Tasty and refreshing slaw.

Do you ever see a bowl of coleslaw and get all excited only to be let down once it's in your mouth?  Me too!    It wasn't until I tasted Grandma Brooks' coleslaw that I knew this dressing recipe would be a keeper.  Aside from the good taste and easy preparation, it's one you don't have to worry about as it sits out in the heat at the family reunion.
Another plus is that this recipe is relatively easy to remember.  Everything is in halves, with one exception.  The vinegar should be a very generous "half," so I use a little under half on oil and a little over half on vinegar (or just add about 3 tablespoons vinegar).  It's also very easy to double.  I can't give you exact quantities of cabbage, etc. to use since the size of a head of cabbage varies considerably, but on average this will take care of slaw made from half a head of cabbage.  See more comments on this in the ingredients section.  This will easily handle one of those store-bought pre-mixed bags of slaw.
If you are making it a day ahead, I would give one caution about using red cabbage in the mix.  I like pink.  Most folks don't get excited about eating pink slaw though.  My solution is simple.  Put all your slaw mix except the red cabbage (really...why do they call it red when we all know it's purple!) in one container.  Put the red cabbage in a separate container.  Divide the slaw dressing between the two.  The next day, before you serve it, stir them together.  Voilà!  A tasty and pretty presentation.
Slicing by hand, using a mandolin slicer or a food processor and how hard you push when you use the latter two all effects the thickness of the shredded cabbage.  I like to add a minced onion and shredded carrot.  How much?  I just shred and add until it looks right.  What's right?  When it looks good to me.  You've seen slaw before - picture it.  You'll know if there's more orange in there than looks right.  Trust me, you will.  To keep the finished product nice and crispy, adjust when you pour the dressing over the cabbage.  With relatively wide strips, pour the dressing over as soon as it's done.  With very thin strips, let it cool slightly before pouring it on or you'll almost cook the cabbage.

Shredded cabbage and carrots with
minced onions.

Grandma Brooks' Coleslaw Dressing
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp mustard powder
Preparation
Put all ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer.  Stir and simmer until sugar is dissolved.  Pour over slaw or let cool slightly before pouring, depending on the width of the cabbage slices.  Stir well and let cool.  Don't worry if the dressing does not completely cover the slaw.  Keep stirring it occasionally and it will shrink down and work nicely.  The shrinkage is why it's a good idea to fix it in one bowl and serve it in another.  Chances are it will look like you didn't make enough, but it's kind of like mashed potatoes...it never looks like enough and it's usually too much. Refrigerate.
Comments on Ingredients

Shredded red cabbage.

Oil: My preference is an oil that doesn't bring a flavor of its own to this dish.  Usually I choose canola oil.
Vinegar:  Same story as for oil.  I use white vinegar, since it doesn't bring a flavor of its own.  Please note that I pay attention to what brand of white vinegar - they are not all created equal.  Personally, even though they say in the end it makes no difference, I prefer to use a brand that does not use petroleum as a starter.  Call me strange.
Sugar: If you're watching your sugar intake, you can completely or partly replace the sugar with your favorite sweetener.  My favorite is Stevia.  Depending on which substitute you use, make sure you add it at the end of cooking.
Salt and Pepper:  If you are on a salt-restricted diet, eliminate or replace it as you would in other dishes.  These two ingredients are very much a matter of personal taste.

Right before serving, mix the red
cabbage into the slaw mix.

Mustard Powder:  In a pinch, a squirt of yellow mustard will do.  It's not ideal, but you can get by with it.  The only time I tried it, I learned that it doesn't mix into the dressing well.  Give it a hard stir with a whisk right before you pour it over the slaw.
Alternate Serving Idea
Several times now I have heard that in parts of the south their barbecue sandwiches have a generous helping of slaw on top of the pulled pork.  It sounded kind of strange at first, but the more I thought about it the more I wanted to try it.  Saturday I finally had the opportunity and it was oh so delicious.  It may have been the first time to eat it that way, but it won't be the last!

Keeping it in glass with a tight-fitting
lid makes for ideal storage and a pretty
presentation.  It stays cold longer too.

Butter isn't as bad for you as they used to think...and margarine (or oleo) keeps proving to be problematic with the many chemicals and processes employed to fool us into thinking it tastes like butter.  As the commercial used to say, "It's not nice to fool mother nature!" and I would have to agree.  Who wants to eat a close relative of plastic!
The better butter recipe that I started using back in 1979 came from the cookbook Laurel's Kitchen (1976).  Since then many folks have adapted it and even The New Laurel's Kitchen (1986) has made changes to the recipe.  I too have made my own changes.  One change is strictly employed for the summer months, when better butter just doesn't stay solid long enough to make it through a meal.  Aside from changes, I also make additions such as honey, maple syrup or citrus juice and zest.

Better Butter for Summer

• 2 sticks butter
• 1/2 cup oil 
• 1/2 cup coconut oil
• 1/4 tsp lecithin (optional)

Preparation
Let the butter soften (not melt) in a bowl or your blender carafe.  If the coconut oil is solid, warm it until it is soft or melted.  Whip the butter until fluffy and then drizzle in the oils and lecithin.  Pour into small serving containers, cover with lids and refrigerate.  I like to use clear glass containers to help it stay cold longer when out of the refrigerator.

Additions
As a rule, I do not make additions to a full batch.  After the better butter is made, I will add enough to make one container of a flavored butter.  Here are some examples:
Add orange marmalade.
Add honey or maple syrup...please only the REAL thing.
Add finely minced herbs.
Add finely minced homemade candied citrus peel or ginger.

Comments on Ingredients:
Butter:  Your finished product can only be as good as the ingredients you begin with.  Buy a good quality butter.  I prefer to buy unsalted so I can control the amount of salt that goes into what I am baking or cooking.  If you like salted butter on your toast and nobody in your family is on a salt-restricted diet, by all means add some to your batch.
Oil:  If you don't like the taste of olive oil, don't use it here. Choose an oil that does not add a flavor of its own.  Now that we are beginning to see more and more soy allergies or sensitivities, I would caution anyone who has or cooks for someone who has this issue to avoid vegetable oil.  Whatever you choose, read the ingredients list - soybeans or soybean oil may well be on the list.
Coconut oil:  In summer I replace half of the oil that is normally called for with coconut oil because it helps the butter stay solid a little longer while out of the refrigerator.
Lecithin: This emulsifier was originally extracted from egg yolks.  The most common source of it today is soy beans.  Know your source if you have a sensitivity.  It's optional for this recipe - you don't need to run out and buy some.

When it's 91º F outside (that's almost 33º C for everyone in the rest of the world) and you don't have air conditioning you, that is to say I, don't turn on the oven.  That sounds great, but I've been craving corn bread.  Now I'm sure this idea didn't originate with me.  I probably heard it somewhere, sometime and tried it.
It worked and so I'm sharing it with you.  Something else I like about this is that if you have leftovers (no that my boys are gone I'm beginning to understand the meaning of that word), you can freeze them and pop them in a toaster to enjoy like freshly-made.
My first choice is still to fix it in the oven in a cast iron skillet but let's face it, when it's too hot or time is too short, this is a great solution.  Think 25 minutes in the oven v.s 5-7 minutes in the waffle iron.
You don't have to use this recipe.  If you have a favorite recipe, just use it.

Cornbread waffles with fresh
strawberries and some honey butter.

Cornbread Waffles

• 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 tsp double-acting baking powder
• 1 Tbs sugar (optional)
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1 1/4 cup cornmeal
• 1 egg beaten
• 2 1/2 Tbs melted butter, drippings or oil
• 1 cup milk

Preparation
Preheat the waffle iron.  I had mine turned close to high, but go by what you know about your waffle iron, not this recipe.
Mix the dry ingredients to combine.  Stir the beaten egg and melted butter into the milk.  Pour this mixture into the dry mixture and stir until combined.
Brush the waffle iron with oil or melted butter, or spray it with non-stick spray.  Spread the batter like when making waffles.  If this recipe is too much for your waffle iron, make an additional batch as necessary.
Let cook 5-7 minutes or until golden brown.

Serving
Serve as you would cornbread.  We just had these with fried chicken my honey fixed for dinner.  Some of my favorites are homemade honey butter and habañero peach jam.

Comments on Ingredients:
All-purpose flour:  I used unbleached flour.  You can also mix in some whole wheat, but not very much before it really changes the texture.
Double-acting baking powder:  If you've been following this blog you know my mantra...no aluminum.
Sugar:  It's a matter of personal taste.
Salt:  Salt affects texture as much as taste.  If you're on a restricted salt diet, leave it out.
Cornmeal:  We got used to me using cornmeal that I ground from sweet corn.  No need for additional sugar.  Now that I have run out we really notice the difference.
Egg:  I don't like to dirty too many dishes.  It's okay to drop the egg into the milk that's in the measuring cup and beating it there, just so you measure the milk out first.
Melted butter:  My original recipe called for melted drippings.  I usually use half butter and half oil.
Milk:  While I don't like to admit it, whole milk does make it richer and "better" but not better enough for me to be willing to give up using skim milk.  I'd rather make up the extra fat using butter.

Yummy leftovers in the toaster.

Beef Tongue Fajitas with Homemade Flour Tortillas
Yep, it's that beef tongue thing again.  I still had half a tongue to use up and I'd been looking for an excuse for making Tortillas, so here we go.

They're not pretty, but tasty.

Flour Tortillas

• 2 cups flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking powder (non-aluminum)
• 2 Tbs lard
• 3/4 cup water

Preparation:
Put dry ingredients in bowl of food processor.  Pulse to mix.  Add solid coconut oil (or lard) and run until the fat is broken down into the flour until it's similar to cornmeal.  Pour the water through the feed tube with the processor running, just until the dough comes together.
On a floured surface, knead the dough until it is elastic.  Wrap in plastic wrap or invert a warm bowl over it and let rest for 15-20 minutes.  Divide it into 12 equal pieces, rolling them into balls.  Re-flour the surface as necessary to roll each ball into a thin circle.    Mine never come out as perfect circles, but they are thin. Work from the center out and turn the dough over several times.
Cook in a dry skillet on medium to medium-high.  Flip when the bottom has a few golden brown spots.  Figure on approximately 30-45 seconds.  Keep covered with a warm towel until ready to serve.

Comments on Ingredients:
Flour:  You can make these part whole wheat flour and part white flour, but there will be a noticeable difference in the taste and how the dough handles.
Baking Powder:  Considering all the health concerns about aluminum (although not scientifically proven by the traditional health sciences community), I prefer to purchase baking soda that clearly states there is no aluminum in it.  It also seems not to leave that bitter aftertaste.
Lard:  There's not much lard called for, however if you are avoiding saturated fats or animal fats, coconut oil is a good alternative.  If the coconut oil is not solid when you measure it out, put it in the refrigerator or freezer until it becomes solid.

Fajita before it's wrapped, garnished with
fresh lettuce from the garden, salsa, sour
cream and grated cheese.

Beef Tongue Filling

• cooked beef tongue, thinly sliced
• 1 onion, quartered and then quartered again
• 1/2 each yellow, orange and red bell pepper, thinly sliced in strips
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• juice of half a lemon
• olive oil
• 1/8 tsp cumin
• light sprinkling of any or all of the following:
• onion powder, chili powder, paprika, salt, pepper

Preparation:
Drizzle a little olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.  When it has warmed, add the onion and peppers and sauté until soft.  Add the garlic and after just a few moments squeeze in the lemon juice.  Add the tongue and spices, stirring until heated through.
This is traditionally served with salsa, grated cheddar cheese, sour cream and guacamole, but I like to add fresh lettuce when it's in season.
My preference is to bring the warm tortillas and the filling to the table and let everyone "build" their own.

Comments on Ingredients:
Onion: You don't have to cut it up that way.  Do what works for you.  I was copying something I saw a Mexican friend do.
Peppers: The only red peppers I had were in the freezer. They were banana-like peppers sliced in rings and worked just fine.  A green pepper works too.  These are just my preference.  Of course my preference would have been to throw in a jalapeño, but in consideration of one other special person who would be eating them I didn't.
Lemon:  I've never seen a fajita recipe that calls for lemon juice, but I didn't have any limes handy.  It worked.
Spices:  You may have noticed that cilantro was not on the list.  It's a matter of taste.  Go by what you like.
This is by no means a traditional fajita, but it's something we like and it needed a name.  

Oh yuck!  Not really, it only looks yucky.  What am I talking about?  Tongue - beef tongue to be specific.  It is a muscle meat and a very lean one at that.  I had fixed it before, but I have trouble remembering yesterday, let alone 30+ years ago.

Prepare the Tongue:
Start by rinsing it off and placing it in a pot large enough to hold the tongue and the following ingredients:
2 quartered onions
a bay leaf (or 2 if they are small)
2 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon peppercorns
several stalks of celery (I usually use the center ones with the leaves)
2-3 carrots.
Boil with a lid on, the tongue covered with water, for about 3 hours.  If necessary, add water to keep it covered.
Remove tongue from the pot and as soon as it has cooled enough to handle it, begin to peel the skin away.  You may need a knife to get you started and to remove some of the very thin delicate parts.  It's much easier to do while still warm, so don't let it totally cool.
There are extra bits (blood vessels, fatty tissue) attached to the lower sides of the tongue that can easily be removed.  They don't look or feel like meat - think squishy - so you'll know what to cut away.  I feed it to the chickens.  Now you have a beautiful (not to the eye) piece of muscle.

The tongue and peeled parts.

Depending on how you intend to use it you may want to slice it thicker or thinner.

The tongue after boiling.

Some of the tongue sliced up.

Tongue in Brown Gravy
2 Tbs olive oil
1 Tbs butter
1 medium onion
2-3 cloves garlic
4 Tbs flour
1/4 tsp each salt and pepper (heaping)
Sliced mushrooms (I used about 1/2 cup dehydrated), optional
1 pint home-canned beef broth
A few dashes of soy sauce or Worcestershire sauce


Preparation

Tongue in brown gravy over brown
rice with red cabbage and steamed
snap peas from the garden.

Dice the onion and sauté it in oil and butter until translucent over medium/medium high heat.  Sprinkle the flour over the onions, stirring it into the oil and cooking it until it begins to brown.  This is important for taste and appearance. Mince the garlic clove and add it when the roux (mixture of flour and oil/butter is almost done browning.  Gradually add the beef broth, stirring rapidly to prevent lumps.
(It didn't thicken quite as much as I planned and at this point I also realized mushrooms would have been a nice addition.  There were none in the refrigerator.  They weren't necessary, but certainly a nice addition.  then I remembered the dehydrated ones in the pantry.  I had bought about 12 packages when they were on sale for 39 cents each and dehydrated them.  Hmmm....the gravy isn't really thick and the mushrooms need to hydrate....PERFECT!  I added the mushrooms and they absorbed any excess moisture.  That took a little time.)
Add salt, pepper, a dash of soy sauce and stir to incorporate.  Add the meat and cook only until heated through.

Comments on Ingredients:
Butter or olive oil:  A roux is traditionally made from equal parts butter and flour, but I lean towards a little more flour than fat.  I like to use some butter for flavor and to aid the browning process.  The olive oil is strictly to improve the h ealth factor.  A brown roux is cooked until it turns a nutty brown color.  This improves the appearance of the sauce and eliminates the taste of flour.
Garlic:  I typically don't add garlic until close to the end of any frying or sautéing process to prevent it from becoming bitter.
Mushrooms:  If you use fresh mushrooms, add them towards the end.  I should have had my mushrooms already re-hydrated, but because they were an afterthought and the gravy wasn't very thick I could pull off the last-minute change.
Beef broth:  I used home-canned because that's what was in the pantry.  Whether homemade or store bought, it's always good to have some on hand.  I found that frozen broths tend to get lost in the freezer (and they take up precious space) so I started canning them instead.
Soy sauce or Worcestershire sauce:  Which one do you like?  Which one do you have?  That settles it.

Serving Suggestions:
I served it over brown rice with cooked red cabbage and steamed snap peas from the garden as a side.  Alternately, make a little more gravy, boil some noodles and add the cooked noodles to the gravy and meat.

I dare anyone to tell the difference between this and roast beef.  I only used half the tongue.  The other half was used to make fajitas.  I'll share about that soon.

As if it wasn’t bad enough to move everything 3 boys and 2 adults had accumulated over 25 years in one home, I had to move my home-canned foods twice in just a few months.  After unpacking them and placing them in the niftiest basement cabinets I could ask for (think nice and cool) in August, by winter I discovered that they were in the warmest room in the whole house (think woodstove)!

The first time they got unpacked, I just wanted to empty all our boxes.  This time I actually looked at what I was doing and read the labels.  Some of those pears were from 2009!  They are still safe, but they have lost some texture and nutritional value.  I’m still adding them to fruit salads, but there are more jars than we can use before the next pear harvest.  The chickens have been enjoying them, but surely there’s more to do with them than feed them to the chickens!

Then I remembered…pears and apples can be used interchangeably in many recipes.  Our chocolate lab, Cookie, has been gone for a while now so I haven’t made dog training biscuits in a long time.  However, our sons’ dogs (2 chocolate labs and a Chesapeake Bay retriever) and sometimes a Yorkie still grace us with their presence on occasion.  It is time to dig out the old recipe and get to work.

This basic recipe has been around for a long time and I’ve seen it on many web sites.  It is not my creation. 

Apple Cinnamon Dog Training Biscuits

The dough never rolls out to
a perfect square.  I use the
scraps from the edges and
re-roll very thin for tiny pets.
Odd shapes work too.

Ingredients

• 4 cups whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup cornmeal
• 1 egg
• 2 T. vegetable oil
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 small apple, grated
• 1⅓ cups water

Preparation
Combine all ingredients except the water. Gradually add in the water and mix until it starts forming a dough you can handle. Sprinkle the countertop with flour and place the dough on it.  Knead well. Roll out and place on a greased cookie sheet (or 2).  Score the dough horizontally then vertically to make a grid of squares.

Bake at 325º F for 1 hour. After they are thoroughly cooled, break apart and place in air-tight storage containers.  Do not put in storage before they are completely cooled or they could spoil from accumulated moisture. 

Note: Until you know how they do in your oven, watch them and perhaps rearrange them on your oven grates several times.  One oven I had required a lower temperature and longer time to get them the way I wanted them.  Adequately cooked/dried-out biscuits last longer.

Here's what you need to keep in mind as you decide what to do with the dough:

How much time do I have?  If you don't have much time, roll the dough out, place it on a cookie sheet, score it with a pastry cutter or pizza cutter.  If you have lots of time or it’s for a special gift, it’s nice to use dog bone cookie cutters.  Roll the dough out on the countertop and proceed as for cookies.  You already know how to do that, right?  If your grid isn’t perfect, don’t worry about it – trust me, the dog won’t care.

Who's going to eat it?  The size and thickness is not one size fits all.  That Chessie can handle something much bigger and thicker than a Yorkie.  An older dog may not be able to handle as hard a treat as a younger dog.

Is there anything in the fridge I need to use up?  Sometimes when I open a jar of my homemade applesauce it doesn’t all get eaten quickly enough.  I can tell my boys don’t live at home anymore.  So…applesauce is made from apples (I do NOT add sugar).  A little internet research showed that two large apples = 1 1/3 cup applesauce.  The recipe calls for 1 small apple grated.  Let’s figure that it’s a little less than 2/3 cup…maybe 1/2 cup applesauce in place of the grated apple.  That was easy!

Is there anything else I need to use up?  What about those pears?  I won’t get an exact equivalent, but I can grate them and come pretty close.  Trust me, the dog won’t care.

What if it’s too dry?  If you have too little, the dough will be too dry to work.  When that happens (and it has) I add a little more applesauce or pear juice from my canning jar, or apple juice if there is some, or I add water.  It should be a stiff dough, but not so stiff that you can’t handle it.

What if it’s too wet?  If you have too much, the dough will be too sticky to work.  When that happens (and it has) I add a little more flour – gradually – until it’s a manageable mass of dough.  Now that wasn’t hard! 

Comments on Ingredients:

Whole wheat flour: We care about our dogs.  White flour has no nutritional value to speak of.  I’m not going to give it to them.  Yes, they are getting treats, but I want them to be healthy treats.

Cornmeal:  Cornmeal is not interchangeable with cornmeal mix. If you read the list of ingredients you’ll see why.  It doesn’t matter what color it is.

Egg:  It’s a different-sized egg every time I make this.  Adjust your flour or liquid if necessary to make the dough the right consistency.

Vegetable oil:  any plant oil will work.  We like our dogs, but not so much that I worry about using Extra Virgin Olive Oil.  Remember I’m frugal (that’s a nice way of saying what they actually call me), so I have to find a balance.

Cinnamon: Caution – it makes them smell so good that the kids may sneak them (I know from experience).  That’s okay – they are healthy and safe even for human consumption.  Ask my friend, who mixed up his dog’s Christmas present from me with HIS Christmas present from me!  He’s still alive to tell about it!  Next year I won’t use a fancy tin and the label will be in a much larger font.

Apple:  This can be replaced with applesauce (unsweetened), pears, peaches…use your imagination.

Water: It’s easier to add water to the dough than to remove it.  Proceed with caution – after you’ve poured in the first half of it, add it gradually.

Alternatives:

1)    I have replaced cinnamon with freshly-chopped parsley when parsley was abundant.  I like to use at least ¼ cup.  Your Apple Cinnamon Dog Training Biscuits have just become Fresh Breath Dog Treats.

2)    Replace the apple with tuna or mackerel and omit the cinnamon.  Caution – I keep those in the freezer to avoid any risk of spoilage.

3)    Roll the dough out very thin, place on a cookie sheet and score in a very small grid pattern and you will have Apple Cinnamon Cat Treats.  You can’t call them “training biscuits” because we all know that cats can’t be trained.  They train you!

WARNING:  Don’t more than double this recipe unless you are strong.  It’s hard to work that large and stiff a mass of dough.

So, my dear co-worker Cathy, is pushing me to post a recipe.  Here it goes.  I hate to say this, but when it comes to cooking I don't exactly do recipes unless you count a list of ingredients as a recipe.  Usually it's more like "let's see...what do we have?  What else can I add?  What do I need to use up?"  One of my favorites is one my husband initially created - cabbage soup.  Given the ratios of ingredients he uses, it should really be called Polish sausage soup!
You'll notice that I don't have very explicit instructions.  Here's what you need to keep in mind as you decide what to do with the ingredients:
How much time do I have?  If you don't have much time, remember that smaller pieces cook faster.  On the other hand, if you're a klutz with a knife it may be faster to throw in larger pieces and let them cook a little longer. You don't have to brown the sausage.  You can just throw everything in a pot and start it simmering.
Who's going to eat it?  Huge pieces of carrot or cabbage may not work well for a small child.
Is there anything in the fridge I need to use up?  Throw in those last few pieces of celery, cauliflower, peppers or turnips that aren't enough for a meal.  If you have fresh green onions or parsley, chop them up to add once
So is it 1 or 2 onions?  Depends.  If you really like onions, as my boys would say, "duh" put more in.  If the onions are really small you'll need more than if they are really big.  Seriously, you don't need a recipe to tell you how many.  Chill.  It's not that important.

My version of cabbage soup with sliced
green onions added when serving.

CABBAGE SOUP
1 ring of Polish sausage
1/2 - 1 head cabbage
3-4 potatoes
4-5 carrots
1-2 onions
2-3 cloves garlic
water or chicken broth
salt and pepper to taste

Slice the sausage and brown it in a large pot on medium high.  Stir frequently or you'll have blackened it not browned it, before you know it.  Ready the vegetables by cutting them into pieces that suit you.  As some fat is released from the sausage, add the onions and stir until translucent.  Add the remaining ingredients and simmer until they reach the tenderness YOU like.  Salt and pepper to taste.
Alternative:  throw all the ingredients in the pot and simmer until done.

Comments on ingredients:
Polish sausage:  Can be sliced or cut into large pieces.  This is also good using other sausages.  Pick a flavor that suits you.
Cabbage: Can be chunked, diced, shredded - pick what works best for you.
Potatoes: If they are small, then quartering may be sufficient.  If they are large or if you are feeding small mouths, you may want to cut them into bite-sized chunks.
Carrots: Can be sliced, broken into a few pieces each or if they had a good sale on baby carrots, just throw them in as is. (BTW they probably are not baby carrots - read the label.  It probably says baby cut, meaning they took regular carrots and cut them down to baby size!)
Onions:  See potatoes.
Garlic:  Hey, if you don't like garlic - leave it out.  No problem.,
Chicken broth:  It's not necessary, but it is good.  If you don't have any, use plain water or add some chicken bouillon to the water.
Salt and Pepper:  Remember that most sausage already has quite a bit of sodium in it.  Taste the soup before you start adding salt.
All these vegetables cook to tenderness at different rates.  You can control some of that by leaving "quicker cookers" in larger pieces or adding them a little later in the process.  Can you guess yet what I'm going to say?  It's up to YOU!  Figure out what works best for you.  It's okay...really!