Sweet Potato and Peanut Soup

So an update from my Friday Favorites from last week... The NASCAR race was a ton of fun! It ended up being an exciting race, and it is always nice to catch up with friends you haven't seen in a while.

The hubbs and I have been on a soup kick lately. It's in full drive now that the weather is really starting to cool down, but truthfully the soup kick started long before that. In fact, I think the vast majority of recipes I have ready to post are either soup or some form of dessert. 

What really caught my eye about this soup was the inclusion of peanuts. I have seen peanuts and peanut butter in stir-fry type dishes, but never in a soup. I was intrigued to say the least. So how was the result? Delicious. Other than those for the garnish, the peanuts are pureed, and together with the sweet potato, they add some thickness and creaminess to the soup. In addition, with veggie prep, the soup can be ready in just over 30 minutes. Pair it with some crusty bread for a warming, quick, awesome meal. Enjoy!

(Printable Recipe)

Sweet Potato and Peanut Soup
From Healthy Seasonal Recipes

Ingredients: 
1 Tbsp. olive oil
3 cups diced onions
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 stalks celery, diced
6 cups vegetable/low-sodium chicken broth
2 lbs. sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 to 2-inch pieces
1 tsp. salt
1 can (13 oz) light coconut milk
3/4 cup unsalted roasted peanuts
3 Tbsp. lime juice
chopped cilantro, chopped peanuts, Sriracha for garnish

Heat oil over medium heat in a Dutch oven or large soup pot. Add the onion and garlic and cook until the onion starts to brown, about 5 to 6 minutes. Add celery, broth, sweet potato, and salt. Cover, turn up the heat, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are cooked through and very soft, about 15 minutes.

If using a stand blender, let the soup cool slightly. Blend about half the soup in two batches and return to the pot. If using an immersion blender, partially blend the soup in the pot, leaving some pieces of vegetables. Puree the coconut milk and peanuts until smooth in a blender or in a bowl with the immersion blender. Add the coconut mixture and lime juice to the soup. Cook for a few minutes on low-medium heat to warm through. Do not boil. Serve garnished with cilantro, chopped peanuts, and Sriracha. 

SRC: Tortellini and Chicken Sausage Soup

Well, things have calmed down on the home front here a little bit. I am hoping to use the time to post a little more regularly around here. I have quite a few recipes lined up that I want to make, so it is time to get in the kitchen!

With that, it is once again time for Secret Recipe Club. My blog assignment this month was Melissa's A Fit and Spicy Life. Melissa describes herself as a Midwestern girl who is a food loving, wine drinking, weight lifting, traveling, yogi blogger. Hailing from the Midwest myself, it sounds a little familiar. 

My husband helped me look through Melissa's recipes this time, and we finally settled on her recipe for Tortellini and Chicken Sausage Soup. We are not anywhere near her temperature of 40 degrees when she wrote the post, but we've both been starting to crave soup. I made her recipe largely as written, adding only a couple spices and changing the form of the sausage. 

I can assure you that this soup definitely hit the spot for us! It was a hearty soup, with the meat and the tortellini, so if you like your soup thinner, you may want to add extra liquid. It was great for us the first time through, but we added a bit extra liquid to the leftovers when we warmed them up. My husband declared it a make again recipe, so thank you Melissa for the recipe!

(Printable Recipe)

Tortellini and Chicken Sausage Soup
From A Fit and Spicy Life

Ingredients:
3 cups dried tortellini with cheese
2 spicy Italian chicken sausages, casings removed
1 can (14.5oz) fire-roasted diced tomatoes
28 oz. low-sodium beef broth (or more if you like more liquid)
2 cups water (or more)
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1 (9oz) pkg. frozen spinach
 Parmesan cheese, garnish

Heat a large dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. Remove the sausage from the casing and cook, crumbling as it cooks, until cooked through. 

Increase the heat to medium-high, and add the tomatoes, broth, water, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and frozen spinach. Bring the mixture to a boil. Add the tortellini, cover and cook for 15-17 minutes. Serve topped with Parmesan cheese.

Crockpot Chicken Tortilla Soup

I don't feel like I need to speak to the beauties of the crockpot too much. A hot meal ready when you walk in the door? Not too many complaints there! 

While crockpots are wonderful dinner tools, one of the things I still struggle with is cooking times. Even on the best day, the crockpot is likely to be cooking whatever meal it contains for at least 10 hours. Yes, this has resulted in some over cooked meals... Because of this fact, one of the things I find myself using the crockpot for the most is soup. It is much harder to overcook soup (unless you run out of liquid - haven't done this yet...)

Like many other classic recipes, there are about a million variations of chicken tortilla soup. This adaption is based off a recipe from one of my co-workers that I adapted somewhat to our tastes. I left the chicken breasts whole to cook with the soup, shredded them, add added them back to the soup. Does not get easier than this! Enjoy!

(Printable Recipe)

Crockpot Chicken Tortilla Soup
Adapted from Shannon

Ingredients:
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (thawed if frozen)
1 large bell pepper, chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup frozen or fresh corn 
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1-2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
1 Tbsp. lime juice
1 cup Black Bean and Corn salsa
1-1/2 cups cooked brown rice
8 oz. corn tortilla chips
1/2 cup shredded Monterey jack cheese
light sour cream, garnish

Add ingredients through the salsa to the bowl of a crockpot. Cook on low for 8-10 hours. Remove chicken breasts and shred. Add back to soup with cooked rice. Turn the crockpot to high to heat through, if needed.

Roughly crush the tortilla chips. Place in the bottom of each bowl. Spoon the soup over the chips. Top each bowl with Monterey jack cheese and sour cream if desired.  

Ribollita (Italian Bread Soup)

Amongst the ways this little blog has changed our lives, one of the biggest is our willingness to try both new dishes and new ingredients, especially new vegetables. Prior to blogging, I can honestly tell you that my vegetable repertoire consisted of whichever common varieties were available in the frozen bags at the grocery store. I had certainly had the standard corn, peas, carrots, green beans and broccoli, but had never ventured out into the world of other veggies. Even asparagus was relatively new to me when I started blogging.

All of that brings me to this soup. While the vegetables in here do not get too exotic, I can certainly say there was a time when cooking with kale, fresh cabbage, and broccoli rabe would have been way outside my comfort zone! As you would expect, the bread in here soaks up much of the extra liquid leaving you with a soups that packs a hearty punch while managing to stay pretty light.

I have to admit that the health factor was one of my primary reasons for choosing to make this recipe. Lots of vegetables in a hearty dish. What I didn't expect was how much we would really enjoy this. I knew it would be good, but not this good. My husband has been talking about it all week and basically ate all the leftovers himself. If you're looking for a way to warm up or maybe lighten up after a heavy Valentine's Day meal, I would highly recommend this soup. Enjoy!

(Printable Recipes)

Ribollita (Italian Bread Soup)
Found on MyRecipes.com, Recipe from Cooking Light

Ingredients:
3 cups, crusty whole wheat bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
cooking spray
3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 onion, chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup celery, chopped
6 cups water, divided
1 pkg. (6 cups) kale, stemmed, leaves chopped
6 cups chopped cabbage 
4 cups broccoli rabe (can substitute regular broccoli)
2 cups Yukon gold or red potato, peeled, cubed into 1-inch cubes
1 cup thinly sliced carrots
1 (14.5oz) can chopped tomatoes with fluid
2 (15oz) cans cannellini beans, rinsed, drained, and divided
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
1/2 cup shaved or grated fresh Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 

Place 3 cups bread on a baking sheet and lightly coat with cooking spray. Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes or until toasted, stirring occasionally. Remove from oven; cool.

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion and celery to pan; saute 5 minutes. Add garlic, and saute 1 minute. Add 5 cups of water and next 6 ingredients (through tomatoes). Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes or until greens are wilted, stirring occasionally. It will seem like the greens will never wilt. Stir it occasionally. They will cook, just slowly. Mash 1 can of beans. Add mashed beans and remaining 1 cup of water to pan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 35 minutes or until potato and carrot are tender. 

Stir in bread, remaining can of beans, salt, thyme, oregano, and red pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes. Remove from heat; cover and let stand 10 minutes. Ladle about 1-1/2 cups of soup into bowls. Sprinkle each with 1 tablespoon cheese.

SRC: Coconut Chicken Soup

Well, the Secret Recipe Club is back! After taking the month of January off, I am excited to be back with the group to start our February reveals. This month, my blog assignment was Culinary Adventures with Camilla. Camilla has a fun blog with a ton of different recipes with influences from all over the world. 

Since she has so many different recipes, I wanted to try something that was a little bit out of my typical comfort zone. I looked for awhile at this recipe for kadu bouranee, but as it is winter, I went with my cravings and chose this recipe for coconut chicken soup. In her post, Camilla mentions that this is a recipe that she just put together quickly from the things that she had in her kitchen. I certainly had to buy a couple things as this is actually the first time I have ever actually made anything with swiss chard. 

The recipe here is really more of a guide as Camilla does not list ingredients. I used all the ingredients she suggests, but varied amounts based on what I had and to taste. I'll list my approximate measurements below but feel free to add or vary ingredients as you prefer. For the two of us, there was plenty of soup for dinner and several days of lunch, and as most soups do, this seemed to get better and better after storing it. A hit here, and I certainly have a great new (to me) blog to check out for ethnic dishes! 

(Printable Recipe)

Coconut Chicken Soup
Adapted from Culinary Adventures with Camilla

Ingredients: 
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 cup fennel bulb, chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
3 whole carrots, peeled and sliced 
1 pkg. swiss chard, leaves removed from stems and torn
3 cups baby spinach, torn
1 (14.5oz) can light coconut milk
2 cups water
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 - 1 tsp. cardamom
3 Tbsp. lemon juice (or juice from 1 lemon)
2 cups brown rice, cooked
2 Tbsp. soy sauce

Cook the brown rice according to package directions. Fluff and set aside. Boil water in a medium saucepan and add raw chicken. Boil until the chicken is cooked through. Shred with 2 forks or by mixing the hot chicken in the bowl of a stand mixer on low for about a minute. 

Heat the oil in a stockpot over medium heat. Add the fennel and garlic and saute until they begin to soften. Add the chicken, carrots, chard, spinach, cooked brown rice, coconut milk, water, and chicken broth. Season with spices, lemon juice, and soy sauce. Bring to a boil, turn down heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes until the greens are wilted and the vegetables are cooked through. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.

Christmas Soup Series: White Chicken Chili

Last but not least, I'm adding white chicken chili into the mix. This is one of those recipes where I'm sure everyone has their own little variation, but no matter how you make it, it always turns out awesome! This recipe is my mom's, and it has made an appearance more than once on Christmas Eve. 

I feel like I say this a lot, but I really, really like this soup. We made a double batch of it last Friday for the savory part of a cookie exchange party, so my husband and I have been enjoying the leftovers all week. It literally is one of those things that I could eat everyday and not become tired of it. The recipe for this soup does call for a 1/2 cup of heavy cream. I have successfully swapped lower fat products including half and half and whole milk. If you are looking to try this, keep in mind that these items will "thin out" the soup a little bit more than the cream and may clump easier if they get too hot in the soup. If you are making it in the crockpot, be sure not to add any of the dairy products until about 30 minutes before you plan to serve the soup or they may curdle. A bonus with the crockpot is that your house will smell so good when you come home!

This is definitely a recipe that will allow for some tailoring, so if something sounds like it would go well in here, try it! I know I'll be enjoying my last bowl tomorrow. Merry Christmas everyone!

(Printable Recipe)

White Chicken Chili
From Mom

Ingredients:
1 lb. cooked boneless, skinless chicken breasts, shredded
1 Tbsp. oil (only if cooking in stockpot)
1 medium onion, chopped
1-1/2 tsp. garlic powder
2-3 cans (14.5 oz each) white beans (navy beans), rinsed and drained
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
3 cans (4oz) chopped green chiles
1/2 tsp. salt (optional)
1-1/4 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup heavy cream

If cooking in a stockpot, heat the oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion and garlic powder and saute until the onion is translucent. Add beans, broth, chiles, and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered for 30 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in sour cream and heavy cream. 

Crockpot directions: Add all ingredients except the sour cream and heavy cream to the crockpot. Cook on low for 8-10 hours. Add the sour cream and heavy cream about 30 minutes before serving to allow the soup to re-warm after the addition.

Christmas Soup Series: Italian Sausage Soup with Tortellini

Day 2 of soups for Christmas. This is one of the other recipes that my brother made last week while he was visiting. It is a little similar to this soup recipe that I posted last year in that it contains both sausage and red wine, but the soups are distinct enough that I am considering them different. 

Of all the things on my blog, my soups are probably one of the things that we "repeat" the most at home. You other bloggers know what I am talking about. The "are we having something new again for dinner" syndrome. This soup is definitely up with the others in flavor, and that is considering that we really like all of the soups posted here. Given the fact that my brother served us this during the same meal as the chocolate-chip toffee cheesecake, I would certainly say we had a great meal!

Similar to the minestrone, the pasta in this soup will soak up some of the liquid as it sits. Just add extra broth to your preference when you reheat it. This one also calls for red wine, but it can be substituted for the beef broth if you prefer. Enjoy!

(Printable Recipe)

Italian Sausage Soup with Tortellini
Adapted from allrecipes.com

Ingredients:
1 lb. sweet Italian chicken/turkey sausage, casings removed
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
5 cups beef broth
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup red wine
1 can (14.5) oz. diced tomatoes, drained
1 cup thinly sliced carrots
1/2 Tbsp. fresh basil leaves, tightly packed
1/2 tsp. ground oregano
1 (8oz) can tomato sauce
1-1/2 cups quartered zucchini
8 oz. fresh whole wheat tortellini 
3 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

Shredded Parmesan cheese (optional)

In a large Dutch oven, brown the sausage, crumbling as you cook it. Remove the sausage from the pan and drain the fat.

Add the onion and garlic to the pan and saute until the onion begins to soften. Stir in beef broth, water, wine, tomatoes, carrots, basil, oregano, tomato sauce, and sausage. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered for 30 minutes. Skim fat from the soup if necessary (should be very little if you use chicken/turkey sausage). Stir in zucchini and parsley. Simmer uncovered for 30 minutes. Add tortellini during the last 10 minutes. Serve hot with Parmesan cheese.

Crockpot directions: Cook the sausage as directed. Place all ingredients except tortellini and Parmesan cheese in the crockpot and cook on low for 8-10 hours. Cook tortellini separately on the stove according to package directions and add just before serving. Serve hot with Parmesan cheese.

Christmas Soup Series: Jamie's Minestrone

Growing up we had quite a few Christmas traditions. Starting the day after Thanksgiving, we'd get up early to grab donuts before heading to the Christmas tree farm to pick out/cut down our tree. We also had a paper nativity scene that doubled as an Advent calendar. My brother and I would alternate days of putting up each character, often squabbling over who would get to put the star up over the manger on Christmas Eve.

One of the other traditions that I still continue - soup on Christmas Eve. The kind has changed over the years (there was a time when I would have a can of Campbell's chicken and stars because the rest of the family was having oyster stew...), but the idea of soup has stayed constant. We've done stews, chili, homemade chicken noodle, and even played with the idea of bread bowls, but it's always homemade and always great! Plus, it is low stress as you can put it in a crockpot and forget about it. Bonus that it leaves room for Christmas cookies :)

As I don't have too many Christmas cookie recipes to share with you this year, I thought I would let you in on our little tradition and offer up a few soup recipes leading up to Christmas Eve. 

The first soup is a classic - minestrone. I have made this recipe a couple of times, and I really enjoy it as it is everything a minestrone soup should be: great flavor and loaded with vegetables. The recipe calls for red wine. If you are worried about including alcohol, it could certainly be replaced with some additional broth, however if you can, I would strongly suggest you include it. I love the flavor red wine adds to soups. One thing to note is that the pasta will continue to soak up the liquid (even when fully cooked), so cook it al dente and only add it a few minutes before serving. This is especially important if you are making the soup in a crockpot! For the leftovers in this case, I have just been adding a little bit more broth as needed when I heat it up. 

Feel free to join in if you want. It's a fun tradition to start! Enjoy!

(Printable Recipe)

Jamie's Minestrone
Adapted from allrecipes.com

Ingredients:
1-1/2 Tbsp. olive oil 
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 onions, chopped
2 cups chopped celery
5 carrots, peeled and sliced
2 cups chicken broth (can use vegetable broth to make vegetarian)
2 cups water
4 cups tomato sauce
1/2 cup red wine (optional)
1 can (14.5oz) low-sodium kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup fresh green beans, trimmed into 1-inch pieces
2 cups baby spinach
3 small zucchinis, quartered and sliced
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh oregano
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup small whole wheat pasta, cooked al dente
shredded Parmesan cheese for serving

In a large stockpot over medium heat, heat the olive oil and saute garlic for 2-3 minutes. Add onion and saute for 4-5 minutes. Add celery and carrots, saute for 1-2 minutes.

Add chicken broth, water, and tomato sauce. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. If using, add red wine. Reduce heat to low and add kidney beans, green beans, spinach, zucchini, oregano, basil, and salt and pepper. Simmer for 30 to 40 minutes, the longer the better.

Cook pasta separately until al dente according to package directions. Drain and add to soup. Serve with Parmesan cheese.

Crockpot directions: Follow the first step through cooking the onions. Add the sauteed onions and garlic to the crockpot with the rest of the ingredients except the pasta, spinach, and Parmesan cheese. Cook on low for 8-10 hours. Cook the pasta until al dente as directed above and add to the crockpot with the spinach just before serving. The heat will wilt the spinach. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed. Serve with Parmesan cheese.

Hearty Chicken Stew with Sweet Potatoes and Quinoa

Man. I feel like a little bit of a wimp saying this, but it was cold this week in New Orleans. No, not snow cold, but cool weather combined with rain can still be cold. We were there for a pharmacy conference and having to walk around in the rain is not synonymous with fun. I was definitely ready to get back to Arizona desert last night! Nonetheless, the chill stayed with me and has me thinking of one thing. Soup!

In reality, I made this soup a couple weeks ago, almost immediately after I ran across it online, and a bowl of it sounds about perfect right now! Dara from the Cookin' Canuck came up with this recipe on her own, and I have to say she is a genius. Check out her site for the pictures, and let me tell you that this soup is as good as it looks. Extra points in because it is healthy. Delicious + healthy = win.

I changed the soup a little by using a sweet potato rather than a butternut squash and slightly varying the cooking method. The recipe calls for cooking the chicken in some broth, but you could certainly use cooked chicken as a time saver if you want. We loved our end result, but I'm sure it would be great with the butternut squash too. If you're looking to warm up from some cool weather, this would be a great way to do it. Enjoy!

(Printable Recipe)

Hearty Chicken Stew with Sweet Potatoes and Quinoa
Adapted from Cookin' Canuck

Ingredients:
1-1/2 lbs. sweet potato, peeled and cubed into 1/2-inch pieces
3-1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1-1/2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
4 cloves garlic, minced
1-1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1 can (14 oz) petite diced tomatoes
2/3 cup uncooked quinoa
3/4 cup pitted and quartered kalamata olives
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/4 cup minced flat-leaf parsley, chopped

In a medium saucepan, add sweet potatoes and cover with water. Bring the water to a boil and boil for 5-7 minutes or until the sweet potatoes are fork tender. Remove half of the pieces. Continue boiling the remaining pieces of sweet potato until they are very soft, 3-5 minutes more. Drain and mash with the back of a fork. Set aside. 

In a large saucepan set over medium-high heat, bring the chicken broth to a simmer. Add the chicken and cook until cooked through, about 15 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate and allow to cool. Pour broth into a medium-sized bowl.

Return the saucepan to the stovetop and lower the heat to medium. Add olive oil and allow to warm. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is starting to turn brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the minced garlic and oregano. Cook stirring for 1 additional minute. To the saucepan, add tomatoes, cubed sweet potato pieces, and mashed sweet potato. Stir to combine. Stir in reserved chicken broth and quinoa. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook until the quinoa turns translucent, about 15 minutes. 

Shred the chicken with your fingers or a fork. Stir in the chicken, olives, and pepper into the stew, and simmer uncovered for about 5 minutes. Stir in parsley and serve.

SRC: Black Bean Soup

It actually cooled down here towards the end of the week last week. We are back up into the 80's and 90's for the rest of the week now, but for a couple of days last week, we had highs in the 70's. While I have been trying to get in the fall mood with decorations and these pumpkin muffins, the cooler weather did me in. Despite the increase in temperatures again, I've been looking at soup recipes for the last few days. 

It's Secret Recipe Club time again, and I was excited to find quite a few soup recipes on my assigned blog: Itzy's Kitchen. Itzy's Kitchen is crafted by Erica. Erica's blog is new to me, but the focus of her recipes is right in line with how we try to eat most of the time. Healthy with a few treats thrown in. With my aforementioned focus on soup, I picked Erica's Black Bean Soup for my recipe this month. 

I made the recipe exactly, with the small exception of using reduced sodium beans because one of the cans of beans is not rinsed. The soup turned out great. Mashing up one can of the beans keeps it on the thicker side, and the hot sauce gives it just a little kick. I served this with these pumpkin cheddar muffins, and it made a great meal! I know my husband really enjoyed it because he snatched the leftovers for lunch the next day before I even had a chance. There are only a couple things I wish I could change. One, I wish I could change is the color of my bowls to make a better picture (red, brown, and orangey soups are hard to photograph in red bowls). Two, I think having some sour cream or cheddar cheese on hand would make for great garnishes. Thanks Erica for a great recipe. I know it's one we'll make again and again! 

(Printable Recipe)

Black Bean Soup
Adapted from Itzy's Kitchen

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
2 (15 oz) cans reduced-sodium black beans
1-1/2 Tbsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. ground coriander
2 Tbsp. hot sauce
1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce
3/4 cup frozen corn
sour cream and/or cheddar cheese as garnish (optional)

Drain and rinse one can of black beans. Mash with a fork and set aside. Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the garlic, red pepper, and onion and cook for 4-5 minutes (until fragrant). Add the remaining (undrained) can of black beans, the mashed beans that you have set aside, and the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve immediately.

Roasted Tomato Basil Soup

I am at a bit of a crossroads... Over the last few months, I had saved dozens and dozens of soup recipes. Soup can be such an easy meal and always sounds great while winter is bringing its wrath outside. On the other hand, I now live in Phoenix. It was 87 degrees in today. Not exactly soup weather. Don't get me wrong. I'm certainly not complaining about the weather. We're just going to have soup anyway =)

In reality, this is a soup that would be great in the summer when fresh garden tomatoes are readily available. Not that it was bad when we made it in March. I am among the "tomato soup lovers." It has always been one of my favorites but is just one of those things that I have never tried to make at home. I wish I hadn't waited so long. Roasting the tomatoes before adding them to the soup does add an extra step in preparation but do not skip it. It gives a depth to the flavor that I have never tasted before from any of the canned varieties and absolutely makes this soup. Keep this in mind the next time old-man winter decides he hasn't quite left us yet. Paired with a warm, gooey grilled cheese sandwich, it doesn't get much more comforting than this. Now, I just need to get better at finding ways to make soup more photogenic =) Enjoy!

(Printable Recipe)

Roasted Tomato Basil Soup
Originally from Baking Blonde. Adapted from Annie's Eats

Ingredients:
3 lbs. ripe tomatoes, halved with seeds scooped out 
3 Tbsp. plus 2 Tbsp. olive oil
1-1/2 tsp. salt 
1-1/2 tsp. black pepper
2 Tbsp. butter
2 c. onion, chopped
6 cloves garlic,minced
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 can (28 oz) whole tomatoes, undrained
2 c. fresh basil leaves, torn
1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves
4 c. low-sodium chicken stock

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Combine the tomato halves, 3 Tbsp. olive oil, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Toss well to combine. Spread out the tomato halves on a large baking sheet lined with foil. Roast the tomatoes for 45 minutes.

In a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat, combine the remaining 2 Tbsp. olive oil with the butter and heat until the butter is melted. Add the onions, garlic, and red pepper flakes to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions have softened slightly, about 7-10 minutes. Add the canned tomatoes, roasted tomatoes, basil, thyme, and chicken stock. Bring the mixture to a boil. Lower heat and simmer, uncovered, 40 minutes. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup until completely smooth. Alternatively you can use a blender or food processor. If you do, be sure to vent the steam and be careful not to spill the hot liquid!

Basil

Slow Cooker Italian Sausage Vegetable Soup

Finally, I've got the soup recipe that I posted about over a week ago on my facebook profile! When I posted it to my status, I claimed that "I just made the best soup for supper." I've talked on here before about how winter = soup in my mind, and this one definitely fits the bill of a hearty, fill-you-up winter meal. It is true that I haven't met too many soups that I don't like (as long as they don't contain any seafood), but I promise that this one is worth trying.  It can be pretty healthy too, especially if you swap in turkey sausage for the pork sausage.

I saw this recipe on Julie's site Little Bit of Everything, but it originally comes from An Oregon Cottage. I've actually made it twice already - once in the slow cooker and once on the stove-top since I ran out of time to use the slow cooker. The recipe is originally written to be a slow cooker recipe, but I actually preferred the stove-top one. When we made it in the slow cooker as directed, my orzo got REALLY soft. Too soft. It was almost falling apart. This could be easily remedied by cooking the orzo separately and mixing it in just before serving, and I may try this the next time I make this soup.  My other comment is that it is a thick soup and only becomes thicker with storage as the pasta soaks up the liquid. If you like your soup with a little bit more liquid, you may want to add a little more stock/wine.

Definitely don't let my pasta comments deter you from making this soup. There are lots of options as far as ingredients in this soup, so you can really adapt it into whatever you want it to be. I can tell you that the four of us here, 3 adults and 1 child, ate almost the whole recipe in one meal. Serve it with some crusty bread and enjoy!

(Printable Recipe)

Slow Cooker Italian Sausage Vegetable Soup
Adapted from An Oregon Cottage

Ingredients:
1 lb. Italian turkey sausage (I used Honeysuckle mild turkey sausage with great results!)
4 c. beef stock (may want extra for more liquid)
1/2 c. dry red wine (or more stock if you want to omit the wine)
1 (28oz) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (15oz) can white beans, drained and rinsed (can also use garbanzo beans)
2 c. chopped spinach (can also use cabbage, chard, or kale)
2 whole carrots, peeled and sliced
2 c. chopped green beans (if using frozen, thaw a bit and add about 45 minutes prior to serving)
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 c. orzo (or other small pasta)
fresh grated Parmesan for garnish (optional)
parsley for garnish (optional)

Slow cooker method:
If using uncooked sausage, cook it in the skillet until brown, drain and transfer to the bowl of the slow cooker. Combine the stock with the wine and pour over the meat. Add the remaining ingredients except for the last 3 (and green beans if frozen). Cover and cook on low for about 8 hours or on high for 3-1/2 to 4 hours. About 45 minutes before serving, add the green beans (and turn the cooker to high if you are using the low setting). In a medium saucepan, cook the orzo according to package directions. Mix with the soup just before serving. Serve with Parmesan and parsley if desired.

Stove-top method:
If using uncooked sausage, cook it in the skillet with the onions and garlic until cooked through. Drain fat if necessary.  Combine the stock with the wine and pour over the meat. Add the remaining ingredients except for the pasta and garnishes. Bring to a simmer and cook for 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, cook the orzo according to package directions. Mix with the soup just before serving. Serve with Parmesan and parsley if desired.

Pumpkin Soup with Apple Cranberry Relish

Rain, rain go away. Come again another day. What a week of weather we've been having across the country! It's raining and cooler (highs in the 50's) here in Phoenix today. Since it's projected to continue for a couple of days, my mind has definitely turned to soup!

This is a recipe that the hubby's uncle first made a couple of years ago at our family Christmas, and we liked it so much that we got the recipe from him. This year, this soup has made an appearance at both our Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve meals. Soup has always been a tradition for both of us on Christmas Eve, and this one definitely fits right in with the flavors of the season. 

I've had a couple of people, my dad included, originally turn up their nose at the idea of pumpkin soup. Nevertheless if you can get them to try it, I promise they'll like it. Despite the apples, pumpkin, cranberries, and cinnamon, it's really not a sweet soup. There's hot sauce in it after all! To quote my dad after trying it this year, "If you would have told me this was southwest soup, I never would have known the difference." For the record, he went back for seconds =)

Try it out if you've got some extra pumpkin that you still need to use up. I had lightened it up a bit in the past by mixing part half and half and part heavy cream. You can use all half and half if you wish, but it won't end up quite as creamy at the end. Add what you like, just don't skip the relish!  

(Printable Recipe)

Pumpkin Soup with Apple Cranberry Relish
From Doug

Ingredients:
Soup:
2 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 tsp. salt
1 bay leaf
2 Tbsp. flour
1-2 Tbsp. hot pepper sauce
1 Tbsp. poultry seasoning
6 c. low-sodium chicken broth
1 can (29 oz) pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie mix)
2 c. heavy cream
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg

Relish:
1 green apple, chopped
1/2 c. dried cranberries, chopped
1/4 c. red onion, chopped
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 tsp. chili powder
2 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon

Combine the ingredients for the relish and set aside. 

Heat butter and oil in a large stockpot until butter is melted. Add yellow onion, celery, red bell pepper, salt, and the bay leaf. Cook until softened, about 6-7 minutes. Stir in flour, hot sauce, and poultry seasoning. Cook, stirring, 1 minute.

Whisk in broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Gradually whisk in the pumpkin puree. Simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in cream and nutmeg. Remove the bay leaf. Serve in bowls with the relish heaped in the center.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

 

The rotation that my husband is currently on for school is near our hometown. I went back "home" to visit him their the other weekend rather than him always driving back to see me. While we were there, my mother made this soup for us for dinner one night. 

For me, soup is one of those things that is good year-around. However, I particularly crave it when it's cold outside. Especially the heartier soups. I realized after devouring this at my mom's that I had almost all the ingredients at home so on the menu it went.  There are about a million recipes out there for chicken tortilla soup, so mom and I went through and picked out our favorite ingredients from each one to make it our own. It is quite a forgiving recipe. If you like this vs. that, switch and swap. It won't hurt a thing.

While you can cook this soup on the stovetop, both my mother and I cooked it in the crockpot. It's so nice to be able to add all the ingredients in the morning and come home to dinner that is not only ready to eat but making the house smell amazing as well. Enjoy!

(Printable Recipe)

Chicken Tortilla Soup

From Karen Smolik (mom)

Ingredients:

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded

1 onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced 

4-5 green onions, sliced 

1 jar canned tomatoes from garden with juice (swap in 28oz crushed or diced tomatoes)

3-1/2 c. reduced-sodium chicken broth

1 c. frozen corn kernals

1 (4oz) can chopped green chiles, drained

1 (15oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 jar (28oz) black bean and white corn salsa

1/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro

2 heaping tsp. chili powder

1 heaping tsp. dried oregano

1 tsp. cumin

Combine ingredients in a 4-qt crockpot. Cook on low setting for 8 hours or on high for 4-6 hours. Taste and adjust seasonings to your preference. May garnish with crushed tortilla chips, sliced avocado, and shredded cheddar cheese.

Black Bean and Sweet Corn Soup with Cilantro and Lime

We really don't have too many traditions that go with the holidays. I can think of 3 that have stayed with us through the years. 1) My side of the family has always celebrated Christmas on Christmas Eve. When we were kids, Santa would still bring presents on Christmas Day, but all the family gifts were opened on Christmas Eve. 2) We always have had a REAL Christmas tree. Even the year that we had a potted one. 3) We always have soup on Christmas Eve.

Over the years, the soup tradition has gone from always having clam chowder to various different types of soup. I am thankful for this as fish and shellfish of any sorts aren't something I particularly enjoy. There were a couple of years where I was loving my canned chicken noodle soup... :-)

Nonetheless, since I have had soup on the brain, I thought I'd put another recipe up for anyone else who was also looking for a Christmas soup recipe. Maria posted this one a couple months ago at her blog Two Peas and Their Pod. I love cumin, so anything with that passes in my book! As written, there is no meat in the soup, but I think some chicken (or leftover holiday turkey) would be a perfect compliment if you want some meat. Enjoy!

If you need a Christmas soup recipe or if you're just trying to warm up with all the snow, try it out!

(Printable Recipe)

Black Bean and Sweet Corn Soup with Cilantro and Lime

Adapted from Two Peas and Their Pods

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp. olive oil

1 yellow onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 green pepper, chopped

2 c. sweet corn (can be frozen)

1 small jalapeno, minced

1 can diced green chiles

4 cans low-sodium diced tomatoes

4 cans low-sodium black beans, rinsed and drained

3 cans chicken broth (vegetable broth)

2 Tbsp. chile powder

1-1/2 Tbsp. cumin

1 bunch cilantro, chopped

salt and pepper, to taste

juice from 1 lime

Optional Toppings:

tortilla strips

pepper jack cheese

avovado slices

lime wedges

cilantro

In a large soup pot, heat olive oil. Add in onion and cook until tender. Add in garlic. Cook for 2 minutes and add green pepper. Stir in sweet corn, jalapeno, and the green chiles. Stir and let cook for about 5 minutes.

Stir in tomatoes and black beans. Add the chicken broth. Stir in the spices, cilantro, and salt and pepper. Squirt in the fresh lime juice. Let simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste, you might need to add more seasoning.

Serve hot. Add toppings if desired.

Chicken Corn Chowder

DONE! WOO HOO! YEAH!

It is definately one of the best feelings to be finished with finals! The last week and a half were pretty stressful but turned out pretty good in the end. The closed the courthouse here because of a PERFECTLY timed snow-storm, so I even got out of jury duty without ever having to report! Definately can't complain about that!

Anyway, now that finals are over, it's time to get back to blogging! I have tons of recipes that I need to post, so I need to get to it! I saw this soup back in October on My Kitchen Cafe. Believe it or not, the weather was still pretty mild here, so I held onto it until soup weather. Boy am I glad I did! Melanie talked about how much her husband loved it then, and I think my husband will second that motion. We first had it a couple weeks ago, and he's nominating it for the Christmas Eve soup this year. Fine with me, I really enjoyed it as well.

Look at those veggies - kind of Christmas-like itself...

I really didn't play with this recipe at all. They always say if it's not broke, then don't fix it, so my only swaps were fat-free cream cheese and lighter cheddar cheese. We didn't notice a difference, but we use light versions of products a lot here, so modify or not if you wish. Nevertheless, you really must make this soup! We've got 10-inches of snow on the ground here and may be expecting more next week... if that doesn't say soup, I don't know what does!

(Printable Recipe)

Chicken Corn Chowder - adapted from My Kitchen Cafe

2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

2 stalks of celery, finely chopped

1 red bell pepper, finely chopped

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 jalapeno, finely chopped, seeds and membrane removed

1/4 c. thinly sliced or cooked chopped ham (I used deli ham)

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 (14 oz) cans reduced-sodium chicken broth (approximately 4 cups)

3 Tbsp. flour

1-1/2 c. frozen corn kernels

2 large chicken breasts, cooked and shredded

4 oz. fat-free cream cheese

1 c. skim milk

1/4 tsp. pepper (I left out the extra salt, enough in the broth!)

1 c. shredded cheddar cheese

Place olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Saute celery, bell pepper, onion, and jalapeno until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and ham; cook for another 3 minutes. Whisk the broth with the flour in a liquid measuring cup or bowl and then stir into the soup. Stir in the corn and chicken. Bring to a low boil and reduce heat. Whisk together the cream cheese and milk in a large bowl until smooth. Whisk the cream cheese/milk mixture into the soup along with the pepper and cheddar cheese. Simmer on low until ready to serve.