Debbie Macomber's Cedar Cove Cookbook

4 medium boiling potatoes, such as Yukon Gold, unpeeled and diced

5 ears corn, kernels scraped off

2 medium beefsteak tomatoes, chopped

1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar Sour cream and chopped fresh tarragon, for garnish

1. Melt butter in medium saucepan or soup pot over medium heat. Add onion; cook 5 minutes, stirring often. Add garlic, thyme, salt and pepper; cook 1 minute, stirring. Add broth and 1 ½ cups water; bring to a simmer.

2. Add potatoes to simmering broth; cook 20 minutes, until cooked through. Stir in corn kernels and tomatoes; cook 15 minutes.

3. Remove from heat; stir in vinegar. Garnish servings with sour cream and tarragon.

TIP

Substitute always-available cherry tomatoes in the winter months, when beefsteak tomatoes aren’t available.

Homemade (with Help) Chicken Noodle Soup

T his classic soup is made easy by using a precooked rotisserie chicken. You’ll need one small roasted chicken for the soup.

Serves 6

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 small onion, finely chopped

2 large carrots, peeled and very thinly sliced

1 stalk celery, thinly sliced

1 teaspoon fresh thyme or ½ teaspoon dried whole thyme

8 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth

3 cups shredded meat from a purchased rotisserie chicken

3 ounces wide egg noodles (about 1 cup dry)

¾ cup frozen peas (about half of a 10-ounce box)

Salt and pepper

Chopped fresh parsley leaves, for garnish

1. Warm oil in a large saucepan or soup pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, celery and thyme; cook 8 minutes, until softened, stirring occasionally. Pour in broth, shredded chicken and about 2 cups water. Bring to a simmer; let cook 5 minutes, until vegetables are tender and flavors combine.

2. Add noodles and peas; cook about 8 minutes, until noodles are tender. Season with salt and pepper and garnish with parsley.

TIP

Because the recipe calls for a large amount of chicken broth, use the reduced-sodium variety.

Wonton Soup with Pork and Bok Choy

M aking wontons is a fun activity for the whole family. Look for dumpling skins (sometimes called wonton wrappers) in the refrigerated section of your supermarket or at Asian markets.

Serves 4

WONTONS

1 head baby bok choy, coarsely chopped, stems and leaves separated

/

pound ground pork

2 scallions, minced

1 tablespoon peeled and minced fresh ginger

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon Asian sesame oil

2 teaspoons granulated sugar

1 teaspoon rice-wine vinegar

36 dumpling skins or wonton wrappers

SOUP

4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth

2 scallions, minced

1 clove garlic, minced

6 ounces snow peas, trimmed

Asian sesame oil

1. Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil. Add salt and bok choy stems; cook 1 minute. Add bok choy leaves; cook 1 minute. Drain; run under cold water to stop cooking. Transfer bok choy to a cutting board; press with a clean dishcloth to squeeze dry. Coarsely chop.

2. In a large bowl, combine bok choy, pork, scallions, ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, and vinegar until combined.

3. Place one wonton wrapper on the countertop. Spoon about 2 teaspoons of the filling in the center of dumpling. Dip your finger in a bowl of warm water and moisten the edges of the dumpling. Fold the wrapper over the filling to make a half-moon shape, pressing the wet sides together to seal. Gently bend dumpling to make the classic crescent shape (this looks sort of like a nurse’s cap). Repeat until all dumplings are finished, storing finished dumplings on a baking sheet under a damp dish towel to keep them from drying out.