If anyone has some kind of special food or tradition for the season,
please feel free to share! =EF=BF=BD

I once had a boss who had a tradition of cooking soup on New Year's Day,
because it was good luck to start off the year with a pot of soup on the
stove. =EF=BF=BDI thought that was cute, so I've been doing that in years =

day isn't too crazy. =EF=BF=BDThought I'd share one of my soup recipes. =

obviously has an Indian type of flavor to it, and it's quite thick and
hearty).

4 cans chicken broth (low sodium, or else eliminate the bouillion)
1/4 cup red lentils
1/4 cup barley
1/4 cup steel cut oats
1/4 cup textured vegetable protein
1 2" section of ginger root, ground
1 heaping tablespoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon garam masala
7 cardamon seed pods (you whack them to open them up)
1/2 teaspoon cumin seed
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon pav bhaji masala
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander seed
1 (Knorr, if the smaller kind, use 2) chicken bouillon cube
3 bay leaves
small amount of freshly ground black pepper

Bring the chicken broth to a boil. Add the steel cut oats, barley and
lentils. Bring to boil again, reduce heat to simmer and simmer for 15
minutes. Then, =EF=BF=BDadd the herbs and spices. Once they are all added,=

simmer for another 10 minutes. Add TVP (textured vegetable protein) and
simmer for another 15 minutes. (Remove bay leaves and cardamon seed pods,
if you don't like picking them out while eating). Serve. =EF=BF=BD

Happy New Year!! =EF=BF=BD^_^

Woods