Not sure if I have a favorite - probably New England Clam Chowder, but I never make that. Yesterday I made minestrone, and here is the recipe I used: Minestrone Soup Ingredients: 2 tablespoons olive oil 1/2 cup minced white onion (about 1/2 small onion) 1/3 cup minced celery (about 1 stalk) 2 chopped zucchinis, chopped 2 teaspoons minced garlic (about 2-3 cloves) 2 cups water or vegetable broth 2 tsp vegetable soup base (if broth is not used - dissolve in the 2 cups water) 1 (14 ounce) can diced tomatoes (or whole tomatoes pur�ed in can) 1/4 cup carrots, shredded 2-4 tablespoons minced fresh parsley 1 teaspoon dried oregano 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 1/2 teaspoon dried basil 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme 1 to 1 1/2 cups water or vegetable soup base 1 to 1-1/2 tsp vegetable soup base (dissolved in the water, if broth not used) 2/3 cup small shell pasta (orzo, or similar) 1-3/4 cups cooked red kidney beans, drained* 1-3/4 cups cooked small white beans or great northern beans, drained* 2 cups fresh baby spinach (optional) 2 tbsp tomato paste or 1 tbsp tomato powder salt, to taste, if soup base is not used Directions: Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large soup pot. Saut� onion and celery in the oil for 4-5 minutes or until onions begin to turn translucent. Add the zucchini and garlic and saute a couple of minutes more. Add vegetable broth to pot, plus tomatoes, carrot, and spices. Bring soup to a boil, then reduce heat and allow to simmer for 20 minutes. Add additional 1 cup hot water/vegetable broth (more, if needed), pasta, beans, spinach leaves (if desired), and tomato paste, and cook for an additional 20 minutes or until desired consistency. Less water will be needed if the spinach is used. Add salt to taste, if you are not using soup base. I use Better Than Bouillon brand vegetable soup base or one that I get from a restaurant supply store. Use more parsley if you are not adding spinach. *Note: I use 7/8 cup of each dried bean to yield the amount needed and cook the beans earlier in the day or the day before in plain water with a couple of bay leaves. I simmer them in the same pan. Alternatively, canned beans can be used (14 oz can each), drained and rinsed. Another favorite is Posole: Lars' Posole I recommend that you soak more hominy than you need, and you can freeze the leftover for later use. It is best to use hominy that is in pieces rather than whole kernals. Ingredients 3/4 cup dried white hominy corn (maiz trillado blanco) - about 2-1/2 to 3 cups when soaked - rinsed canned hominy can be substituted 2 tbsp canola oil 2 tbsp olive oil 1 medium onion, chopped 6-7 cloves garlic, minced, or finely chopped 1 red bell pepper, chopped 1 green bell pepper (or 2 Anaheim chilies), chopped 4 serrano peppers, finely chopped, some seeds removed 1 tbsp cumin 2 tbsp chili powder (I use Ancho) 1 10 oz can of Rotel tomatoes (or tomatoes with chilies) 4-5 bouillon cubes (vegetable flavor) 2 cups water (or reserved liquid from soaking) Cilantro, for garnish Grated cheddar cheese (optional) Directions To quick soak the hominy, place it in a pan and cover with triple depth of water. Bring to a boil, cover, and remove from heat. Allow to soak for about 2-3 hours, and then drain the water. You may need to check periodically to make sure there is enough water covering the hominy. Save the soaking water if you want to use it as a thickener for this or another dish. While the hominy is soaking (or almost ready), you can begin the rest of the process, starting with chopping all the vegetables. The pieces should be fairly small, but not minced, except for the garlic and serrano peppers. Heat the oils in a large saucepan (Mine is 4" deep) and add the chopped onion, peppers, and garlic. Saute for a few minutes, or until the onion becomes a bit translucent - it does not need to cook thoroughly, and you do not want to make the vegetables too soft. Turn off the heat, and stir in the cumin and chili powder. Add the canned tomatoes, bouillon cubes, water, and drained hominy. Bring to a boil, and cook covered for about 20 minutes. Serve in individual soup bowls with chopped cilantro, stirred in at the last minute. You can also add grated cheese if desired. Some people add lime juice, but I prefer to leave it out. It is traditional to serve this with shredded cabbage and fresh lime juice, but I did not know this when I made up this recipe. Mine is vegetarian, but it is usually made with pork in Mexico. Lars

I don't often come here, I mostly hang out of the Cooking forum....but stopped in and saw the request. this recipe came from a cookbook that is out of print, called "J.T's Cuisine"....and it is the best I have ever had. Carrot cake Julie T�s 3 eggs 3/4 cup vegetable oil 3/4 cup buttermilk 2 cups sugar 2 teaspoons vanilla 2 cups flour 2 teaspoons baking soda 3/4 teaspoon salt 2 tsps cinnamon 1 8 oz can crushed pineapple, drained 2 cups grated carrots 1/2 cup raisins chopped with 1 Tablespoon of flour Buttermilk glaze 1/2 cup sugar 1/4 tsp baking soda 1/4 cup buttermilk 1/4 cup butter 1 Tblsp light corn syrup 1 tsp vanilla Orange Cream Cheese Frosting 1/2 cup softened butter 4 oz softened cream cheese 1 tsp vanilla 3 cups powdered sugar 1 tsp orange juice 1 tsp grated orange rind Preheat oven to 350 With a mixer Beat eggs, add oil and buttermilk, sugar and vanilla. beat to combine. Stir together flour, salt, cinnamon and baking soda and stir into batter. stir in pineapple, carrots and raisins. Pour into a greased 8 by 13 pan or 2 greased round 9 inch cake pans. Bake 35 to 45 minutes until set in the middle. Remove from the oven and immediately spread with the buttermilk glaze. Cool completely and frost with the cream cheese frosting. Buttermilk glaze: In a medium sauce pan ( don't use a small pan) combine all ingredients but vanilla. Bring to a boil and cook 3 minutes stirring often...it will bubble a lot. It should be a light caramel color, stir in vanilla and pour over the cake Cream cheese frosting: Beat cream cheese and butter until light add vanilla powd. sugar and juice and rind...beat until smooth and frost the cooled cake

Hoosier Gooseberry Pie 1 9 inch unbaked double pie crust 4 C gooseberries 1 3/4 C sugar 2 Tbs minute tapioca 2 Tbs butter 1/8 tsp salt 1/2 tsp nutmeg Gently wash berries and remove stems.Pat dry. Place berries, sugar, tapioca, butter, salt, and nutmeg in a large saucepan over low heat. Stir frequently an cook till sugar is melted and berries are soft. Let cool. Pour into pie shell and cover with a top crust. Bake at 400 15 min. Reduce heat to 350 and bake 30 min longer.

1 9 inch unbaked pie shell 3 1/2 C fresh blueberries 1 C sugar 1 Tbs lemon juice 2 Tbs cornstarch 1 Tbs butter Dash nutmeg, dash cinnamon In a mixing bowl combine berries, sugar, lemon juice and cornstarch. Toss berries lightly to coat and let stand 20 minutes. Pour pie into pie shell.Dot with butter and dash with cinnamon and nutmeg. Bake in 425 oven 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 325 and bake 30 minutes longer.