Comfort food for your cold or flu

Note: Nettles are delicious and full of great nutrients. However, you must handle them very carefully or they will sting you, a quality that is neutralized by cooking, including simply a quick immersion in boiling water. In this dish, be sure to use small leaves; the tea will "declaw" them.

This recipe is easily doubled and will keep in the refrigerator for several days. Simply warm a cup whenever you feel like it. Many people swear by the health benefits of apple-cider vinegar and, if you like the taste, this is a great way to have some.

Hot Ginger Lemonade

Makes 1 quart

4 ounces fresh ginger root, thinly sliced or chopped

— Juice of 2 to 3 lemons, strained

— Simple syrup or honey, to taste

— Unfiltered apple-cider vinegar, whiskey, Scotch or brandy, optional

Put the ginger into a saucepan and add about 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil, cover, remove from the heat and let steep for 30 to 60 minutes.

Strain the water into a clean pitcher or quart jar and discard the ginger. Add the lemon juice along with enough water to make 4 cups. Add simple syrup or honey to taste.

Serve warm, with or without a shot of vinegar, whiskey, Scotch or brandy.

Here's a very easy way to make a hearty beef broth, perfect for convalescing during a bad cold or bout of the flu. A similar broth may be made with lamb, goat or pork. Use local, grass-fed meat for the best results.

Simple Beef Broth

Makes about 8 cups

2 to 3 pounds beef shanks

2 to 3 pounds meaty beef bones

— Kosher salt

1 yellow onion, quartered

5 or 6 garlic cloves

1 carrot, in chunks

4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns

2 parsley sprigs

— Fresh lemon juice and bottled hot sauce, optional

Put the beef shanks and meaty bones into a slow cooker, season generously with salt and add the onion, garlic, carrot, vinegar, peppercorns and parsley sprigs. Fill the slow cooker with boiling water and cook on high for 2 hours and on low for 22 hours, adding water now and then to keep all ingredients submerged. Skim off and discard any foam that forms on the surface.

After 12 hours, remove a cup or two to sip as you like, always replacing an equal amount of water.

You can keep the broth going for as long as three or four days if you wish, being certain to keep the water level high. Sip the broth as you like, adding a squeeze of lemon juice or a shake or two of hot sauce to taste.

Sweet potatoes are full of good nutrients, including Vitamins A, B and C. If you like spicy foods, add the cayenne or chipotle, which blends beautifully with sweet potatoes and can help ease a cold's discomfort.

Sweet Potato Broth

Makes about 1 quart

1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cut into chunks

— Kosher salt

— Black pepper in a mill

1 to 2 teaspoons ground cayenne or chipotle powder, optional

4 cups Simple Beef Broth (see recipe, this page)

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

? cup fresh cilantro leaves

Put the sweet potatoes into a medium saucepan, season with salt, pepper and cayenne or chipotle, if using. Add the beef broth and vinegar. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce the heat to low and simmer gently until the sweet potato is fully tender, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Puree with an immersion blender or pass through a food mill. Taste and correct for salt and pepper.

To serve, ladle into mugs and top with cilantro leaves.

Michele Anna Jordan hosts "Mouthful" each Sunday at 7 p.m. on KRCB 90.9 & 91.1 FM.

E-mail Jordan at michele@micheleannajordan.com.

You'll find her blog, "Eat This Now," at pantry.blogs.pressdemocrat.com