Mom’s directions

What I do most definitely know, is that this time, I followed her klusky instructions to a T, using only a half of a teaspoon of raw dough to make the dumplings, rather than a tablespoon or more as I had done in the past, thinking more is better and THIS was the key! Just a tiny bit of dough plumps up into the most beautiful light dumpling – just like Mom’s! NOT like concrete.

So do play close attention to that and be sure to use a very thin edged spoon to measure them out. The thin edge allows you to take just a little bit of dough – that proper one-half teaspoon.

I did use local beef soup meat from one of the farms upstate – Fat Apple Farm on Hill Hollow Road and it was divine, so do try to find some local meat. Always. So much better for you and tastier, being grass fed.

This does take nearly a day to make with all the hours of simmering but with many of us still working from home, it’s easy as it only requires time and not much attention. I wasn’t going to write about this, but when I showed the picture to my friend Marie at lunch on Monday, she was like, “OMG, THAT looks so delicious!”

So here is the original recipe. 

While winter is still here, make this Beef Klusky Soup to soothe your soul, make your own memory and spread some LOVE… and think of my wonderful Mom.

BEEF KLUSKY SOUP – serves 6 – 8

1-3 small beef soup bones with some meat on them – or Mom said, 1 small soup bone and 2 pieces of marrow soup meat.
12 cups of cold water
½ Tbs. coarse sea salt
1 bay leaf
12 whole black peppercorns
4 tomatoes, cored and coarsely chopped
2 tsp. tomato paste
2 large cloves of garlic, minced
1 medium onion coarsely chopped
5 carrots, peeled and cut into thirds
3 ribs of celery, cut into 2” pieces 
Some celery leaves
5 sprigs of parsley

THE KLUSKY (Egg Dumplings)

¼ tsp salt – fine sea salt
½ cup milk
1 egg beaten
1¼ cups of all purpose flour

METHOD

Rinse the meat bones with cold water and place in a large soup pot with the 12 cups of cold water and ½ tablespoon of salt. Let stand for about 30 minutes to draw out the juices.

Then put on high heat and bring to a boil. Skim the surface to remove the dirty foam and simmer.

Add 1 bay leaf, tomatoes, tomato paste, garlic and onion and simmer uncovered for 2 hours.

Then add the carrots, fat pieces cut in half lengthwise, celery, celery leaves and parsley and let this all simmer for another 1½ hours. In the last ½ hour of cooking, add the klusky.

MAKING THE KLUSKY

Add salt and milk to the beaten egg. Stir flour in to make a smooth batter.

Bring the soup a boil and add the klusky by scooping out just ½ teaspoon of batter and then dipping the spoon in the boiling soup and the batter will fall off and make the dumpling.

Stir every once in a while. 

Let them cook for about 20 minutes or so.

Then Mom wrote:

Any questions call me. Love, Mom

(Mom passed in 1995)

Filed Under: Dinner, Lunch, Meat, Soups Tagged With: beef, hearty soup, Klusky, Polish dumplings, soup

Tuscan Bean Soup with Sfoglini Spaccatelli Pasta

December 17, 2016 by Mary 6 Comments

Sfoglini pasta in a bag in MARY's secret ingredients winter 2016 subscription box.Tuscan cookbook.Tuscan Bean Soup with Sfoglini Spaccatelli Pasta is a recipe based on one from my Tuscan cookbook. I have been wanting to make this soup since the summer when I received the book from my friend Cristina while in Arezzo on that wonderful trip. This Tuscan Bean Soup with Sfoglini Spaccatelli Pasta is so comforting and this pasta is to die for.

Really.

It is made with Organic Durum Semolina flour and water. That’s it! And it is so delicious, really like homemade. My husband could eat this pasta every night so if the good folks at Sfoglini in Brooklyn, NY want to send me a case of this stuff, bring it on!

The pasta shape is Spaccatelli and is sometimes referred to as Strozzapreti or “priest collars.” It resembles a rolled-up scroll or towel, smooth and tight. Legend has it that the name refers to how annoyed Italian men became at seeing their wives labor over cooking extravagant meals for the local clergy. Ha! This two inch strand of tubular pasta is a great substitute for ziti or macaroni in any dish and is superb with a chunky meat sauce as the shape envelops the sauce into the curved folds.

Tuscan Bean Soup with Sfoglini Spaccatelli Pasta in a ladle over a pot.

Rather than a chunky sauce that you can make on your own, I opted to highlight this pasta in this luscious bean soup. Plan ahead as you have to soak the beans overnight before cooking, but this is well worth it. This soup is so Tuscan, so comforting, and so perfect on a cold winter night.

I suppose you could use drained and rinsed canned beans but cooking the real thing is so much better. And it’s not much effort. It’s just time. So give this a go!

TUSCAN BEAN SOUP WITH SFOGLINI SPACCATELLI PASTA – serves 8

8 oz. Sfoglini Spaccatelli Pasta
1 lb. dried cannellini beans
8 oz. of ripe or canned tomatoes, crushed
8 cups of vegetable stock
3 cloves of garlic and 1 clove of chopped garlic
1 onion, chopped
3 sage leaves
Chili pepper flakes
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt
Pepper

Rinse and cover the beans with 3 inches of cold water and soak overnight. The next day, rinse, drain and cover with 1½ inches of fresh cold water. Add 3 wholes cloves of garlic and sage leaves and bring to a boil. Lower heat to a simmer and cook for 1.5 – 2 hours, partially covered, until very tender, making sure the beans are always covered with water. Add salt to taste when done.

Puree the beans in a blender with some of the water until you achieve a smooth puree.

In another saucepan, sauté the finely chopped onion and garlic in a little oil. Add the tomatoes and chili pepper flakes and cook for 10 minutes.

Add the bean puree and hot broth. Add salt to taste and bring to a simmer.

Fill a separate large pot with water and bring to a boil. Add coarse sea salt and the Sfoglini Spaccatelli Pasta and cook for 4 minutes. Drain and add to the soup, stirring for 1 minute to combine and to let the pasta finish cooking. Taste the pasta to be sure it is done. It should be al dente.

Tuscan Bean Soup with Sfoglini Spaccatelli Pasta in a white bowl drizzled with olive oil.Ladle the soup in bowls, drizzle with olive oil and top with fresh ground pepper and serve with LOVE.

Enjoy!!!

Winter 2016 MARY's secret ingredients subscription box.There are a few boxes left with this special pasta and you can buy a winter subscription box here and receive all of the great products. Remember better pantries make better meals!

Additionally your purchase helps in our partnership with Feed The Children. No one should go hungry.

Filed Under: Dinner, First Course, Lunch, Soups Tagged With: bean soup, comforting soups, Sfoglini pasta, Sfoglini Spaccatelli Pasta, Tuscan soups, winter soups

Tangy Sorrel & Potato Soup with Bacon, topped with MOM’s Popped Lotus Seeds

October 16, 2016 by Mary 16 Comments

MOM's Popped Lotus Seeds, Sea Salt flavor.When I first heard about MOM’s Popped Lotus Seeds, somehow I didn’t think they could possibly be popped seeds from the lotus flower, but that’s exactly what they are!

The seeds are underneath the lotus flower and one has to remove a brown casing, then pop them like popcorn while seasoning them at the same time. These MOM’s Popped Lotus Seeds are flavored with butter and sea salt and they are DELICIOUS!!! Better yet, they’re low in calories and high in protein. It’s a snack that’s actually ok for you! I’m taking these to the movies – way better than that chemical laden popcorn they sell.

Lotus seeds are commonly used in Chinese medications for their healing benefits. They also contain an enzyme with powerful anti-aging properties so I’m going to eat them by the handful!

The company making MOM’S Popped Lotus Seeds is a small family owned business based in Boulder, Colorado. Their founder was first introduced to the deliciousness of popped lotus seeds as a child when his mother gave them to him as an afternoon snack. In his late 20’s, he found himself fed up with foods that were either chock full of calories or healthy but barely edible. He was determined to find a balance between good-for-you snacks and addicting junk food. That journey led him right back to his childhood.

Lotus seeds are known to be effective in alleviating restlessness, due to the natural sedative and calming effects of the seeds. Having raised two boys myself, I think the founder’s mother was one smart cookie, serving these as snack to a young energetic boy, right?

Besides being a delicious snack, I found them great to replace croutons – and better for you with all of these benefits!! My garden was loaded with sorrel last weekend so I made this quick and easy Tangy Sorrel & Potato Soup with Bacon, topped with MOM’s Popped Lotus Seeds and it was soooo good!! And, the popped lotus seeds are gluten free as an added bonus.

Try this, if you haven’t already eaten them all.Mom's Popped Lotus Seeds garnishing a tangy sorrel & potato with bacon soup in a white flat soup bowl.
TANGY SORREL & POTATO SOUP WITH BACON, TOPPED WITH MOM’s POPPED LOTUS SEEDS – serves 4 – 5

1Tbs. unsalted butter
2 oz. nitrate-free smoky bacon, cut into 1/4-inch dice
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 1/2 quarts chicken stock or canned low-sodium broth
1/2 lb. Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch dice
Salt, to taste
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
3 Tbs. heavy cream
1/2 lb. sorrel, stems discarded, leaves coarsely chopped.
1 cup of MOM’s Popped Lotus Seeds, Sea Salt flavor

Melt the butter in a large saucepan. Add the bacon and cook over moderately low heat until lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Add the wine and simmer until almost evaporated, about 4 minutes. Add the stock and bring to a simmer. Add the potatoes, season with salt and pepper and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in the heavy cream and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the sorrel. Ladle the soup into bowls and serve topped with Mom’s Popped Lotus Seeds Sea Salt flavor.
Mom's Popped Lotus Seeds sea salt flavor in a blue bowl.Pass a bowl of more MOM’s Popped Lotus Seeds at the table.

The soup can be made without the sorrel and refrigerated overnight. Bring to a simmer and add the coarsely chopped sorrel just before serving.
Mom's Popped Lotus seeds finely ground with grated Parmigiano cheese for a great gluten free breading mix in a beige bowl.Zucchini slices breaded with finely ground Mom's Popped Lotus Seeds and Parmigiano cheese with a wedge of Roquefort cheese and a glass of red wine.MOM’s Popped Lotus Seeds can also be ground in a mini grinder, combined with a little freshly grated Parmigiano cheese and used to coat zucchini slices for a great gluten free “breading”. Saute in olive oil, drain on paper toweling. Serve with LOVE and some Roquefort cheese during your next cocktail hour.Our 2016 Fall culinary MARY's secret ingredients subscription box open with all products visible.

There are just a few fall boxes left where you can
get your own bag of gluten free MOM’s Popped Lotus Seeds!

And your purchase helps us support Feed The Children.

Filed Under: Appetizers, First Course, Products for sale, Soups Tagged With: appetizer, bacon, croutons, first course, popped lotus seeds, sorrel & potato soup with bacon, soup

Chilled Curried Zucchini Soup with Apple Garnish

July 3, 2016 by Mary 22 Comments

Chilled Curried Zucchini soup with apples, mint and yogurt garnish in a Limoges china bowl.

I love to start a meal with a soup. Somehow it feels more elegant to me. But in summer, you certainly don’t want something hot, and for cold soups, the repertoire seems more limited. Gazpacho is one, and then there’s watermelon, cucumber, and vichyssoise (I am not a fan) but not much else comes to mind. So I was particularly excited to find this Chilled Curried Zucchini Soup with Apple Garnish recipe from Pierre Franey in The New York Times Country Weekend Cookbook.

I made this to start a dinner party just this past Thursday night and it was a hit, called out by several folks in their thank-you emails.

Remember that cold soups must be really cold. You don’t want to be iffy here. Make it cold. I made this soup on Tuesday evening with everything but the yogurt and chopped apples. At the start of the party on Thursday, I whisked in the yogurt, peeled and chopped the apple and added it all in and seasoned the soup with salt and pepper. Then I let the pot sit on the counter for a bit but luckily realized I should put it back in the fridge until just before serving. That was a good move.

The next day, I had a bowl of leftover soup right out of the fridge and it was even better colder! And I found out that I really could have combined everything, including the yogurt and apple, as all the flavors melded better and the apple did not lose any crispness.

This is rich tasting and elegant, different and delicious. It tastes creamy but without a drop of cream. The healthy yogurt makes it work. I made this with Ethel’s farmer’s market zucchini, homemade chicken stock made from roasted chicken wing tips and mint from my garden. But I’m sure this recipe will work fine with good supermarket bought ingredients as well. But don’t forget to add your LOVE when making, the most important ingredient.

Chilled Curried Zucchini soup with apples, mint and yogurt garnish in a Limoges bowl.

CHILLED CURRIED ZUCCHINI SOUP WITH APPLE GARNISH – serves 4 – adapted from Pierre Franey

1 Tbs. unsalted butter
1 medium white onion, sliced
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
2 tsp. curry powder
Salt
2 medium zucchini, trimmed and cut into 1/8” rounds
3 cups chicken stock
1 cup of plain yogurt (I used whole milk yogurt but not Greek)
1 Golden Delicious apple
2 – 3 stems of mint leaves for garnish

Melt butter in a large pot on medium heat. Add onions. Cook stirring until onions are wilted, 2 – 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook stirring for one minute. Add curry powder and salt to taste. Stir for one minute. Add zucchini and chicken stock.

Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

Puree the soup in a blender, food processer or use an immersion wand blender. I like to use the immersion blender best. It has been the best investment – quicker, easier and less mess. Just stick it in the soup and whir!

Refrigerate the soup, until very cold, preferably overnight.

When it is cold, whisk in the yogurt, reserving a little for garnish. Peel and core the apple, then cut into small cubes and stir it into the soup. Ladle the soup into bowls, garnish with a dollop of yogurt and some mint leaves.

Fireworks over a lake at night.Hope you all are having a wonderful Fourth of July weekend!! We are enjoying glorious weather here on the east coast. And last night we were fortunate enough to be invited to our friends home on a lake with a spectacular fireworks show!Dinner table on a deck overlooking a lake.

Filed Under: First Course, Soups Tagged With: cold soups, curried zucchini soup, elegant first starters, elegant soups, summer first courses

100 Cups A Day with Gazpacho

April 22, 2016 by Mary 15 Comments

100 Cups A Day tiny beautiful handmade cup.Natalie Blake, an amazing ceramist, founded 100 Cups A Day to bring attention to the need of providing clean water for all. Clean water and food are basic human rights. We, at MARY’s secret ingredients are so very happy and grateful to partner with Natalie, bringing attention to both of these initiatives, when you add in our contributions to Feed The Children.

The hand made symbolic cup in our spring box is beautiful and should remind us that everyone on this earth should have access to clean water. After all, our bodies are made up of more than 50% water. Clean water must cycle through us for general health and well-being. If it’s dirty, of course it will only spread and promote diseases.

Visit both of Natalie’s sites. Her work in custom pieces for interior designers is gorgeous. While this tiny cup should act as a gentle prompt of the need for clean water for everyone, you can purchase larger cups on 100 Cups A Day and support this initiative.

!00 cups a day with toothpicks.How can you use this little cup? Fill it with toothpicks to be in your life everyday. Or use it as a shot glass/measuring tool when making drinks. Each cup is hand thrown and a different size so determine how much yours holds.
100 Cups a Day with Gazpacho.Or you could make this delicious gazpacho and serve gazpacho shots to start a party!

This is a remake of my original gazpacho recipe, where I eliminated the water. Try this recipe and be aware of the water in your life.

Visit Natalie’s site to bring more cups to your home and support this initiative of clean water for all! You won’t be just buying a vessel, you will become a vessel. Proceeds from your $22.00 paid for each cup (a much larger cup) will go to www.caminosdeagua.org. Each month, Natalie and her team will donate proceeds from selling cups to one of the 100 organizations working to support the health of water.

Natalie says, “Commit to a practice. Start right where you are to allow imperfection to teach you to pass on what you learn.”

GOLDEN GAZPACHO WITH AVOCADO – serves 4

2 pounds of mixed yellow and red Campari tomatoes
1 small garlic clove, crushed
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2/3 of a jalapeño, minced, with seeds
Kosher salt
Fresh ground pepper
1 avocado, diced

In a food processor, puree the tomatoes, crushed garlic and jalapeño. With the machine on, gradually add the olive oil until incorporated. Transfer to a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until chilled, about 30 minutes.

Ladle the gazpacho into bowls, top with diced avocado, and serve with LOVE.

The gazpacho can be made ahead and refrigerated overnight.

Filed Under: Dinner, First Course, Products for sale, Soups Tagged With: 100 cups a day, handmade pottery, Natalie Blake, water awareness

Savory Choice Vegetable Pho Spring Soup

April 20, 2016 by Mary 11 Comments

Savory Choice Veggie Authentic Pho.I love this concentrated Pho. This is a reprise item in our spring box just because 1.) I love it so much and 2.) it is a staple in my pantry and should be in yours too.

The other day I made this super fresh spring soup for a dinner party to absolutely rave reviews – and it’s so easy, it’s ridiculous!!

So when my husband asked me to make it again, I could say, “Sure!!” Cuz it’s easy peasy and takes no time! It’s a wonderful light first course to start a springtime meal.

This delicious broth with comforting soft rice, crisp asparagus and lovely green peas combined with the fresh dill – well it’s so fresh, pretty and tasty, how could you not LOVE it?

And since this is a reprise product, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention my two other delicious recipes using this concentrated Pho.

But you can use this Pho for anything. When I was feeling very sick with the flu a while back, Steve made me a delicious quick chicken soup with this broth, some shredded leftover roasted chicken and a little bit of this and that in vegetables from the fridge. Perfect and just what the doctor ordered.

Keep some always on your shelf! Cook like a pro as many top chefs use these Savory Choice products in their famous restaurants. Enjoy!!

Savory Choice Vegetable Pho spring soup with asparagus, peas and dill.

SAVORY CHOICE VEGETABLE PHO SPRING SOUP – serves 4

3 packs of Savory Choice Vegetable Pho
6 cups of water 
1/2 cup long grain white rice, rinsed very well and drained
8 spears of asparagus, tough ends broken off, cut on an angle into 1″ pieces
1/2 cup fresh or frozen peas
Fine sea salt
Fresh ground black pepper
1/4 cup finely chopped dill

Dissolve Pho stock concentrate in 6 cups of hot tap water. Whisk together in a medium pot to combine and bring stock to a boil. Add well rinsed rice and simmer for 2 minutes less than the package instructs.

Add asparagus and peas and simmer 2 minutes. Test to make sure the rice is tender. Season with salt and pepper to taste and stir in dill.

Ladle soup into bowls and serve with LOVE!

Filed Under: Dinner, First Course, Soups, Vegetables Tagged With: asparagus in soup, easy springtime soup, light springtime soup, vegetarian soup

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