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Alphabet Soup From monograms to alphabet soup, letters are the focus of these crafts. From "Creative Juice" episode DCRJ-310

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Grab your spoons! We’ve got the perfect after school snack: hot and steamy alphabet soup with crunchy letter-shaped croutons.

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Alphabet Soup and Cookie-Cutter Alphabits Toasts

Alphabet Soup

Ingredients:

1 c. alphabet pasta
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
2 onions, peeled and cut into eighths
2 large carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
3 ribs celery, cut into chunks
3 ripe plum tomatoes, cut into chunks
1 large clove garlic, peeled
1 small bunch loosely chopped fresh Italian parsley
4 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon pepper
salt to taste
2 c. water
2 qts. low-sodium chicken broth

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add vegetables and cook until soft, approximately 6 minutes. Add garlic and cook for approximately 2 minutes (figure A).

2. Add the remaining ingredients, except for the pasta; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, for 1 hour (figure B) (figure C).

Figure A

Figure B

Figure C

3. Remove garlic clove, bay leaf and thyme sprigs (or discard as you serve).

4. Add the alphabet pasta, stir well and simmer until the pasta is cooked, approximately 10 to 15 minutes (figure D). Serve immediately (figure E).

Figure D

Figure E

Cookie Cutter Alphabits Toasts

Cookie-Cutter Alphabits Toasts

Ingredients:

small letter cookie cutters
several slices whole-wheat cocktail bread
2 Tbsp. melted butter
1/4-1/2 c. finely grated Parmesan cheese

1. Cut letters from bread; letters that stick in the cookie cutters can be pushed free with a popsicle stick (figure F).

2. Mix together melted butter and cheese (figure G).

Figure F

Figure G

3. Place aluminum foil on a cookie sheet. Place the letters on the foil and brush each with the butter/cheese mixture (figure H).

4. Toast at 250 degrees for 5 minutes.

5. Flip and toast for 5 more minutes.

6. Float letters on the surface of the soup and enjoy (figure I)

Figure H

Figure I

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