Soup Sunday- Tomato and Dumpling Soup

This soup is not a health food. It falls firmly into the comfort food category. I learned to make it from my mom who learned it from my grandma. The branch of the family that devised this recipe were the same people that used to spread goose grease on their bread instead of butter. They all lived to ripe old ages.
My aunt, grandma and mom cooked this soup often. I remember my cousin Cheri and I standing over a pot of this soup at her house, putting in the dumplings. Years ago  I had my mom teach me how to make it.
 My grandma's family were peasants from Slovakia and I think this soup is adapted from another they used to make that had just water in place of the tomato juice.  They were really poor.

They had a farm here in the States and maybe they had extra tomatoes from the garden. My mom used to make this soup with fresh tomato juice and it has a totally different taste.

Anyway this is the ultimate comfort food for me. I make it when I feel like I am getting a cold or just on a day when I am feeling a little down.  This is the first time this recipe has been put to paper in my family so some of the amounts are guessing.   I know how my mom talk me to do it, but I've done my best to capture it here.

1 can tomato juice ( 46 ounces)
2 table spoon bacon grease
2 tablespoon flour
1 large can tomato juice ( about 2 quarts)
1 cup flour
1 egg
about 1/4 cup milk

Put bacon grease into soup pot. Melt and begin to brown the grease. Add the flour and stir to make a roux until dark brown. Add the tomato juice. Continue to heat until the mixture comes to a low boil. While waiting, combine the milk, flour and egg.  Blend adding more milk if needed. The mixture should be thick enough to make dumplings. When the mixture comes to a boil, make the dumplings by taking a large spoonful of batter,  Using a knife push a piece off of the spoon into the soup to make dumplings.  The size can vary depending on how large you like them.  Once all the dumplings are into the soup, turn the heat down to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes until the dumplings are cooked.

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Chris Wodke

Founder & Manager Team CMT

www.run4cmt.com

Chris is a triathlete and long distance runner. She is a three time participant of the Boston Marathon.  In 2012 she finished 2nd at Boston in the Mobility Impaired Division. She was on the course in 2013 when the bombs exploded.

She has appeared three times at the Paratriathlon National Triathlon Sprint Championship. She was the 2012 and 2014 National Champion Paratriathlon Open Division Champion.

In 2014 she was the PC Open Champion at the Duathlon National Championship. She has qualified to represent Team USA at the Aquathon ITU World Championship in Chicago in 2015.  

 In 2014 she represented  the U.S. as a paratriathlete at the Pan-American Triathlon Championship in Dallas, Texas.

She travels around the country raising awareness of CMT.

She is the author of the book, “Running for My Life” that details her experience as a CMT affected athlete.

http://www.henschelhausbooks.com/catalog/memoir-biography/215-running-for-my-life-winning-for-cmt-9781595982827.html

You may visit her author page at:
http://www.amazon.com/Christine-Wodke/e/B00IJ02HX6

Team CMT is a group of athletes and supporters working to raise awareness and to find a cure for CMT. We have 1756 members in 31 states. We also have members in Australia, England,Scotland, Canada, Vietnam, Turkey, Finland, Scotland, France and Iran. If you wish to join us visit our web site; www.run4cmt.com or www.hnf-cure.org

CMT or Charcot-Marie-Tooth is the most commonly inherited peripheral neuropathy. It affects over 155,000 Americans (as many as MS).  It is a disease of the nerves that control the muscles. It is slowly progressive, causing loss of normal function and or sensation in the lower legs/feet and arms/hands.

Symptoms include; muscle wasting in the lower legs and feet leading to foot drop, poor balance and gait problems Atrophy in the hands causes difficulty with manual dexterity.

Structural foot deformities such as high arches and hammer toes are common.

Poor tolerance for cool or cold temperatures and many people have chronically cold hands and feet.

Additional symptoms may include fatigue, sleep apnea, breathing difficulties and hearing loss.

Additional Link

Follow CMT affected Paratriathlete Timmy Dixon
http://cmtamputee.wordpress.com/

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