Extended Family Recipes

I always loved my little sister, Grace's Egg Drop Soup. I never knew her recipe. So I'm looking to try different ones to find my favorite. Here are a few variations, Asian Egg Drop Soup and Chinese Egg Drop Soup found at FoodNetwork.com. Today is the anniversary of her 27th year. And to celebrate, I'd like to share a few of her favorite recipes/foods. Though her favorite foods were Corn Nuts and burnt (to a char) Hot Dogs, she made the best Lasagna and Egg Drop Soup. I don't have her Lasagna recipe either, but Kevin's Mom has shared with me a great Crock Pot Lasagna recipe, that I'd also like to share here.

Asian Egg Drop Soup

• 4 cups prepared chicken stock, plus 2 tablespoons
• 1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 green onions, chopped, including ends
• Salt and white pepper, to taste

1. Bring soup stock, grated ginger and soy sauce to a boil.
2. In a small cup, make a slurry by combining the cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of chicken stock. Stir until dissolved.
3. Slowly pour in the cornstarch mixture while stirring the stock, until thickened.
4. Reduce heat to a simmer. Pour in the eggs slowly while stirring the soup in the same direction. The egg will spread and feather.
5. Turn off the heat and add the green onions. Season with salt and pepper, and serve immediately

Egg Drop Soup (China)

• 6 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 6 to 8 large spinach leaves
• 1/2 cup diagonally sliced green onions (about 4 small), divided
• 4 shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, wiped clean, and thinly sliced
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• Pinch ground white pepper
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1. In a medium saucepan or stockpot, bring the chicken broth to a simmer.
2. Stack the spinach leaves on top of each other, and roll them up tightly. Thinly slice into ribbon-like strips. Add the spinach, 6 tablespoons of the sliced green onions, the mushrooms, soy sauce, and white pepper to the broth.
3. When the broth begins to simmer again, gradually add the beaten eggs in a slow and steady stream.
4. Use a fork or a chopstick to create shreds or ribbons with the eggs as they are stirred into the broth-this will shred the eggs into ribbons as they cook.
5. Cook the soup for 1 minute more and remove from the heat. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with remaining 2 tablespoons of sliced green onions. Serve hot.

Lazy Lasagna

• 1lb Ground Beef, browned
• 32oz jar of Spaghetti Sauce
• 8oz bag Curly-edged (or broken lasgana)Noodles, cooked
• 16oz Ricotta Cheese
• 8oz Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
• Parmesan Cheese to taste
• Season to taste

1. In a large bowl, combine Beef and sauce. In seperate bowl, combine noodles and cheeses (or just cheese if using lasagna noodles).
2. Layer 1/3 of Beef mixture, followed by 1/2 of cheese mixture in crock pot. Repeat layering ending with beef mixture.
3. Sprinkle with parmesan.
4. Cook on low for 3-4 hours.