30-minute Beef and Vegetable Soup

Y'all know how crazy I am about soup, and I'm thrilled that we're heading back into SOUP SEASON! Whoop whoop! So, Andy and I went to the farmers' market this morning and loaded up on all sorts of goodies, and when we came home, after I did a complete clean out of my closet and drawers and packed away all my summer clothing, I decided to make soup. I had this recipe from Cook's Country for a quick beef and vegetable soup that looked worth trying. I made a few alterations to it, but whipped it up in roughly 30 minutes, and it is quite tasty. I don't think I've ever made a beef soup with ground beef, but it's really good.

Now, in case you want to know the original recipe, it called for a 14.5 oz. can of diced tomatoes, where I used fresh heirloom tomatoes instead, and the recipe did not call for Worcestershire sauce or lemon juice. But, I gotta tell you ... if you take nothing else away from this post, don't leave out the lemon juice! On any broth-based soup, if you finish it with a little squirt of fresh lemon juice, you'll amplify the taste like nobody's business! It wakes up the taste buds and brings out every other flavor in the soup. Seriously, don't leave out the lemon juice! Okay, enough talking ... let's get to that recipe. And in case you're wondering, there is no typo when you don't see oil or butter in the ingredient list. You don't need it in this soup ... it is flavor packed ... cuts down on calories, too.

30-minute Beef and Vegetable Soup
Ingredients:
1 lb. 90% lean ground beef
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 tsp dried oregano
Salt and pepper
4 cups beef broth
14.5 oz. fresh tomatoes cut into chunks (plus all the juices!)
8 oz. Yukon Gold or small white potatoes (NOT Russets), cut into 1/2-inch pieces
6 oz. fresh green beans, trimmed and cut on bias into 1-inch lengths
2 tbs fresh parsley
1 tbs Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp fresh lemon juice (FRESH is key)

1. In Dutch oven over medium-high heat, cook onions, beef, carrots, oregano, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper until beef is no longer pink, about 6 minutes.

2. Add broth, tomatoes, and their juice, Worcestershire sauce, and potatoes. Bring to boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer, covered until potatoes are almost tender, about 10 minutes.

3. Add green beans and cook, uncovered, until vegetables are tender and soup has thickened slightly, 10-12 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add lemon juice and stir to combine. Serve, sprinkled with parsley.

Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup

My mom was here visiting this last week ... what a joy and a treat to have her here, even if it was just for a couple of days. While she was here, the temperature took a little dip and Fall is definitely in the air (insert happy dance: my favorite season!!!). For her last night here, I wanted to make a special dinner and it began with this soup. I had chicken cooking in the crockpot all day, so it was falling off the bone and ready to be shredded. I ran across this recipe for Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup on the Girl Who Ate Everything blog. I made a few minor modifications (as in, I was out of orzo but already in the middle of making the soup!!!), and away we went! The soup was delicious, hearty, warm, citrus-y and just lovely. This one's a keeper.

Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup (as seen on the Girl Who Ate Everything Blog)
Ingredients:
9 cups chicken stock
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 & 1/3 cups carrots, chopped
1 & 1/3 cups onions, chopped finely
1 cup celery, chopped - I was out of celery; I just omitted
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
2 & 1/2 teaspoons lemon peel, grated
2 teaspoons salt
1 rotisserie-cooked chicken, shredded (about 3 cups)
8 ounces orzo pasta, uncooked (about 1 & 1/2 cups) - I was out and used Anchellini instead
1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice - definitely use freshly squeezed ... makes all the difference!
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, coarsely cracked

1. Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or large pot.

2. Add the carrot, onion, celery, garlic, thyme, bay leaf, lemon zest and salt. Saute ingredients over medium heat until vegetables begin to soften.

3. Add the chicken stock and lemon juice. Bring to a boil.

4. Add the chicken and orzo. Simmer until orzo is cooked through.

5. Just before serving add parsley and remove bay leaf. Garnish with salt and black pepper if needed.

Creamy Gnocchi and Pork Soup

Fall has arrived with lower temperatures and our Washington rain. Today, I felt like making soup. Honestly, I feel like eating soup pretty much any day of the year. It's such a versatile dish that you can modify to suit your needs. Today, I made mine based on what showed up in my CSA box. This recipe is a hodgepodge of a couple different soup recipes, and I am super happy about how it turned out.

Creamy Gnocchi and Pork Soup
Ingredients:
1 pork tenderloin, cut into 1" chunks
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup diced onion
1/4 cup diced celery
1/4 cup diced carrots
2 tbs fresh thyme or 1/2 tsp dried thyme
2 cups chicken broth
2 tbs flour
2 tbs white wine
1/2 cup 1% milk
1/2 cup half-n-half
17.6 oz. packaged gnocchi (I buy mine from Trader Joe's)
Toasted slivered almonds (garnish)
Sliced scallions (garnish)

1. Season your cut-up pork tenderloin with salt and pepper. In a cast iron skillet over medium high heat, cook the pork tenderloin in 1 tbs of olive oil. Cook until no longer pink in the middle. Remove from the heat and set aside.

2. In a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat, warm 1 tbs. olive oil. Add the onion, celery and carrots. Cook for five minutes until the vegetables begin to soften. Add the flour and stir around for one minute to remove the flour taste. Add the wine to deglaze the pan. Stir. The wine will begin to evaporate and be absorbed into the flour and vegetable mixture.

3. As soon as the liquid has evaporated, add the chicken broth, pork, gnocchi and the thyme. Season with salt and pepper. Bring the soup to a boil then turn the heat down to medium low. Simmer for 10 minutes.

4. Add the milk and stir until combined. Remove from heat. Garnish with toasted almonds and scallions.

Chicken Mulligatawny Soup with Coconut Rice and Salsa

I just received my most recent issue of Cuisine at Home, and it's full of delicious recipes and fabulous soups! This one caught my eye right off the bat, and I made it last night for dinner, and it was a BIG hit! My kids weren't fans of the fruit salsa on top, but I loved it! But everyone agreed that the flavor of the soup and rice was spot on. The soup has a wonderful warming effect with just the right amount of heat, and the coconut/lime flavor of the rice just gave a hint of sweet and tart. Perfect! This one goes in the permanent files.

Chicken Mulligatawny Soup with Coconut Rice and Salsa
Ingredients:
SOUP
3 Tbsp. vegetable oil
2 lb. boneless, skinless, chicken breasts or thighs, cut into 2’ pieces, seasoned with salt and pepper
1 cup onion, diced
3 Tbsp. curry powder
3 Tbsp. fresh ginger, minced (or less of dried)
2 Tbsp. garlic, minced
2 jalapenos, seeded, minced
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
4 cups chicken broth
1 cup tomatoes, seeded, diced
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
2 cups fresh spinach, chopped
1 can coconut milk (14oz)
Toasted coconut

COCONUT RICE & SALSA
1 1/2 cups water
1 cup canned coconut milk
2 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 cup basmati or jasmine rice
2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 mango, peeled, pitted, diced
1 Granny Smith apple, diced
Juice of one Lime

SOUP
1. Brown chicken in oil on all sides in a large pot over medium-high heat; transfer to a plate.

2. Add onion, curry powder, ginger, garlic, jalapeno, and red pepper flakes to the pot; saute 3 minutes.

3. Stir in broth, tomatoes, cilantro, and reserved chicken. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, and simmer 10 minutes. Remove and strain enough of the soup broth out to measure 2 cups (return any strained out solids to the pot). Set the strained liquids aside.

4. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat, then whisk in the flour to make a roux. Gradually add the strained soup, simmer for 1 minute, then whisk the mixture into the pot of soup. Simmer 2-3 minutes to thicken and cook out the floury taste.

5. Finish with spinach and coconut milk, and garnish with coconut.

COCONUT RICE & SALSA
1. Bring water, coconut milk, sugar and salt for the rice to a boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat.

2. Stir in rice, cover, reduce heat to low and cook 15 minutes. Remove from heat; let stand for 5 minutes.

3. Finish rice with lime juice and butter. Fluff with a fork and keep warm.

4. Toss all ingredients for the salsa together in a bowl; serve on top of the soup with rice on the side.

Broccoli Cheese Soup

This is the other soup recipe I pulled from the 100 Days of Real Food site. It took even less time than the delicious Creamy Mushroom Vegetable Soup with Barley, and is rich, creamy, cheesy and full of flavor. If you haven't been over to the 100 Days of Real Food site, you should check it out. You're in for a real treat. Her recipe index is loaded with a lot of fabulous food!

Broccoli Cheese Soup
Ingredients:
3 slices raw bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces (locally sourced recommended)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup diced onion
3 tablespoons whole wheat flour
1.25 pounds raw broccoli, cut into 2-inch pieces
4 cups chicken broth
1 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
Pepper, to taste
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 cup freshly shredded cheddar cheese (I used jack cheese)
Optional garnish: Extra cooked bacon

1. In a large soup pot over medium heat, cook the bacon pieces until brown and crisp, about 3 to 4 minutes.

2. Add the olive oil and diced onion and allow it to cook and soften for another minute.

3. Turn to medium-low, whisk in the flour, and cook while stirring for 1 to 2 minutes being careful not to let the flour burn.


4. Add the broccoli pieces, broth, milk, salt, and pepper to the pot. Bring to a boil and then simmer on medium-low for 10 minutes.


5. Blend until smooth with a hand immersion blender (or by transferring to a countertop blender in batches).


6. Stir in the heavy cream and shredded cheese and serve warm. (You can freeze any leftovers.)

Creamy Mushroom Vegetable Soup with Barley

As I was looking for those Carrot Applesauce Whole Wheat Muffins on the 100 Days of Real Food site, I ran across two soup recipes that looked worth trying. This was one of them. I made one slight alteration to the recipe (adding a little Better than Bouillon to my soup at the end), but the rest of this delicious and filling soup recipe is from the 100 Days of Real Food site. This soup cooked up very quickly and smells earthy and wonderful.

Creamy Mushroom Vegetable Soup with Barley
Ingredients:
4 tablespoons butter
4 shallots, minced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
1 stalk celery, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1.5 pounds fresh mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup pearl barley
4 cups broth (chicken or vegetable)
1 teaspoon salt
Pepper, to taste
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 tbs Better than Boullion Chicken (my addition)

1. In a large soup pot over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the shallots, carrots, and celery and cook until softened but not brown, about 5 to 6 minutes.

2. Add the garlic and mushrooms to the pot and cook while stirring for 5 minutes more.

3. Add the barley, broth, salt, and pepper to the pot and bring to a boil. Turn down to a simmer and cook until the barley is tender, about 25 to 30 minutes.

4. Add the Better than Boullion and stir until dissolved. Stir in heavy cream and serve warm.

5. Store the leftovers in the fridge or freezer.

Corn Chowder

By now, you know I love soups, and that I love corn chowder. I'm always up for a new corn chowder recipe. Yesterday, Andy and I had lunch at a local cafe called the Comfort Food Cafe. I had a cup of their corn chowder with my lunch, and it was so delectable! Loaded with potatoes, sweet corn, and a ton of bacon, I was in heaven. Andy had recently brought home six ears of organic corn, so I knew what I would be making today! This is Tyler Florence's recipe, a little modified, and wow, it is good. I'm thinking this is probably my most favorite corn chowder recipe that I have ever made. Just like the Comfort Food Cafe's chowder, this soup is loaded with potatoes, sweet corn and lots of bacon. But the added fresh parsley gives a great earthy flavor to this soup. Tyler uses only heavy cream. I cut mine with half-n-half, but it is still plenty rich. I'm packing all mine up, and it will be dinner one night this week.

Corn Chowder
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter
1 tbs extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
6 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves only
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
6 cups chicken stock
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup half-n-half
2 Idaho potatoes, peeled and diced
6 ears corn

Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
Garnish: bacon

1. Heat the butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and thyme and cook until the vegetables are good and soft, 8 to 10 minutes. 

2. Dust the vegetables with flour and stir to coat everything well. Pour in the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Add the cream, half-n-half, and the potatoes; bring to a boil and boil hard for about 7 minutes, until the potatoes break down (this will help to thicken the soup and give it a good texture).

3. Cut the corn kernels off the cob and add to the soup. Season with salt and pepper and simmer until the corn is soft, about 10 to 12 minutes. Stir in the parsley and top with bacon. Ladle the soup into bowls and serve.

Tunisian Vegetable Stew

At the farmers' market today, I saw a gorgeous organic purple cabbage I couldn't afford to pass up. It was right next to the beautiful organic green, purple, and yellow cauliflowers that sat behind a sign that said, "Color made by nature!" I couldn't afford to pass up one of those green cauliflowers either. When I got home, I found out that I already had a lovely green head of cabbage in the fridge! Uh oh! I try to prepare a lot of meals for the week on the weekend anyway, so I decided to make a stew with the green cabbage and leave the purple for later in the week. I pulled out my new Moosewood Restaurant Cooks at Home cookbook, which is entirely vegetarian. I ran across this recipe for a Tunisian Vegetable Stew and thought it sounded interesting.

It pulled together really quickly. I've made similar dishes before and haven't been entirely crazy about them. I don't know if it's the combination of spices, or the tomatoes and chickpeas, but I actually went into this one prepared NOT to like it. Weird, I know. But oh my goodness, this is a delicious stew! The balance of flavors are spot on!!! The lemon juice added at the end provides the perfect hit of acid, the currants in the stew provide a lovely sweet component, the feta adds a note of creaminess, and the toasted almonds give a crunch. I'm bowled over by this stew, and I'm so glad I found it. I hope you'll like it, too! If you're not a fan of feta, you could add goat cheese or any other creamy, crumbly mild cheese.

Tunisian Vegetable Stew (via the Moosewood Restaurant)
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced onions
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 cups thinly sliced cabbage
salt
1 large green bell pepper, julienned
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or to taste)
1 (28 ounce) can Tomatoes, chopped and undrained
1 (16 ounce) can chickpeas, drained
1/3 cup currants or 1/3 cup raisins
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
feta cheese (garnish)
toasted slivered almonds (garnish)

1. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil and saute the onions for 5 minutes or until softened.

2. Add the cabbage and salt to taste; saute at least 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Add in the bell pepper, coriander, turmeric, cinnamon, and cayenne; stir and saute for 1 minute or so.

4. Add in the tomatoes, chick peas, and currants/raisins; stir to combine and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes or until vegetables are just tender.

5. Add lemon juice and salt to taste; stir.

6. Ladle hot soup into individual soup bowls; sprinkle feta cheese and toasted almonds on top.

Vegetable Quinoa Soup

Most of the time we don't have a problem working through all the veggies in our CSA box, but every so often, my fridge is overstuffed with veg and my new box is coming the next day! What to do?? SOUP! It's almost always the answer in my kitchen - particularly when we are still in our wet winter, and I'm constantly fighting the chill that seems to wrap itself around my body in the late afternoon and early evenings. The best thing about vegetable soup is that it is completely modifiable based on what you have in your kitchen! I'll tell you what's in mine, but you can totally adjust based on what you have. I also wanted a soup that would have some carbs as well as protein, so I added quinoa and black beans, but you could use farro, barley, pinto, cannellini, kidney, garbanzo...whatever floats your boat. This batch made 12 cups for me - you can make more or less based on the amount of liquid you use.

Vegetable Quinoa Soup
Ingredients:
1 cup quinoa (I used a mixture of red and white)
1 can black beans (rinsed and drained)
3 large carrots, cleaned and diced
1 large onion, chopped
3 stalks celery, diced
1 lb mushrooms, chopped into pieces
1-2 tbs olive oil
1 bunch collard greens
1 bunch kale (any kind, but I prefer dinosaur kale)
1 bunch swiss chard (remove stems and cut into small pieces)
1/2 head Napa cabbage, shredded
Chicken stock (8 cups)
Water (4 cups)
1 large can (28 oz.) diced tomatoes
2 tbs Better than Bouillon chicken base
Salt and pepper
Worcestershire sauce (1-2 tbs)

1. Heat a large heavy-bottomed stock pot over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil. When warm, add the onions, carrots, celery, mushrooms and chard stems and saute until softened, about 10 minutes.

2. Add the greens, chicken stock, water, diced tomatoes, black beans and quinoa. Stir. Turn the heat to high and bring to a boil. When it boils, turn the heat down to a simmer and put the lid on. Cook with lid on for 20 minutes. Remove lid, stir and add the Better than Bouillon and Worcestershire sauce. Salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 10-15 minutes more with the lid off. Serve warm.

Ham, Bean and Cabbage Soup

I ran across this recipe when looking through our Athlete's Palate Cookbook, a book I got last year when we were training for our first marathon. We used several of the recipes then, and as we're training again for the Tacoma City Marathon in May, I brought it back out to see if I could locate some good training and/or recovery recipes. You know how I love a good soup, and this one is so very comforting with the chunks of ham, soft, mushy beans and the tender cabbage leaves floating around in the tasty broth. I made one minor adjustment to this soup - there was no acid in it and this soup hearkens back to the good old Bean and Bacon soups of my childhood, so what could better complement it than a little Apple Cider Vinegar? I added about a tablespoon at the end, cooked it through and what a difference it makes! My mother, the original-vinegar-in-bean-soup queen, would be proud. Try this one out, Mom!

Ham, Bean and Cabbage Soup
Ingredients:
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 large sweet onion, chopped
1.5 tsp Italian seasoning (rub it in the palm of your hand before adding to the soup)
2 large carrots, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
1/2 small cabbage, cored and cut into bite-sized shreds
12 oz. lean ham steak, finely diced
1 quart chicken broth
1 can petite-diced tomatoes (14.5 oz.)
2 cans (15-16 oz) white beans, undrained
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1 tbsp good apple cider vinegar (I use Bragg Apple Cider Vinegar)

1. Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a soup kettle or large pot. Add the onion and cook stirring frequently, until soft and golden, about 5 minutes. Add the Italian seasoning and cook, stirring frequently until fragrant, about 1 minute.

2. Add the carrots, cabbage, ham steak, chicken broth, tomatoes and beans. Bring to a full simmer. Reduce the heat to low and continue to simmer, partially covered, until the veggies are just cooked, about 15 minutes. Stir in the parsley, if using. Add the apple cider vinegar. Stir and simmer for 5 more minutes. Turn off the heat, cover and let sit for 5 minutes. Serve.

Italian Wedding Soup Part II

Italian Wedding Soup is my idea of the perfect meal. Full of luscious greens that have soaked up meaty, earthy broth, juicy, plump meatballs that fall apart in your mouth, soft carrots, celery and onions that have just enough bite to add some texture, and either a grain, rice or bean to keep things interesting. I just can't get enough of it.

I've made many versions of this soup before, but this weekend, I made a new version, and it is, hands down, the best one I've ever made or had. I modified a recipe that came out of my most recent issue of Eating Well. Her recipe called for ground turkey, but I had a pound of gorgeous, grass-fed, organic beef with a very low fat content that was begging to be used. Her recipe also calls for cabbage in the soup, and I didn't want cabbage messing with the rest of my greens. Lastly, her recipe called for kale or escarole, but I had a huge bunch of spinach and large bunch of collard greens, so I used those instead. And I must say, this is what collard greens were made for - this exact soup. Perfection!!

Italian Wedding Soup Part II
Ingredients:

For the meatballs:
1 lb ground beef or ground turkey
1 cup fresh whole-wheat breadcrumbs (see recipe below)
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon crushed fennel seeds
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt

For the Soup:
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup chopped onion (1 medium)
1 cup chopped carrots (2 medium)
1 cup chopped celery (2 medium stalks)
8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 15-ounce can white beans, rinsed
4 cups coarsely chopped spinach
4 cups coarsely chopped collard greens (stems and ribs removed)
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1. To prepare meatballs: Combine meat, breadcrumbs, egg, parsley, garlic, Worcestershire, fennel seeds, pepper and salt in a large bowl. Refrigerate for 10 minutes to firm up. With damp hands, shape the mixture into 32 (1-inch) meatballs (about 1 scant tablespoon each).

2. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cook the meatballs in the oven for 20 minutes. (I cooked mine in my mini-muffin pan ala AB-style.) Remove and set aside.

3. To prepare soup: Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, carrots and celery and cook, stirring, until the onion is translucent, 7 to 9 minutes.

4. Stir in broth, beans, greens and the meatballs. Bring just to a boil, reduce heat to maintain a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Top each portion with 1 tablespoon grated cheese.

Whole Wheat Bread Crumbs via Eating Well

Make your own whole-grain dry breadcrumbs. Rather than discarding the "heel ends" of the whole-wheat sandwich bread you use daily, collect them in a paper bag, seal and store until they're completely dry and crisp, usually a few weeks. When you've assembled a substantial amount, break them into pieces and whirl in your food processor to make fine crumbs. Bake at 250 degrees until crispy, about 15 minutes.

Creamy Broccoli Garlic Soup

Our CSA had this recipe in our last box and with it, a nice large head of broccoli. I love my mothers Cream of Broccoli soup, a recipe I hope to post soon, but this one drew me in with the whole roasted head of garlic. Have you tried roasting a whole head of garlic in the oven yet? If you haven't, you are missing out! The spicy cloves are transformed into a rich, buttery, flavorful packet of goodness, that spreads it's flavor throughout any dish it is added to. You simply peel off the outer layer of paper on the head of garlic, cut the tops off the garlic, drizzle a little olive oil over the top, rubbing it into the garlic, wrap in aluminum foil and roast in a 400 degree oven for 20-45 minutes, depending on the size of the garlic. You'll know it's done when the garlic is golden brown and mushy. You should be able to just pick it up and squeeze the garlic out of the bulb. Yum.

Creamy Broccoli Garlic Soup
Ingredients:
1 head of broccoli, cut into florets
One head of garlic, roasted (as directed above)
1 cup onion, diced
1 cup carrots, diced
1/2 cup celery, diced
3 cups stock (I used chicken)
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp butter
1 cup milk
1/3 cup flour
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded (optional - I did not use the cheese)
1 cup croutons (optional - I did not use these)
Salt and Pepper

1. In a large Dutch oven or a heavy bottom pan, melt butter over medium heat, saute onions, carrots and celery until onions are translucent and carrots are soft, about 3-4 minutes.

2. Add flour and saute for an additional 2-3 minutes, until flour has coated all ingredients and begins to brown. Add stock and milk and Worcestershire sauce and bring to a low boil. Add broccoli and simmer until soft.

3. Add roasted garlic and blend soup until creamy (using a blender, food processor or immersion blender). Salt and pepper to taste. Serve in bowls and sprinkle with croutons and cheese (or drizzle in a little half-n-half).

Butternut Squash and Apple Soup

When I was peering through my Barefoot Contessa cookbook to make the Lemon Cake, I saw her recipe for Butternut Squash and Apple Soup. Years ago, when Andy and I were first married, he made a version of this soup, but it was a Martha Stewart recipe. He just adored the soup. But we've been unable to locate the exact recipe since then. I'm still hunting around for it. But many of Ina Garten's recipes are so similar to Martha's, so I wondered if this soup might come close. One thing to note about this soup...it calls for curry powder, and I'm not a big curry powder fan. But, I have to say that it works in this soup. It provides that nice note of spice that the sweetness of the apples and squash needs in order to balance the soup.

It's not Martha's soup, but it's quite good. I'll still be out there hunting for the exact recipe he used, but until then, I might use this recipe as a substitute. I served this soup with AB's Southern Buttermilk Biscuits.

**I halved this recipe and made 2 quarts of soup.**

Butternut Squash and Apple Soup (via Ina Garten)
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons good olive oil
4 cups chopped yellow onions (3 large)
2 tablespoons mild curry powder
5 pounds butternut squash (2 large)
1 1/2 pounds sweet apples, such as McIntosh (4 apples)
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups water
2 cups good apple cider or juice

1. Warm the butter, olive oil, onions, and curry powder in a large stockpot uncovered over low heat for 15 to 20 minutes, until the onions are tender. Stir occasionally, scraping the bottom of the pot.

2. Peel the squash, cut in half, and remove the seeds. Cut the squash into chunks. Peel, quarter, and core the apples. Cut into chunks.

3. Add the squash, apples, salt, pepper, and 2 cups of water to the pot. Bring to a boil, cover, and cook over low heat for 30 to 40 minutes, until the squash and apples are very soft. Process the soup through a food mill fitted with a large blade, or puree it coarsely in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. **I used an immersion blender here.**

4. Pour the soup back into the pot. Add the apple cider or juice and enough water to make the soup the consistency you like; it should be slightly sweet and quite thick. Check the salt and pepper and serve hot.

Creamy Coconut-Lime Soup

I like spice. But I don't like too much heat in my spice. Sounds funny, I know. But I want to be able to taste my spice not just on the first bite, but also on the last, meaning, I don't want my mouth burned so bad by the heat of the spice that I can't taste anything after that first bite. This has definitely happened. Until I know a Thai or Chinese restaurant really well, I order no stars or maybe one star. So, I tend to err on the side of mildness in my own cooking. But I definitely want to taste those spices when I'm eating food rich in spices and flavors.

I saw this recipe in a holiday version of a Better Homes & Gardens and I thought it sounded mighty tasty! I modified it a bit, but I'm happy with the result. It's a smooth, creamy, spicy soup that warms you from head to toe.

Creamy Coconut-Lime Soup
Ingredients:
1 2 - 2.5 lb. rotisserie chicken (I roasted four legs and thighs and stripped them of their meat)
2 cups water
2 - 14 oz. cans unsweetened light coconut milk
1.5 cups thinly bias-sliced carrots
1/3 cup lime juice
1 tbs soy sauce
2 tsp Thai seasoning
1/4 tsp salt

Toppings (optional)
Thai seasoning
Fresh cilantro
Peanuts
Lime wedges

1. Remove and discard skin and bones from chicken. Using two forks, pull chicken apart into shreds. In a large saucepan, combine shredded chicken, water, coconut milk, carrots, lime juice, soy sauce and the 2 tsp Thai seasoning, and the salt.

2. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 8 minutes or until carrots are crisp-tender.

3. If desired, top each serving with additional Thai seasoning, cilantro, and peanuts and serve with lime wedges.

Mexican Pork Stew

It has gotten cooler here lately and quite rainy. Tonight, I was longing for a warm, spicy stew that would warm me up from the inside out. This Mexican Pork Stew was the answer! I modified a couple of recipes I found online until I made a stew that was sweet, spicy and the perfect balance of flavors. This stew would work with beef or even chicken. Try it based on what you have in your freezer.

Mexican Pork Stew
Ingredients:
1.5 pounds pork stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 tbs olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup chopped onion
1 can (28 oz.) no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained
1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 Bay Leaves
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon water
1 cup frozen white corn

Toppings:
Crunchy tortilla strips (see recipe below)
Avocado slices
Cotija cheese

Directions:
1. Heat the two tbs of olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Brown the pork and garlic. Add onion, saute until tender. Stir in tomatoes, chilies, cilantro, oregano and bay leaves. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cover and simmer for 90 minutes or until pork is tender and no longer pink.

2. In a bowl, combine cornstarch and water until smooth; stir into skillet. Bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Discard bay leaves. Add the corn and stir. Remove from heat. Let cool a bit and serve. Top with crunchy tortilla strips, avocado slices and cotija cheese, if desired.

Crunchy Tortilla Strips
Ingredients:
4 corn tortillas
Cooking spray or vegetable oil

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Roll up a tortilla and cut into strips. Repeat with each tortilla. Put on a baking sheet and spray with cooking spray, or use vegetable oil to lightly coat each strip.

2. Cook for 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and stir strips. Put back in the oven for 5-8 minutes or until the strips are crispy. Remove and cool on a wire rack.

Potato and Leek Soup

I think I've professed my love for leeks previously. They are such useful vegetables, and they have a unique taste that can't be matched by any other member of the onion family. This soup is a creamy, smooth concoction that cooks up in no time flat.

TIP: I added a bit much broth to my soup before pureeing. When I blended the soup, it was too thin. So, I added about 1/4 cup panko bread crumbs, stirred it in and then blended again. Perfection!

Potato and Leek Soup
Ingredients:
4 tbs butter
1 onion, chopped
4 leeks, sliced
4 small-medium potatoes, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
3.5 - 4 cups chicken broth
Salt and pepper
Half -n- half (optional)

1. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat, add the onion, leeks, and potatoes, and saute gently for 7-8 minutes until softened but not browned. Pour in the stock, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes.

2. Blend with a stick blender (hand-held immersion blender) or in batches in a blender until smooth. Return to the saucepan. Reheat the soup and season with salt and pepper. Serve in warmed bowls swirled with half-n-half.

Roasted Tomato Bisque

I love tomato soup, particularly with grilled cheese sandwiches. Yum. I saw Jeff Mauro, aka, the Sandwich King, make this last year on his Food Network show. I immediately printed the recipe and stashed it away to make another day. Today was that day! One thing to note, I used fresh tomatoes (as I had extra from our CSA share) rather than canned tomatoes to make my roasted veggies. It worked great, but the canned version would work just as well. Give this one a try - it takes more work than opening a can of prepared soup, but when you taste it, you'll never want to go back!

Roasted Tomato Bisque (from Jeff Mauro)
Ingredients:
Two 28-ounce cans whole tomatoes, drained of their juices
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
4 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 shallots, quartered
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 tablespoons dry sherry (I didn't have this, so I used madeira wine instead)
One 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
1 to 2 cups chicken stock
1/4 cup heavy cream (I used half-n-half)

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

2. In a mixing bowl, combine the drained whole tomatoes, olive oil, light brown sugar, carrots and shallots, and toss to coat. Season the vegetables with salt and pepper. Place the vegetables on a silicone or parchment-lined baking sheet and roast until caramelized, about 30 minutes.

3. Heat a soup pot over medium heat. Add the butter and cook until foaming. Add the crushed red pepper and garlic and saute for 1 minute. Add the tomato paste and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Then add the sherry. Cook until all the liquid has evaporated and the alcohol has cooked off, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the roasted vegetables, crushed tomatoes and 1 cup chicken stock. Season with salt and pepper and bring to a simmer. Let simmer for 15 minutes.

4. Add the heavy cream and, using an immersion blender, puree the soup until uniform in texture. Add more chicken stock to adjust the consistency to how you like it.

Meatball and Tortellini Soup

This recipe is inspired by a Tyler Florence recipe out of his Dinner at My Place cookbook. I used AB's meatballs, and added some Better than Bouillon to add a little more flavor to this soup. The rest is Tyler's creation, and man is it tasty! Perfect for a fall evening.

Meatball and Tortellini Soup
Ingredients:
1 batch of cooked AB's Meatballs
Extra virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
4 fresh thyme sprigs
2 large carrots, cut into circles
1 medium onion, diced
2 ribs celery, diced
Kosher salt
2 quarts reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 tbs Better than Bouillon Chicken flavor
4 black peppercorns
2 tbs chopped fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley
1 bay leaf
1 pound fresh refrigerated or frozen cheese tortellini, thawed
1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

1. Set a large stockpot over medium heat. Add 2 tbs olive oil, the garlic and thyme. Gently saute until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add carrot, onion, and celery. Season with salt and cook for 5-7 minutes. Pour in chicken broth, Better than Bouillon, and add peppercorns, the 2 tbs parsley, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for 25 minutes

2. Add the cooked meatballs to the soup and add tortellini. Bring to a boil and cook for 2-3 minutes to allow the flavors to come together. Remove peppercorns and bay leaf. Season with salt and pepper and serve in shallow bowls. Sprinkle with parsley and Parmesan cheese.

Black Bean Soup with Bananas

Yes, you read that title right. It's weird, I know, but let me just tell you something...when you watch Jacques Pepin cook, even if it sounds a little weird, you try it. Why? Because the man knows flavors and how they work together. He knows how to take basic ingredients like black beans, onions, tomatoes and bananas (among other things) and blend it into a luscious, mouth-watering soup that will have you clamoring back to the pot for another bowl, just like my bean-hating son, Micah, did. I can hear you now...bananas? With black beans? I asked the same question, but put it out of your mind and try it. You won't regret it!!

Black Bean Soup with Bananas (via Jacques Pepin)
Ingredients:
1 pound dried black or turtle beans
3 quarts water
1/2 cup brown rice
8 ounces pancetta or very lean unsmoked or lightly smoked bacon
2 medium onions (12 ounces), cut into 1-inch pieces
8 large garlic cloves, coarsely chopped (1/4 cup)
1 tablespoon herbes de Provence
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 14 1/2-ounce can diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon salt (less if the pancetta or bacon is salty)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons Tabasco sauce

GARNISHES
2 bananas
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro

1. Remove and discard any damaged beans or debris, and wash the remaining beans well in cool water. Drain the beans, place them in a bowl, cover with cold water, and soak for 3 hours.

2. Drain the beans, put them in a stainless steel pot with the 3 quarts water, and add the rice. Cut the pancetta or bacon into 1/4-inch cubes and add them to the pot. Bring to a boil over high heat, uncovered (this will take about 20 minutes), stirring occasionally. Skim off and discard any foam that rises to the top. Reduce the heat to very low, cover, and cook for 1 hour.

3. Add the onions, garlic, herbes de Provence, chili powder, tomatoes, and salt to the pot, stir well, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to very low, cover, and cook for 1 1/2 hours.

4. Using a hand blender, emulsify the mixture in the pot for 5 to 10 seconds. (Alternatively, remove 2 cups of the mixture, puree it in a food processor, and return it to the pot.) You want to thicken the mixture slightly while still maintaining its overall chunkiness.

5. Mix together the oil, vinegar, and Tabasco in a small bowl, and add to the soup.

JUST BEFORE SERVING, PREPARE THE GARNISHES: Peel the bananas and cut them into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Toss them in a small bowl with the lemon juice and pepper.

Divide the hot soup among four bowls. Top with the banana slices, sprinkle on the cilantro, and serve.

Copyright © 2011 by Jacques Pépin.

Brotchan foltchep a.k.a. Leek and Oatmeal Soup

I love leeks. Few vegetables are as versatile as the leek. Perfect in a soup, a tart, as roasted on their own or with a variety of other veg, the leek has a wonderfully mild onion flavor that permeates almost any application you choose. I had three beautiful leeks from my CSA this last week and decided I wanted to make soup. Normally, I would use leeks as a base for broccoli soup and potato soup, but I really wanted to highlight the leek, and not have it as just a background flavor.

I ran across this recipe in my Irish Food & Cooking cookbook, and I'm so glad I did. Don't be fooled by the fact that there's only 5 actual ingredients in this soup (other than seasoning). It packs some serious flavor punch. And talk about comforting...oh my goodness. This will become an annual fall/winter soup in our house. I served mine up with some homemade soda bread, topped with apricot jam...the good feelings this meal prompted lasted me well throughout the day. The recipe below is double what I made - next time, I will be sure to have six leeks on hand so I can make the full recipe.

Brotchan foltchep (Leek and Oatmeal Soup)
Ingredients:
5 cups chicken stock and milk, mixed (2.5 cups stock, 2.5 cups milk)
2 tbs medium pinhead oatmeal (Irish oatmeal - you can find this in the grocery store - McCann's is a brand I know and love)
2 tbs butter
6 large leeks, sliced in 3/4-inch pieces
Sea salt and ground black pepper
Pinch of allspice

1. Bring the stock and milk mixture to a boil over medium heat and sprinkle in the oatmeal. Stir well to prevent lumps forming, and then simmer gently.

2. Wash the leeks in a bowl. Melt the butter in a separate pan and cook the leeks over a gentle heat until softened slightly, then add them to the stock mixture. Simmer for a further 15-20 minutes, or until the oatmeal is cooked. Extra stock or milk can be added if the soup is too thick.

3. Season with salt, pepper and allspice. Serve in warmed bowls.