Mushroom Stew

adapted and dumbed down from The Vegetarian Epicure Book 2

1/2 stick butter
1 cup apple juice
1/3 cup vinegar
2 garlic cloves
1 cup potato peel broth
1 cup milk or water
1 tomato, diced
10-15 mushrooms
pepper and cilantro to taste

Brown the mushrooms in butter and garlic, be careful not to crowd them or they won't brown. Add 1 cup apple juice, 1/3 cup vinegar, 1 cup potato peel broth. Simmer. Add the milk or water if it looks like the soup is boiling down too much. Throw in the diced tomato. Add the pepper and cilantro to taste.

Serves three.

Cheese and Corn Chowder

This fantastic chowder is the vegetarian version of a popular Western Mass dish (Cheeseburger Chowder).

I fell in love with it when my boyfriend's mother made another version of it at Christmas, and she just sent me the recipe so I can make it myself.

1/4th cup olive oil
1 chopped onion
2 cans cream of cheddar soup
1 teaspoon garlic
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon parsley
2 cubes veggie bouillon
1 liter milk
2 cups water
a dusting of flour to thicken
3 potatoes, sliced in thin circles
1/2 bag spinach
1 bag frozen corn

Combine the broth ingredients first: soften onions in olive oil, add the milk and water, crush the bouillon cubes and add them in along with the garlic, and then throw in the red pepper flakes and parsley. Now add the potatoes. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer when adding the spinach and corn. Let cook 40 mins. Add the flour if chowder looks watery.

Potato Peel Broth

Adapted from Anna Thomas's The Vegetarian Epicure 1 quart water the peels of 6-7 large, well cleaned potatoes 5 stalks of celery 1 onion, quartered rosemary, pepper, and garlic to taste add water to potato peels, boil down for about an hour strain broth into another saucepan and let cool add rosemary, pepper, garlic, celery and onion to taste, boil for another hour or so good in veggie noodle soup, and as a base for various chowders that would otherwise call for chicken broth

Cream of Broccoli Soup

1 quart of Potato Peel Broth 2-3 bunches or broccoli, or one bag of frozen broccoli 1/2 gallon milk 1 small onion pepper and salt to taste Saute the onion in butter or olive oil. Add the potato peel broth and bring to a rolling boil. Add broccoli, boil broccoli in potato peel broth until soft, then add the milk. Boil down for 2-3 hours, season with pepper and salt to taste.

Spinach Soup

inspired by Anna Thomas's The Vegetarian Epicure: Book Two

2-3 bags fresh spinach, cleaned and picked through
1 pint of potato peel broth
3 cups of water
1 really big potato
pepper, soy sauce, and lemon juice to taste

Boil potatoes in potato peel broth until soft, then add the spinach. Cover and steam for about ten minutes, adding the water as needed. Add pepper, soy sauce, and lemon juice as needed.

Best if served with tortilla chips and cheddar cheese.