Whipped Roasted Cauliflower and Onion Soup

Days like this past weekend make you want to stay indoors and have soup.  Unfortunately I was under the weather and had to order soup to be delivered, but this is a great alternative to the non-sick people.  This also helps contribute to my new year's resolution of veggie meals! I didn't post a picture here, because let's be real....soup is not really picture friendly! I changed the recipe a bit from Reboot from Joe by adding more broth.  It was a bit too chunky for me and didn't smooth in my vitamix until I added the full 4 cups of stock. Enjoy!

Adapted from: Reboot with Joe

Ingredients:
1 medium head cauliflower
1 medium white onion
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp. fresh or dried thyme
1/2 tsp. fresh grated nutmeg
Sea salt and pepper, to taste
4 cups vegetable stock

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 450 F.
2. Roughly chop the cauliflower and dice onion into 1 inch/2.5 cm. pieces.
3. Line baking sheet with parchment paper and spread cauliflower and onion evenly. Drizzle with olive oil, thyme, nutmeg and a hefty pinch of salt and pepper and toss everything to coat.
4. Bake for about 35-45 minutes, tossing halfway through, until they are fully roasted and lightly browned on the edges.
5. Allow cauliflower and onions to cool slightly. For chunky soup, reserve 1 cup roasted mixture in separate bowl.
6. When the cauliflower is cool to touch, using a blender, food processor or immersion blender, add cauliflower and onions. Add 1/2 broth and process until smooth. Add additional broth until soup is at desired thickness.
7. Add puree to medium saucepan and warm.
8. Serve warm. 

Italian Sausage Soup

One dish meals. Need I say more.  On a rough day like today where the world is shut down due to snow.  This is the perfect soup to fuel the crew. It is super quick to pull together and doesn't require tons of simmering before eating.

Ingredients:
1 pound Italian sausage
1 clove garlic, minced
2 (14 ounce) cans beef broth
1 (14.5 ounce) can Italian-style stewed tomatoes
1 cup sliced carrots
1 (14.5 ounce) can great Northern beans, undrained
2 small zucchini, cubed
2 cups spinach - packed, rinsed and torn
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:
1.    In a stockpot or Dutch oven, brown sausage with garlic. Stir in broth, tomatoes and carrots, and season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 15 minutes.
2.    Stir in beans with liquid and zucchini. Cover, and simmer another 15 minutes, or until zucchini is tender.
3.    Remove from heat, and add spinach. Replace lid allowing the heat from the soup to cook the spinach leaves. Soup is ready to serve after 5 minutes.

Italian wedding soup

It is that time of the year for soup.  In DC it's not that cold, but definitely cool enough for some warm soup to fill up the belly.  In this month's Food network magazine there is a great "healthy" Italian wedding soup.  The flavor of the soup is pretty good.  It does have a veggie taste to it- AKA healthy  Don't make this soup if you are craving a heavy meat filled soup.  I made a few modifications due to my lacking Parmesan rind.  Unfortunately soup does fare well in pictures.  I took a snap shot of this soup and it looked like colored lumps covered in green blankets. 

Adapted from: Food Network
Ingredients:
1TBSP Olive oil
1 small onion finely chopped
3 carrots, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic finely chopped
2 tsp worcestershire sauce
2 tsp chopped fresh sage
3 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup of grated parmesan + 1 TBSP
1/2 lb ground pork
3 tbsp breadcrumbs preferable panko
3/4 cup orzo
8 ounces baby spinach

Directions:

1.  Heat the olive oil in the dutch oven or large pot and saute the onion and carrots until they are softer - approximately 4 mins. Add one chopped clove of garlic and 1 tsp of worcestershire sauce and sage.  After a min add the chicken broth + 3 cups of water + parmesan.
2. In a small bowl mix the pork, breadcrumbs, 1 tbsp grated parmesan, one clove of garlic, and 1 tsp of worcestershire sauce.  Form the meatballs into 1 inch each.  
3. Bring the soup to a boil and then stir in the orzo.  After 6 minutes, start adding the meatballs until they float, another 4 minutes.  Then stir in the spinach.  It should wilt after a minute.  Lade and serve with grated parmesan on top.

Creamy Chicken Pasta Soup

Yummy goodness

It was a soup kind of day.  Long weekend in January with the wind blowing everywhere today making it feel much colder than it really was.  The truth be told...I made this soup on Saturday AM for the Rising Hope crowd.  My fearless Rising Hope captain pulled this recipe out of his book and I was salivating by the end of making the meal.  I had no choice, but to go home and make my own!  I made some changes based on what I knew my family liked and I read the reviews on epicurious.  Even my one year old ate the noodles (that isn't the surprise), the chicken, the vegetables and drained the bowl to the last drop of soup. Mo soup Mo soup she screamed.

adapted from: Bon Appétit

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons butter
4 ounces button mushrooms, sliced
1 cup sliced celery
1 cup diced carrots (about 2 medium)
1 medium onion, chopped
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
6 cups chicken stock or canned low-salt chicken broth
1 TBSP herbes de provence
1 tsp sage
1/2 rotisserie chicken shredded
1 cup ditalini pasta
1 cup of peas
1.5cups half and half
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
 
Directions:
1.  Melt butter in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add mushrooms, celery, carrots and onion. Cook until celery and onion are tender, about 5 minutes.
2.  Add flour and cook 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Gradually mix in chicken stock. Bring soup to simmer, stirring frequently.
3.  Add half and half and herbs and simmer 5 minutes. Add shredded and simmer until cooked through, about 5 minutes.
4.  Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite. Drain pasta.
5.  Bring chicken soup to simmer. Mix in cooked pasta and peas and simmer 5 minutes.
6.  Mix in lemon juice; season to taste with salt and pepper.

Cabbage and White bean soup

What to do with CSA veggies.  This is what has been perplexing me for the last 11 months.  I have radishes coming out of my ears. Last week's CSA delivered me cabbage.  No one likes cabbage.  All the noses in my house were turned up with the mention of cabbage.  I was determined to make something delicious with the head of cabbage.  And the search is on.  Creamed cabbage sounded appealing, but I wanted something that my daughter couldn't push to the side of her plate.  My sister mentioned cabbage and bean soup.  I started making the soup from Epicurious, but as the soup went along I started modifying.  Here is where I ended up.

Cabbage and Bean soup

Ingredients:
1 cup dried Navy beans
1 medium onion, peeled and left whole
10 ounces ham hocks sliced
6 slices of diced cooked bacon
3 qt water
6 fresh parsley sprigs
1 Turkish or 1/2 California bay leaf
1 fresh thyme sprig
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 lb  Yukon gold potatoes cut to 1"
1 lb cabbage, cored and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (6 cups)

Directions:
1.  An hour before cooking - Quick soak the beans, by putting them in a pot with water.  Bring to a boil for 5 mins.  Turn off the burner and let it soak for an hour. Then drain in a colander to use.  
2.  Bring ham hocks and pre-soaked beans and 3 quarts water to a boil in a wide 6- to 7-quart heavy pot, skimming off any froth, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, 1 hour.
3.  Add bacon, onion, parsley, bay leaf, thyme, and garlic and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until beans are almost tender, 40 to 50 minutes.
4.  Add potatoes and cabbage to beans, then simmer, uncovered, until vegetables are very tender, 20 to 25 minutes.
5.  Remove ham hocks. When ham hocks are cool enough to handle, discard skin and bones, then cut meat into bite-size pieces. Stir into soup with salt and pepper to taste. Discard bay leaf and onion.

Minestrone Soup

It is still very cold here and at the end of a long day I want something warm in my belly.  For Christmas I got the best present ever.  A Dutch oven.  I have used the new dutch oven like more times than I can count on my fingers.  I love it!  I barely even put it away before I am making another creation with it.  I'm really glad I didn't get a heavy one and that my mom talked me into one that is a bit lighter.

Veggie Wednesday dinner tradition has continued.  This week I made this hearty minestrone and ended up having enough for left overs the next night. Even my 11 year-old thought the minestrone was delicious. My husband did think it would taste with a bit of ham.  We served it with little biscuits on the side.  It is hearty enough that you won't go looking for a snack a couple hours later since you missed the beef, chicken or pork in the meal. Enjoy!

2 cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons unsalted butter (1/4 stick)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
2 medium garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 small russet potato, medium dice
2 medium celery stalks, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
1 medium carrot, peeled, halved lengthwise, and thinly sliced
1 medium bay leaf
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes with juices
1 can french cut green beans or 1/2 lb green beans trimmed
1 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise
1/2 cup frozen peas
4 cups (1 quart) low-sodium chicken broth
3/4 cup ditalini, tubettini, or other small pasta
1/2 cup finely chopped Italian parsley (from about 1/2 bunch)
Grated Parmesan or pecorino cheese, for garnish

• Heat butter and oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Once butter foams, add onion and garlic and cook until onion is soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add potato, celery, carrot, and bay leaf and stir to coat. Cook until celery is just soft, about 4 minutes. Add tomatoes with their juices, season with salt and pepper, stir (scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan), and cook until juices are almost completely reduced, about 2 minutes.

• Add half of the green beans, half of the zucchini, half of the peas, and the broth and let simmer, stirring occasionally, until zucchini just begins to soften, about 10 minutes. Stir in reserved beans and bean-cooking liquid; remaining green beans, zucchini, and peas; pasta; and half of the parsley and simmer until the pasta is al dente, about 10 to 15 minutes.

• Remove from heat, stir in remaining parsley, taste, and adjust seasoning as needed. To serve, place soup in bowls, sprinkle grated cheese over top, and season with freshly ground black pepper.

Tomato Bisque with Cheese Toasts

Veggie Wednesday.  I got a call from the doctor today and she said I need to watch my cholesterol. So what do I eat that is fatty?  Duck, cheese, pate... Hmm...so we are watching the fatty food intake.  So one day a week I'm going to attempt to cut out the meat.  We'll see how that goes.  

Tomato Bisque with Cheese Toast

During the winter and when the temperature is in the 30's, it is time for soup.  I have  gone out to eat and ordered bisque and loved it.  So I found this recipe to do bisque and now I find out it is not hard at all. 

Adapted from Fine Cooking
Serves two.
For the bisque:

2 Tbs. olive oil
1 small onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp dried thyme
1 can (28 oz.) crushed tomatoes in purée
1-1/2 cups low-salt chicken broth
3 Tbs. honey
1-1/2 tsp. coarse salt; more to taste
1/4 tsp. finely ground black pepper; more to taste
1/3 cup heavy cream
2 Tbs. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (optional)

For the toasts:

1 load french bread
1 Tbs. Dijon mustard
4 to 6 slices cheese (I used Muenster)
1 Tbs. grated Parmesan

In a medium pot, heat the oil. Add the onion and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until tender and lightly browned on the edges, about 7 min. Add the garlic and thyme; stir until fragrant, about 1 min. Add the tomatoes, broth, honey, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring frequently, until reduced by a quarter and thickened, about 15 min. Using a stand or immersion blender, purée about half the soup; it will be still be chunky and thick. Return it to the pot and stir in the cream. Heat gently and adjust the seasonings. Ladle into bowls, sprinkle with the parsley if using, and serve immediately.

Arrange an oven rack to the highest rung and heat the broiler on high. Line a baking sheet with foil. Slice the bread into one inch slices.  Put the bread on the foil and toast each side until golden brown. Spread the mustard evenly on one side of each toast, cover with the cheese, and sprinkle with the Parmesan.

Slide the toasts back under the broiler and cook until bubbling and lightly browned on top, about 2 min. Cut each toast in half and serve immediately with the soup.

Chicken and rice soup with baby bella mushrooms

I was so good this week with bringing lunch and making dinner.  Then today we went to the school to watch the rescheduled band concert....we ended up with take out pizza- bleh.  Oh well. I need to redeem myself with a good recipe to share.  

So during Christmas week, my husband and I were sick.  I think we've been eating every type of soup around. My sister made some great turkey soup from the turkey breast I made after thanksgiving.  I was looking for a soup that was different than the norm.  This soup is chowder like with fantastic flavor. I took a picture of the soup but it looks like white mush in a bowl.  I need to improve my food picture taking skills.

Adapted from Recipes Straight from the Kowboys Home
Chicken and Rice Soup with Baby Bella Mushrooms
2 cups shredded chicken 
6 cups home made broth
1 onion, chopped
1 cup rice
8 oz. sliced baby bella mushrooms
2 Tbsp. butter
1 cup flour
3 cups milk
1/4 cup cooking sherry (I used chinese cooking wine)
1 1/2 tsp Adobo seasoning


Combine flour and 1 cup milk, stirring until no lumps appear, set aside. Saute onion and mushrooms in butter until onions are translucent. Add chicken, broth and rice. Cover and cook for the directed time on rice (15-20 min) . Once rice is done, add flour mixture and the additional 2 cups of milk along with sherry, stirring until well blended. Season to taste with Adobo. Cook on medium until it bubbles and thickens then turn off and serve. 

Note: You should serve this immediately otherwise it will be too thick.  If you are making this ahead of time, make sure you have some extra broth to thin this out when you reheat it.