Category: Soups

Main Dishes, Recipes, Soups

Butternut Squash Apple Soup

Sarah

It’s been a chilly, rainy start to fall so far–and what better way to warm up than with a cozy bowl of Butternut Squash Apple Soup?

I haven’t had butternut squash in over a year thanks to the Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese overdose of winter 2009, but a large butternut squash at the Farmer’s Market looked so yummy that I just had to bring it home. I loved the sweet-tart flavor of this soup, intensified by roasting the squash and slowly cooking a plethora of other produce including pieces of onions, carrots, celery, and apples. Some spices top off the delightfulness of this creamy soup. For a little extra treat, try stirring in some sour cream for a cool twist on this hot dish!

Reader Question ~ What’s your favorite fall soup?

Butternut Squash Apple Soup [from Simply Recipes]
printable version

Ingredients:

  • 1 large butternut squash [should yield ~4.5 cups]
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 1/4 cup celery, chopped
  • 1 large carrot, chopped
  • 1 large Granny Smith apple, cored and chopped [should yield ~1.5 cups]
  • 3 cups chicken broth
  • 1 cup water
  • pinches of nutmeg, cinnamon, cayenne, and freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut butternut squash in half lengthwise, then scoop out seeds and membranes. Place flesh side up on a large baking sheet, then roast for 25 minutes or until tender. Let cool for a few minutes and then scoop out squash and place in a bowl.
Meanwhile, melt butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Then add onion, celery, and carrot to the pot and saute for 5 minutes. Vegetables should begin to soften but not brown.
Next, add squash, apple, chicken broth, and water. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until softened. Puree with an immersion blender and return to the pot. Add spices to taste and serve with warm bread.
Yield: 4-6 servings.
Time: 70 minutes [15 minutes active].
Recipes, Soups

Sweet and Spicy Peanut Soup

Sarah

I know spring is here… but that doesn’t mean it is the end of soup season! Rainy spring days are just as a much a call for a hot bowl of soup to warm you up [perhaps while watching some March Madness, as we have been doing a lot lately] as cold winter nights are, especially when said soup is light, flavorful, and filling. This Sweet and Spicy Peanut Soup fits the bill perfectly. It’s full of sneaky nutrition as it packs in fresh vegetables peanut souplike peppers, tomatoes, carrots, onions, and sweet potatoes under the guise of rich peanut butter, spicy cayenne pepper, and a hint of ginger. We enjoyed munching on a grilled provolone cheese sandwich alongside this spicy soup, but I could also see it pairing well with a big green salad, a light pasta dish, or even served chilled gazpacho-style, if cold soup is your thing.

I prepped everything the night before and threw it in the crock pot in the morning to cook all day long, but the original recipe calls for making it on the stove-top in less than an hour. If you do the latter, saute the onions, peppers, and carrots with garlic to soften everything up and release some of the flavors a little before throwing everything in a big stockpot, bringing to a boil, and then simmering away until soft and blend-able. And be aware if you have an aversion to spicy food like me that this soup is HOT! Ben loved it, but next time I make it I am going to tone down the cayenne pepper initially for more control. Definitely didn’t think that one through too well… Regardless though, this is one flavorful soup that has earned itself a place in my soup repertoire, and I hope you love it as much as we do!

Sweet and Spicy Peanut Soup [adapted from The Food You Crave by Ellie Krieger]

Ingredients:

  • 1 tablespoon canola oil
  • 1 cup sweet or white onion, diced
  • 15 ounce jar roasted poblano peppers [could substitute 2 cups fresh red bell peppers or roasted red peppers]
  • 1 cup carrots, diced [about 3 medium or 2 large carrots]
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper*
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced [about 2 cups]
  • 6 cups chicken or vegetable broth
  • 1 – 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes with their juices [I prefer no-salt-added]
  • 2/3 cup creamy natural peanut butter
  • 2 teaspoons honey

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a large crock pot and stir to mix well. Cook on low for 6-8 hours, then puree with an immersion blender [or carefully blend in batches in a food processor or blender]. Serve garnished with sour cream and/or cilantro.

*Note:

This soup is spicy… so I would recommend decreasing or eliminating the cayenne pepper altogether so you don’t spice yourself out like I did. I can’t wait to make a less spicy version of this again.

Click here for the printable version: Sweet and Spicy Peanut Soup

Main Dishes, Recipes, Soups

Roasted Tomato and Black Bean Soup

Sarah

soup

Uh oh. We’ve got a situation on our hands. I think I’m becoming a soup lover. This is very frightening to me because I didn’t use to like soups. I could go for the occasional bowl of tomato with my grilled cheese, or a cup at Panera with my you-pick-two combo. But other than that, I didn’t make it a practice to buy or make soup, unless it was my mom’s Potato Soup. But see, since starting this blog and making it a quest to eat meatless at least once per week, I’ve found more and more soups that actually look … gasp … good, appealing, and even tasty. What’s going on??!?! Since August, I’ve blogged about eight soups that I’ve loved and look forward to making again. This is cRaZIneSs! [Yup, I used to type like that all.the.time back in the days of AIM. Hilarious!] Anyways, I’ll consider my problems at a later time. I’ve gotta tell you about this soup.

This Roasted Tomato and Black Bean soup is fabulous. It’s smooth and flavorful, with extra depth from roasting the veggies. It’s spicy but not too intense, and has a hint of summer in every bite. I can’t wait to make this with fresh tomatoes from the farmer’s market come summer! This soup also freezes really well, so don’t be afraid of making the whole batch and dividing it into smaller containers to freeze for lunch. Have at it!

Roasted Tomato and Black Bean Soup [from Ellie Krieger’s So Easy]

Ingredients:

  • 7 medium tomatoes, quartered
  • 1 1/2 cups onion, chopped in large pieces
  • 3 cloves garlic, peeled
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • salt and pepper
  • 5 cups chicken broth [vegetable would work too]
  • 2 15 ounce cans of black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • dash hot pepper sauce
  • sour cream, for topping
  • cilantro, for topping

Directions:

Preheat oven t0 375 degrees. Toss the tomatoes, onion, and garlic with the olive oil, a little salt, and a generous amount of pepper. Spread in a single layer on a baking sheet, then roast for about 35-45 minutes, flipping halfway through. Remove from oven when the garlic is softened, the onions are brown, and the tomatoes have collapsed.

Meanwhile, stir together the broth, beans, cumin, chili powder, and a little pepper in a 4-6 quart saucepan or dutch oven. When veggies are cool enough to handle, add veggies to the pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and blend until smooth using an immersion blender or in batches in a food processor or regular blender. If you choose the second option, allow mixture to cool and be sure to vent so hot liquid doesn’t explode all over your kitchen! Stir in the hot pepper sauce, to taste. Garnish with cilantro and sour cream as desired.

Click here for the printable version: Roasted Tomato and Black Bean Soup

Question of the Day: Were you into AIM or any other online chatting? What was one of your super cool screennames and how did you come up with it? I was wlrunner03 for many years… school + sport + graduation year…. ooooh yeah! And I was also wltrackgrl I think…

Main Dishes, Recipes, Soups

Crock Pot Hot Potato Soup

Sarah

Hot potato, hot potato, hot potato hot! Anyone else ever play this game back in elementary school? I know I sure did. And in tribute to days of old… I bring to you Crock Pot Hot Potato Soup.soup in a bowl

So, this variation of potato soup is definitely different than my traditional fare, but that doesn’t mean it’s any less yummy. This Crock Pot Hot Potato Soup is the closest thing I’ve ever had to a baked potato in a bowl. Creamy and satisfying, it is a rich, filling one dish meal that everyone will love. It’s definitely a potato soup, but not overwhelmingly so. What makes this Crock Pot Hot Potato Soup unique is the kick of spice that surprises you with each and every bite. Subtle enough for those spice scaredy-cats like myself, but strong enough that spice lovers [like Ben] can rejoice with every bite, this soup is as flavorful as they come. Plus, since it’s made in the crock pot, it’s easy too–just prep the ingredients the night before and turn it on in the morning. Easy as 1-2-3! And it’ll be really easy to give this hot potato away… not that you’ll want to after a bite or two. Enjoy!

Crock Pot Hot Potato Soup

Ingredients:

  • 4 cups potatoes, roughly peeled and diced
  • 2 cups chicken broth [or vegetable broth]
  • 1/2 cup celery, chopped
  • 1/2 cup red onion, finely chopped
  • 10 ounces condensed cream of chicken soup [you can buy it or make your own, like I did… vegetarians can try other types of condensed soups]
  • 1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 jalapeno, finely chopped and partially deseeded according to your desire for spice
  • black pepper
  • red chili pepper flakes
  • 12 ounce can fat free evaporated milk
  • olive oil
  • shredded cheese, for serving [optional]
  • green onions, for serving [optional]
  • cooked and crumbled bacon, for serving [optional]

Directions:

In a small skillet, saute onions and celery in olive oil over medium high heat until just soft. Meanwhile, combine potatoes, chicken broth, condensed soup, jalapeno, and garlic powder in a crock pot.  Add in onions and celery and stir to combine. Season with pepper and chili pepper flakes as desired. Cover and cook on low heat for 6-8 hours, then stir in the evaporated milk and cook for about 20-25 minutes more. Serve with cheese, green onions and bacon.

Click here for the printable version: Crock Pot Hot Potato Soup

Question of the Day: Fave childhood game? Ready… go! I loved to play freeze tag. You’re it 🙂

Come join the fun at the My Baking Addiction and GoodLife Eats Holiday Recipe Exchange sponsored by West Bend.

Main Dishes, Recipes, Soups

Tomato Tortellini Soup

Sarah

You know what’s just fabulous for cold, snowy antomato tortellini soupd icy days? A steaming hot bowl of soup. But not just any soup… soup that is filling, tasty, and comforting. Soup that reminds you of childhood. And no soup reminds me of childhood quite like tomato soup [with grilled cheese, of course! Duh!] And this, my friends, is the best tomato soup I have ever had. I know saying that something is the “best” is a bold claim but I’m bold like that. 🙂 This soup may seem a little complicated, but I promise you it is worth it. Creamy tomatoes + cheesy tortellini = delicious awesomeness. You don’t even need grilled cheese to dip! But I wouldn’t object if you did… Enjoy!

Tomato Tortellini Soup

adapted from Lynn’s Kitchen Adventures

Ingredients:

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 cup onion, chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 8 cups of chicken broth
  • 4- 14 ounce cans of tomatoes [I used diced, salt-free tomatoes]
  • ¼ cup parmesan cheese
  • 9 ounces cheese tortellini, uncooked [I used dried but you could use fresh]
  • salt and pepper

Directions:

Prepare tortellini according to package directions. Meanwhile, saute onion and garlic in olive oil in a large stock pot. Add broth, tomatoes, and parmesan cheese and simmer for about 30 minutes, uncovered and stirring occasionally. Then, puree the mixture. You can use a blender or food processor, I like to use my immersion blender with hot liquids. If you need to use a blender or food processor, be careful and let the liquid cool a little first. Return soup to pot and stir in tortellini. Heat thoroughly and add salt and pepper to taste.

Notes:

This makes a lot… great for a crowd or leftovers, but if it’s too much for you, halve it!

Question of the Day: What food reminds you of childhood?