Grandma Gigi's Cook Book & Tips

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Great Great Grandma Washburn's Clam Chowder

Demetrius' Favorite

1 piece salt pork or bacon cut in pieces

1 onion diced

1 cup heacy cream

butter to taste

2 TBS. Garlic powder

Salt and pepper to taste

10 potatoes peeled and diced or more

4 cans choopped clams

Peel and dice all potatoes and set in cold water. Brown salt pork or bacon. Add onion and celery. Cook until tender. Add 2 TBS. Garlic powder. Add 1/2 of the diced potatoes in pan and add the clam juice from the cans, set aside the clams. Fill pan with water to cover the potatoes. Simmer the mixture until the potatoes are about dissolved. You are doing this to make the broth thickened. Add the balance of the diced potatoes and simmer until the potatoes are done. Add the clams. Add the cream and salt and pepper to taste.







Pea Soup

Elise's Favorite

2 packages split peas (uncooked)

2 bay leaves

1 Ham Steak or left over ham chunks

1 diced onion

2-3 TBS. Garlic powder

Season all salt and Mrs. Dash to taste

Half n Half

1 1/2 TBS. olive oil

Put olive oil in pan. Add diced onion and ham chunks and cook until onions are clear. Add bay leaces and garlic powder. Fill the pot half way up with water. Add split peas (make sure they are all sorted out and no ??? is in the peas). Bring to a boil and then turn down heat and simmer till the peas are dissolved and mixture is thickened. Stir frequently as it tends to stick on the bottom. You may need to add more water if the peas are not done. When done, add the cream, season all salt, and Mrs. Dash and pepper to taste.

TIP: Also makes a great dip for crackers if you chill.







French Onion Soup

4 large onions sliced

1/4 cup Chef Classics Aus Jus

Shredded Swiss Cheese

French Bread sliced

4 TBS. Garlic powder

1 TBS. Ginger

1 TBS. olive oil

Slice thin all onion. You may need to slice more pending on size of the onions. Put olive oil in a Dutch oven. Cook onions in the pan until onions are clear. Fill pan with 6 cups water. Add garlic powder, Aus Jus, and bring to boil. Simmer and add ginger. Slice the French bread and shred the cheese. I use garlic butter to spread on the bread and toast (under the broiler) the slices until browned. Place the soup in small ramekins and top with French Bread. Add the shredded cheese to the soup. Place under broiler until the cheese is melted. Serve. 







Chicken Noodle Soup

2-4 chicken breasts diced

2 cans chicken broth

4 cups water or more

2 TBS. crushed garlic

Powdered bouillon to Taste

1 onion diced

3 stalks celery

4 large carrots diced

Alphabet noodles or rice or salad macaroni

Brown diced chicken in a little olive oil. Add diced onion, celery, and carrots and cook until onions are clear. Add chicken broth and bouillon and add water as needed to fill pot to 3/4  full. Simmer until all vegetables are cooked. Add alphabet noodles or rice to broth and boil until done. Taste. You may need to add bouillon (or soy sauce....Grandpa Archie likes) to add more flavor.

TIP: Top with left over stuffing?







Beef Vegetable Soup

​2 cups Leftover beef cubed or sirloin cubed

1/4 cup Chef's Classics Aus Jus

1 diced onion

4 diced carrots

3 celery stalks

3 TBS. crushed garlic

Salt and pepper to taste

Soy Sauce to taste

Brown a steak if raw in a little olive oil. Add onion, carrots and celery. Saute until onions are cooked. Add the Aus Jus, soy sauce, Fill the pot 3/4 full with water. Bring to boil and them simmer. If the steak was raw you will need to simmer longer then the left over beef.That is because it needs to tenderize. When meat is fork tender add the noodles or rice and boil until done. You can add tomato sauce and more veggies as you like.







Lobster Bisque

4 TBS. butter

4 shallots minced

6 mushrooms minced

1 cup Chicken broth

6 cups lobster stock

1 cup heavy cream

Salt and pepper to taste

Melt 2 lbs. butter in a large fry pan. Saute shallots till softened and add the mushrooms. Cook for 2 minutes. Pour chicken broth and cook for about 5 minutes (when mixture boils to 1/2 it's volume). Pour lobster stock and bring to a boil. Then reduce to simmer. Simmer for about 1/2 hour. Stir occasionally Strain the mixture and return the strained mix to a Dutch oven. Pour in heavy cream and bring to a boil. Cook for 5 minutes. Skim the foam if needed. Season with salt and pepper. Add the chunks of lobster to each bowl. 

To make stock: Boil 4 lobsters (reserve the lobster meat for garnish) in very little water. Keep the shells to put in the stack. 1/4 cup olive oil, 2 onions chopped, 4 cups clam juice, 2 carrots diced, 2 celery diced, 2 tomatoes chopped, 4 cups water, 8 garlic cloves, 2 TBS. parsley, 1 TBS. pepper, 1/2 TBS. red pepper flakes. Heat oil to medium high setting-Add onions, carrots and celery and cook till soft. Add tomatoes, water, and lobster sells. Bring to a boil. Add clam juice and the rest of the ingredients. Simmer for 1 hour. Strain. 

To thicken the soup: 2 TBS. butter and 2 TBS. flour and mic with fork. Drop tiny bits into the boiling soup and stir. When it boils you will know if to add more thickener (butter/flour).