The LaPorte County Parks Department’s Vegetable Potato Soup won first place in the soup cook-off. From left are Roger Grove, Boyd Lomow, Tim Morgan, Jean Lawson, Barb Janeczko, and Laura Moyer. (Click to enlarge)
If you walked into the LaPorte County Complex on Thursday morning, Feb. 18, you were instantly hungry.
LaPorte County government employees stirred up some fun and appetites that day in a Soup Cook-Off. The county departments of Auditor, Building Maintenance, Health, Parks, Planning and Purdue Extension entered soups that could be assembled in 30 minutes or less at work. Once assembled, the soups simmered until noon, when a team of judges scored the soups for nutrition, taste and ease of preparation.
Tom Vasilarakos of Louie's Cafe judges soups.
The judges included Tom Vasilarakos, Louie’s Café; Virginia Seitz, caterer and extension homemaker; and Corinne Powell, food and nutrition educator, Purdue Extension, Lake County.
After the judging, LaPorte County Commissioner Barbara Huston thanked everyone for their participation in this fun, healthy and delicious event and then announced the winning teams:
– First place -- Vegetable Potato Soup, Parks and Recreation (Roger Grove, Boyd Lomow, Tim Morgan, Jean Lawson, Barb Janeczko, Laura Moyer)
– Second place – Cream of Mushroom Soup, Planning Office (Cindy Kreske, Mitch Bishop)
– Third place – Stuffed Green Pepper Soup, Purdue Extension (Terri Logan, Kathy Ulman, Mindy Rose, Marcia Wolff)
A slow cooker and a $10 gift card for ingredients for their next soup were awarded to the winning teams! Ace Kabelin Hardware of Michigan City, Big R of Michigan City, Kmart , Kroger, Lowes and Wal-Mart of Michigan City generously supported this event with donations for the prizes.
After the awards, all participants and the commissioners enjoyed lunch, then returned to work.
This program was a part of a series of worksite wellness programs conducted in partnership with Purdue Extension, LaPorte County. For more information about this or other worksite wellness programs, contact Allison Goshorn, Purdue Extension, at 219-324-9407 or agoshorn@purdue.edu.
THE WINNING RECIPES
Vegetable Potato Soup
1 1/2 cups sliced carrots
1 1/2 cups cubed potatoes
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 cup sliced celery
1 1/4 lbs. ground beef, browned & drained
2 cups water
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
1 Tbls. brown sugar
5 cups tomato juice
Combine vegetables and water in microwave-safe container. Cover and microwave on high 18-20 minutes. Do not drain. Place vegetables in slow cooker. Combine remaining ingredients into slow cooker and cover. Cook on low 6-8 hours, or until vegetables are done.
Cream of Mushroom Soup
3 cups wild mushrooms, chopped
2 cups vegetable stock & 1 cup beef stock
3 Tbls. Butter
3 Tbls. Flour
2 cups milk or cream (add after flour)
Salt, pepper and nutmeg
Cook mushrooms in butter about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with flour, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Add stock and milk or cream. Heat soup gradually to boiling point. Keep stirring so it will be smooth and do not let it boil. You may garnish the soup with the following: crumbled bacon, shredded white cheese and crunchy morel mushrooms.
The soup is even better if you let it cool and then reheat it. It seems to ripen the flavors of the soup.
Stuffed Green Pepper Soup
1 lb. ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 – 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes with chilis
1 – 15 oz. can of tomato sauce
2 large green bell peppers, chopped
1/8 cup packed brown sugar
1 Tbls. Worchestershire sauce
1 1/4 cups water
1 tsp. bouillon base (mixed in 1 cup boiling water)
1 cup cooked rice
In dutch oven, brown ground beef, onion and garlic until brown. Drain. Add all ingredients into a slow cooker, except rice, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 30-40 minutes or until peppers are soft. Add rice and heat through.
Sharon Struyf and Ashley Wright of the county auditor's office.
