Confessions of a Foodie

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Wednesday, October 11, 2023

Soup's On!

When the weather is cooling off, and you want something warm, yummy, and comforting, what could be better than homemade soup? It fits the bill on so many levels.

When I was growing up, my mom had a soup tureen similar to this one. When she'd pull it down from its place in the cupboard, I knew we were in for a yummy meal. Usually, she'd also make homemade rolls to go with the soup.

Mom





Sometimes, Mom would have the radio on low while cooking, listening to easy listening music. I've gotten to where I occasionally listen to one of three NPR stations: WMNF, WUSF, or WPKN. The first two are out of Tampa, Florida, the last out of Bridgeport, Connecticut. (You can access them either online on your computer or your Alexa device.) I also have CDs from several groups that just put me in the mood to do anything creative (whether cooking, writing, painting, or photography); check out Playing for Change or Abigail Washburn, for starters.

Now, for the soup. Check out the Hearty Ham and White Bean Soup, the Lemony White Bean Soup with Turkey and Greens, or any of the other yuummy soups in today’s post. Enjoy!

SAVORY BEAN SPINACH SOUP

This is from Eating Well, and begins, "Let a slow cooker complete this vegetarian soup. Serve it in cups as a sandwich side or ladle it into bowls for a light meal."

Prep Time: 15 minutes; Additional Time: 5 hours; Total Time: 5 hours 15 minutes; Yield: 6 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.eatingwell.com/recipe/259615/savory-bean-spinach-soup/.

Ingredients

3 (14 ounce) cans vegetable broth

1 (15 ounce) can tomato puree

1 (15 ounce) can white or Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained

1/2 cup converted white rice

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon dried basil, crushed

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

8 cups coarsely chopped fresh spinach or kale leaves

Finely shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions

In a 3-1/2- or 4-quart slow cooker combine broth, tomato puree, beans, rice, onion, garlic, basil, salt, and pepper.

Cover; cook on low-heat setting for 5 to 7 hours or on high-heat setting for 2-1/2 to 3-1/2 hours.

Stir spinach into soup. Serve with Parmesan cheese.

HERBED CARROT SOUP



From the December 2005 issue of Runner's World; reprinted from HerbWise: Growing, Cooking, WellBeing, by Bruce Burnett



Directions

2 pounds of carrots, chopped

1 large onion, diced

6 sprigs of fresh parsley, 3 sprigs of fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon of dried thyme, and 6 six black peppercorns, bundled together so that they can be easily removed after cooking

2 cloves garlic, crushed

4 Tbs of butter

6 C of vegetable stock

Freshly grated mace or nutmeg

Salt & pepper to taste

Directions

Lightly sauté the onion & garlic in the butter. Add the stock & carrots & simmer for about 15 minutes. Add the bundle of herbs & continue to simmer for another 20 minutes. Remove the herbs, allow the soup to cool, & put it through the blender in batches. Reheat the soup over low heat while adding the mace or nutmeg & salt & pepper to taste. Serve with some fresh, homemade bread & garnish with some fresh parsley & a little chopped fresh thyme.

Note: The original recipe called for vegetable or chicken stock.

LEMONY WHITE BEAN SOUP WITH TURKEY AND GREENS

This is from Melissa Clark at The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this recipe, Melissa wrote, "Bright with lemon and herbs, and packed with hearty greens, this highly adaptable soup can be either light and brothy or thick and stewlike, depending on your preference. Smashing some of the beans to release their starch will give you a thicker soup that’s almost worthy of a fork. To keep it on the brothy side, add a little more liquid and leave the beans intact. Either way, it’s a warming, piquant, one-pot meal that’s perfect for winter."

Time: 45 minutes; Yield: 4 servings

To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1021776-lemony-white-bean-soup-with-turkey-and-greens. (And while you're at it, if you haven't signed up for The New York Times cooking enewsletter, I highly recommend it. Great recipes, lots of info. I love the site, and hope you will, too.)

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion, diced

1 large carrot, diced

1 bunch sturdy greens, such as kale, broccoli rabe, mustard greens or collard greens

1 tablespoon tomato paste

3/4 teaspoon ground cumin, plus more to taste

1/8 teaspoon red-pepper flakes, plus more to taste

1/2 pound ground turkey

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger

1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste

1 quart chicken stock

2 (15-ounce) cans white beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup chopped fresh, soft herbs, such as parsley, mint, dill, basil, tarragon, chives or a combination

Fresh lemon juice, to taste

Preparation

Heat a large pot over medium-high for a minute or so to warm it up. Add the oil and heat until it thins out, about 30 seconds. Add onion and carrot, and sauté until very soft and brown at the edges, 7 to 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, rinse the greens and pull the leaves off the stems. Tear or chop into bite-size pieces and set aside.

When the onion is golden, add tomato paste, 3/4 teaspoon cumin and 1/8 teaspoon red-pepper flakes to the pot, and sauté until paste darkens, about 1 minute. Add turkey, garlic, ginger and 1 teaspoon salt, and sauté, breaking up the meat with your spoon, until turkey is browned in spots, 4 to 7 minutes.

Add stock and beans, and bring to a simmer. Let simmer until the soup is thick and flavorful, adding more salt if needed, 15 to 25 minutes. If you like a thicker broth, you can smash some of the beans with the back of the spoon to release their starch. Or leave the beans whole for a brothier soup.

Add the greens to the pot and simmer until they are very soft. This will take 5 to 10 minutes for most greens, but tough collard greens might take 15 minutes. (Add a little water if the broth gets too reduced.)

Stir herbs and lemon juice into the pot, taste and add more salt, cumin and lemon until the broth is lively and bright-tasting. Serve topped with a drizzle of olive oil and more red-pepper flakes, if desired.

TURKEY CLUB SOUP

This yummy recipe is from Betty Crocker. It begins, "All of the classic club sandwich ingredients – bacon, turkey, tomato and cheese – come together in this satisfying soup."

Prep Time: 25 minutes; Total Time: 55 minutes; Makes 7 servings

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

Croutons

3 cups cubed (1-inch) French bread

1/4 cup butter, melted

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves

1/2 teaspoon finely chopped garlic

Soup

6 slices bacon, chopped

1 large onion, chopped (1 cup)

1 medium carrot, coarsely chopped (1 cup)

2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic

3 cups Progresso™ unsalted chicken broth (from 32-oz carton)

8 oz prepared cheese product, cut into cubes (from 1-lb loaf)

1 lb smoked turkey breast, coarsely chopped (3 cups)

1 medium tomato, chopped (1/2 cup)

2 cups fresh baby spinach leaves

1/4 teaspoon salt

Chopped avocado, if desired

Directions

Heat oven to 375°F. In medium bowl, mix Crouton ingredients until bread is well coated. Spread in ungreased 15x10x1-inch pan. Bake 15 to 18 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and crispy. Set aside.

Meanwhile, in 5-quart Dutch oven, cook bacon over medium-high heat 4 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until bacon is crisp. Remove bacon to paper towel-lined plate, leaving bacon drippings in Dutch oven; set cooked bacon aside.

Return Dutch oven to stove; reduce heat to medium. Add onion, carrot and garlic to bacon drippings. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened. Stir in chicken broth. Heat to boiling; reduce heat to low. Cook uncovered 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Slowly stir in cheese, stirring constantly with whisk, until cheese is melted. Stir in turkey. Add tomato, spinach and salt; cook 3 to 5 minutes longer or until heated through and spinach is wilted.

Serve soup topped with croutons, bacon and chopped avocado.

Tips from the Betty Crocker Kitchens

tip 1

Reheat cream or cheese soups slowly. Boiling can case the soup to separate and curdle.

tip 2

Ask for thick slices of turkey breast at the deli, then chop them at home. Or use leftover turkey breast that you have on hand.

MEXICAN VEGETABLE SOUP WITH SALSA VERDE

This is from Weight Watchers, and begins, "Zucchini, bell peppers, onions, and tomatoes come together with cumin and chili powder in this delicious, chicken broth-based soup. Fresh cilantro and salsa verde add a pop of bright flavor just before serving, and a dollop of fat-free Greek yogurt lends luscious creaminess to each serving. And in more nice news, this soup comes together in about 20 minutes of prep time and 20 minutes on the stove. It's also great with shredded, cooked chicken, and a little roasted, diced sweet potato or cooked brown rice, if you're looking to turn it into a main course. And if you'd like a little extra heat, add a dash or two of hot sauce."

Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 20 minutes; Total Time: 40 minutes; Serves: 8; Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

4 sprays Cooking spray

4 cups Reduced-sodium chicken broth

2 cups uncooked onions, chopped, diced

1 medium orange bell pepper, seeded and diced

1 medium yellow pepper, seeded and diced, 1 tsp kosher salt (or to taste)

2 tsp minced garlic

2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp chili powder

1/4 tsp black pepper

3 small uncooked zucchini, diced

15 oz. Canned diced tomatoes, fire roasted-variety

1/3 cup cilantro, chopped

1/2 cup salsa verde

1/2 cup plain fat free Greek yogurt (optional)

Instructions

Coat a large soup pot with cooking spray; heat over medium heat. Add onion, bell peppers and salt; cook, stirring often, until crisp-tender, 7-8 minutes. Stir in garlic, cumin, chili powder and black pepper; cook, stirring a few times, 1 minute.

Add zucchini, tomatoes and broth; increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce to heat to medium low; simmer, covered until zucchini is tender, 5-8 minutes. When ready to serve, stir in cilantro; garnish with salsa verde and yogurt.

Serving size: 1 c soup, 1 Tbsp salsa, 1 Tbsp yogurt

HEARTY HAM AND WHITE BEAN SOUP

This is by Pam Anderson and was in the January 2010 issue of Runner's World (page 44; "The Athlete's Palate"). It begins, "The cabbage in this dish is rich in vitamin C and fiber, as well as phytonutrients that helpl protect against some cancers. To save time and speed up the cooking process, heat the broth and tomatoes in the microwave while chopping the vegetables."

Pam Anderson has a really great cooking site, called Three Many Cooks. I really recommend it. Go ahead, I'll wait. (Tap, tap, tap

And now, on to the soup.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 sweet onion, diced into medium pieces

1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

2 large carrots, peeled, halved lengthwise, and sliced thin

1/2 cabbage, cored, cut into bite-size shreds

12 ounces lean ham steak, diced into small pieces

1 quart chicken broth

1 14.5-ounce can petite-diced tomatoes

2 cans (15 oz each) white beans, undrained

2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

Directions

Heat the oil over medium-high in a soup kettles. Add the onion, saute until soft and golden, about five minutes. Add the Italian seasoning and saute until fragrant, about one minute. Add the remaining ingredients, then bring to a full simmer, skimming any foam that rises to the surface. Reduce heat to low, simmer gently (partially covered) until the vegetables are just cooked and flavors blended, about 15 minutes. Stir in the parsley; cover and let stand five minutes. Serve's six.

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