Main Dish Soups & Stews . . . and Breads: A Family Primer

This gem offers a sampling of flavorful, hearty soups and stews and a perfect selection of accompanying breads. Picture a crisp afternoon, with the waning sunlight shining low through the windows of a warm home. A fire in the fireplace, family and friends gathered around, a pot of soup simmering on the back burner filling the kitchen with comforting smells; bread baking in the oven, a basket and linen cloth waiting to receive it on the counter -- that's the idea behind this book. The 23 soup recipes cover the range of tastes, from vegetarian (Black Bean Soup, Midwest Chowder, Lentil Soup with Spinach, Tomato-Mushroom Florentine soup) and ethnic (Colombian Chicken Soup, Posole, Brunswick Stew), to seafood (Scallop Chowder, Cauliflower-Clam Chowder, Catfish Dill Chowder) and even game (Old Fashioned Venison Stew). The 17 bread recipes are equally varied. There are yeast breads (Angel Biscuits, Quick and Easy Beer Bread, Dilly Bread), quick breads (Skillet Cornbread, Buttermilk Brown Bread, Pumpkin Bread) and a delightful array of muffins (Zucchini, Oatmeal, Buttermilk Bran, Honey Corn). The authors pried these and more tried and true favorite recipes from their friends and family one delightful autumn season when their own repertoires were becoming stale. The resulting collection was too precious not to share. This isn't a coffee table tome -- it's a begging- to-be-used-and-stained,-dog-eared-and-loved,-favorite-stand-by. It's a perfect gift, especially to yourself!