Roasted Cauliflower Soup

I had intended to make another dish with the head of cauliflower that I purchased a few days before (okay, maybe it was a week), but that wouldn't have used the entire thing and I was definitely worried about rotting food. Thus, since we have been on a soup kick I searched for recipes for cauliflower soup. I came across a recipe from Bakeaholic Mama for Cream of Cauliflower and Leek Soup. Just the title sounded really good, but I was out of leeks. Thus, I used an onion and for added flavor, I roasted the cauliflower--I love roasted cauliflower and frankly would have had more in the soup had I stopped nibbling. Using leeks will definitely make it more flavorful, as well as using more cauliflower (I'm writing 2 heads in the recipe but maybe 1 that's not half-nibbled would work), but this was quite tasty.

Sorry I forgot to take any pictures, but it was too good not to post.

Roasted Cauliflower Soup

1-2 large heads cauliflower
1 large leek or medium onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 c chicken broth
1/2 c half and half
sprig of fresh thyme (or 1 tsp dried)
salt, pepper, olive oil

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Chop cauliflower into even pieces. Toss lightly in olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 20-25 minutes until cauliflower is tender and lightly browned. (I'd do a taste test here.)

In a medium dutch oven or pot, saute onion or leek in olive oil until tender. Add garlic and cook for another minute or two.

Add roasted cauliflower, thyme, and chicken broth and simmer for about 20 minutes.

Remove thyme sprig. Puree mixture using blender or stick blender until you have a nice smooth consistency. Add half and half and cook over medium low for another 10 minutes. Adjust seasonings.

Serves 4

Roasted Carrot and Potato Soup

Happy day after Thanksgiving! If you're like me, you probably have big plans for Black Friday shopping. Actually, our plan is to make it to Walmart for the 10pm Thursday sales then go to bed and get up for the 6am sales. Here's a recipe that would be perfect for those leftover roasted vegetables from Thanksgiving. Roasting vegetables makes them sweet and tender without drying them out. I made this last week after having about 1/2 a pound of roasted carrots leftover from a previous meal and just didn't feel like serving them as-is. Super simple, super yummy. (My husband said he thought was was eating potato soup, which annoyed me greatly because it's orange! That being said, you might want to err on the side of more carrots than less.)

Tomorrow I have a recipe for roasted cauliflower soup planned. Are you seeing a trend here?



1/2 - 1 lb carrots (I used about half a small bag of baby carrots), cut into sticks
3 large potatoes (or 4-5 smaller ones), cubed
2 c chicken broth
2 c water
1/2 c half and half
1 tsp thyme or a couple fresh sprigs
salt, pepper, olive oil

Toss carrots in olive oil, salt, pepper, and thyme. Roast in a 425 degree oven for about 20-25 minutes until tender and a little browned.

Place potatoes, chicken broth, and water into a medium soup pot. Bring to a boil, then simmer until potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.

Add roasted carrots and simmer for 10 minutes.

Using an immersion blender, puree soup. Add half and half and simmer for 15 minutes. Adjust seasoning to taste.



Serves 4-6

Slowcooker Garden Minestrone

Well, it's Thursday and thunderstorms are on the way. Thus, this awesome soup recipe which I found at Finding Joy in My Kitchen fits the bill. This soup whips up with minimal chopping and makes soup for a couple meals plus more for the freezer (I'd guess about 8-10 cups). I made a few minor changes such as using chicken broth instead of veggie broth and using more carrots and tomatoes. Plus, I had some nice tomato paste so only used a couple tablespoons rather than the entire can (which you must do if you used the cheap stuff). Definitely a tasty dish.



Slowcooker Garden Minestrone

1 medium onion, diced
1 medium zucchini, diced
1 C frozen green beans
1 stalk celery, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
3 C chicken broth
1 can Great White Northern Beans, rinsed and drained
28 oz can diced tomatoes, undrained
2-3 tbs good quality tomato paste
1/2 c carrots, chopped
1/2 tsp. parsley
1 1/4 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. basil
1/4 tsp. thyme
1 c water
1/4 C red wine
8 oz frozen spinach
1/2 C small shell pasta

In 5-6 qt slowcooker (5 qt will be completely filled) add all ingredients except spinach and pasta. Cook on low for 7-8 hours until veggies are tender.

Turn slowcooker to high and stir in pasta and spinach. Cook for 30 minutes or until pasta is tender.

Serve with crusty bread. 8-10 cups.

Jamie Oliver's Roasted Tomato Soup with Croutons

Each month, sometimes twice a month, Williams Sonoma offers a cookbook class. You receive a cookbook, usually a recent one, and enjoy a meal prepared for you from recipes in the book. This month the featured cookbook was Meals in Minutes by Jamie Oliver which won't be released until October. The cookbook itself is rather interesting and quite novel. Instead of individual recipes, each page is a plan for a full meal to be prepared in 30 minutes. It gives you a list of all the ingredients for each recipe and then tells you how to prepare everything at once. It's great if you're preparing the entire menu, but somewhat challenging if you only want to prepare a component part since individual cooking times are often not listed. Nonetheless, there are a bunch of interesting dishes that seem worth the time, including this one for roasted tomato soup.

My auntie loved this recipe, although I wasn't too enthused. The balsamic vinegar certainly gave it an interesting tang. Possibly if the tomatoes were sweeter or if I had caramelized the onions, I might have liked it better, but it was just too strong as it--basil and balsamic vinegar were the most prominent flavors. Alternatively, if I made it again, I might thin it out with some chicken stock.



2.25 lbs cherry tomatoes
4 large tomatoes
4 cloves garlic
1 ciabatta loaf
2 small red onions, chopped
1/4 c balsamic vinegar
2 TBS tomato paste (my addition)
1/2 c - 1 c fresh basil
4 tbs of creme fraiche or to taste
salt, pepper, olive oil

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Chop large tomatoes in half or in quarters. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Peel and crush (lightly) garlic cloves and toss together with tomatoes. Roast for 15 minutes on the top rack.

Chop or tear ciabatta into crouton-sized bites, drizzle with olive oil and a pinch of salt. Bake until golden brown 8-10 minutes.

Meanwhile, saute onions in olive oil over medium until tender. Sprinkle with salt. (You may want to caramelize them for additional sweetness to your soup. If doing so, cook on medium-low or low for 20-30+ minutes.). Stir in balsamic vinegar and let it reduce down (another 5 minutes or so).

Combine tomatoes and onions. Puree mixture in batches in a blender with basil. Return to saucepan.

Over medium, stir in tomato paste and adjust seasonings accordingly.

For serving, top with creme fraiche and additional basil for garnish, if desired. Serve with croutons.

Serves 4 (unless having as main course, then 2).

Sunday Supper Series # 9: Slow Cooker Black Bean Soup

My husband made a special request for more soups. I know he likes black bean soup, but I've never made it before. After browsing through a dozen or so recipes, this is what I came up with. It's simmering in the crockpot now, so we'll see how it tastes. I thought about adding a jalepeno pepper, but chickened out at the last minute because I know he doesn't like things too spicy.

Updated: We loved it! This was so simple, and the spices were perfect. I will definitely make this again.



1 lb dry black beans (rinsed and soaked overnight) or 2 15-oz cans
14 oz can fire roasted tomatoes, diced
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion, diced (about 1 cup)
32 oz chicken broth
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground pepper

Combine all ingredients in slow cooker. You may add a bit of minced jalapeno pepper, if you like. Cook on low for 8 hours, until beans are tender.

Using an immersion blender, pursee some of the mixture until you have consistency desired. left a few beans whole, but pretty much took the blender through the entire pot.

Adjust seasonings, if necessary.

Serves 4-6

Butternut Squash Soup with Caramelized Onions

This recipe is slightly similar to my Butternut Squash and Leek Soup that I made last November, but I mixed it up by using a red onion and tarragon and sage. Those herbs were chosen by smell frankly because I discovered I was out of thyme and wanted something woodsy, but not as harsh as rosemary. I really liked the combination. You could omit the milk, if desired, or up the creaminess by using a higher fat milk product.





Printable version

Ingredients
1.5-2 lbs butternut squash
2 large onions (I used one red and one sweet), sliced (about 3 cups)
48 oz chicken broth
4 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 c milk of choice (I used 2%)
1 tsp dried sage
1/2 tsp dried tarragon

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut in half and de-seed butternut squash. Salt and pepper insides. Roast face-down on a cookie sheet sprayed with cooking spray until tender, about 45 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, saute onions, tarragon, and sage in olive oil slowly over medium-low heat until nearly caramelized. This step is up to you as the more-caramelized, the sweeter the result. I took my onions about 80% of the way towards caramelization so they were not completely mushy.

3. Add garlic and butternut squash. Cook for 1-2 minutes.

4. Add chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 20 minutes.

5. With an immersion blender, puree the mixture until it reaches the desired consistency.

6. Stir in milk and adjust seasonings to taste.

Serves 6 (roughly 1.5 cup portions)

Tomato Spinach Soup

I'm sick and wanted a soup that had green veggies in it. This Rachel Ray Recipe was my inspiration, but I made a number of modifications.



28 oz diced tomatoes, drained
28 oz tomato puree
2.5 c chicken broth
1 large onion, sliced
2 med carrots, diced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
10 oz fresh spinach (I used baby)
salt, pepper, olive oil
2 tsp sugar, if necessary

In a dutch oven over medium heat, saute onions and carrots in olive oil. Continue cooking while stirring often, over med-low until they have caramelized. This should take upwards of 20 minutes. (I got impatient so had to add sugar at the end).

Raise heat and add garlic. Cook for 1 minute.

Stir in tomatoes, tomato puree, and broth. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Bring to a near boil and wilt in spinach. Depending upon the size of your pot, this may take some time.

Reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes. Adjust seasoning to taste. (This is where you add the sugar, if necessary).



Serves 6 (about 1 c servings)

Caramelized Onion Mushroom Soup

Sorry for the delay in posting. I was out of town for a mere 4 days, but somehow I'm nearly two weeks behind in blogging. My only explanation is that we ate out so much while in Hawaii that I only cooked once and made a veggie pasta recipe that I had tried a little more than a month ago. I'm also working on emptying out my freezer here, so not too much cooking. Anyway, this recipe is adapted from one I found on the William Sonoma website. I simplified the recipe a bit based on what I had on hand. I also began preparing it in the morning and had to run to work. Thus, before pureeing, the soup was refrigerated for about 8 hrs. I don't recommend this step, although cooling the soup allowed me to use the blender which is a lot faster than an immersion blender. All in all, this recipe was most tasty and I will definitely try it again.



1 lb onions, about 3 medium, diced
2 med carrots, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
4 cloves garlic
2 lbs mushrooms, sliced
1/4 c Marsala
1 bay leaf
7 c chicken broth
salt, pepper, olive oil

Gruyere cheese and day-old French bread to serve


1) In a large dutch oven, saute onions over medium heat until softened and caramelized, about 30 minutes.

2) Add celery, garlic, and carrots and cook until softened, about 6 minutes.

3) Add Marsala wine and cook until mostly evaporated, 2 minutes

4) Add mushrooms and cook until softened and liquid has evaporated, about 10 more minutes.

5) Season mixture with salt and pepper. Add chicken broth and bay leaf. Heat to an almost boil. Simmer on low for 25 minutes.

6) Using an immersion blender or carefully with a regular blender, puree soup until smooth. Adjust seasoning to taste.

7) To serve, top with toasted bread cubes and a generous sprinkle of cheese. Broil for a few minutes until golden brown.

Serves 6.

Slow Cooker Beef and Mushroom Soup

This recipe has been adapted from the Southern Living Slow-Cooker Cookbook. I prepared the batch as directed, more or less, then added evaporated milk to half of the batch to make a cream soup (picture on the right). I also had a little less meat so I added more mushrooms and veggies. I liked them both although there's a missing spice that I can't put my finger on--maybe add a bay leaf? The recipe is printed how I prepared it.



1.5 - 2 lbs stew meat (I went fancy and bought from Trade Joes)
1/4 c all purpose flour
1 large onion chopped
3-4 celery ribs, chopped
4 garlic cloves, pressed
28 oz beef broth
12-16 oz mushrooms (half baby bellos, half white)
2 tbs fresh thyme
(1 bay leaf--I didn't use, but might help)
1 tsp salt
t tsp pepper
olive oil
3/4 - 1 c evaporated skim milk (since I only added this to half a batch, I used .5 c)

Toss the meat in flour, then brown in olive oil. Transfer to slow cooker.

Saute the onion, celery, and garlic until almost tender, about 4 min.

Add veggies to meat in slow cooker, add remaining ingredients (except milk) and stir well.

Cook on low for 8 hours or until beef is tender. Depending upon the size of your cubes of beef, you may want to break them up a bit.

In the last 30 min of cooking, add milk. Adjust seasons as desired.

Serves 6-8.

Guest Post: Creamy Roasted Tomato Soup

My auntie prepared this Bobby Flay recipe on Superbowl Sunday. She said that she thought the thyme was a little overpowering, but that the dish was well-received by her guests. She also recommends using an immersion blender rather than a traditional blender. Looks yummy to me and is definitely going on the list to try. Love her step-by-step pictures.



10 plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise, seeds removed
1/4 cup olive oil, divided
6 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 Spanish onion, diced
1 carrot, diced
3 cups vegetable stock
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme
1 1/2 cups heavy cream

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Place tomatoes in a large baking dish and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and sprinkle with the garlic, season with salt and pepper.



Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the tomatoes are soft.



Heat the remaining olive oil in a medium stock pot over medium heat. Add the onions and carrots and cook until the onions are soft, about 5 minutes. Add the roasted tomatoes, garlic, and the juices that have accumulated. Add the stock and fresh thyme and cook for 20 minutes.



Place the cream in a small saucepan over medium high heat and cook until reduced by half. Transfer the mixture to a blender and blend until smooth, strain into a clean saucepan over low heat, add the reduced cream, and cook for 5 minutes.



Serves 4

Curried Butternut Squash Soup

This recipe was adapted from Ellie Krieger's "The Food You Crave." I used nearly 2 tsp less curry powder than the recipe called for and added more honey and milk, but it was still a little too strong. If I try this again, I might start with 1.5 tsp curry powder and add more if necessary.



2.5 lb butternut squash, sliced in half
1 med onion, chopped
4 c garlic, minced
6 c chicken stock or broth
1 TBS curry powder
1/2 tsp salt
3 TBS honey
1/2 c evaporated milk

Roast squash cut-side down on a cookie sheet at 375 degrees for 45 min or more until tender. Allow to cool and scoop out of skin.

Saute onions in olive oil for about 5 minutes or until softened. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Season with salt.

Add squash, chicken stock, and curry powder. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 15 minutes.

Puree mixture using an immersion blender. Add honey and milk. Adjust seasoning as desired.

Serves 6.

French Onion Soup

This recipe is adapted from one found in this month's Every Day Food.


7 medium onions, sliced 1/4 inch
4 T butter
1.5 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
5 c beef broth
salt and pepper

Melt butter in large pot over medium high heat. (I used my large le creuset) Add onions and salt. Cook stirring frequently until softened and beginning to brown. This will take approximately 20-30 minutes.

Reduce heat to medium or medium low. Add sugar and cook until golden brown with a jam-like consistency. Stir very often.

Add broth and bring to a simmer. Salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with crusty bread and topped with cheese such as monzarella, gruyere.

4 servings

Tomato Soup with Broccolini

This recipe has been adapted from one that appeared in a recent Rachel Ray magazine.



2 small carrots, chopped
2 medium celery stalks, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp dried oregano
28 oz diced tomatoes
14 oz fire-roasted tomatoes (do NOT use the TJ variety with chiles)
3 cups chicken stock
2 bunches broccolini, about 2 cups, cut into 2 in pieces
salt and pepper
Gruyère or Parmesan cheese to serve

In a medium pot or dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat. Cook carrots, celery, and onion with oregano until slightly soft, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for another minute. Season with salt and pepper. Add the tomatoes and stock and bring to a simmer. Cook, covered, about 20 minutes until the veggies are tender.

In a separate pot, bring 2 inches of salted water to a boil. Cook broccolini and cook until crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Drain.

Using an immersion blender, puree the soup. (At this step I added another cup of chicken stock as the Rachel Ray recipe only called for 2 cups originally.)Season with additional salt and pepper. Stir in broccoli.

Serve with grated Gruyère or Parmesan cheese.

Serves 4-6.

Cream of Mushroom Soup

This recipe was modified from a Food Network recipe by the same name.

1 oz dried mushrooms (I used porcini and a mixed pkg from World Market)

1 3/4 c hot water

12-16 oz fresh mushrooms, button

6 c chicken broth

4 T butter, 1 T olive oil

5 cloves garlic, minced

1 large onion, finely chopped

2 medium shallots, finely chopped

7 T all purpose flour

1 bay leaf

1 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp dried parsley

1 tsp salt

3/4 tsp fresh ground pepper

1 c half and half

splash of sherry or Madeira, if desired.

Soak dried mushrooms in hot water for 20 minutes. Remove using a slotted spoon, reserving liquid.

Saute all mushrooms in olive oil and butter over medium high heat until soft and somewhat dry, about 6 minutes. Add in onions and shallots, cook covered until soft, about 5 more minutes. Add in garlic, and cook for another minute.

Add flour, cook for another minute. Whisk in reserved liquid from mushrooms. Use a strainer to remove any sediment. Whisk in chicken stock. Bring to a near boil.

Add spices and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove bay leaf and fresh herb stems, if used.

Using an immersion blender (or carefully using a regular blender in batches) puree mixture until smooth. Whisk in half and half, as well as any wine desired. Adjust seasonings accordingly.

Serves 6-8

Potato Cheddar Soup

This recipe was adapted from a Cooking.com recipe.

1 large onion, chopped

3 large baking potatoes (about 2-3 lbs), peeled and cute into 1 inch cubes

4 cups chicken stock

1 cup 2% milk

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

12-16 oz shredded cheddar cheese

Saute the onion in olive oil until tender. Stir in the potatoes, stock, and salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until the potatoes are tender. About 20 minutes.

Using an immersion blender, puree the mixture until you reach the desired consistency.

With the heat still on low, or removed from heat, stir in the cheese until melted. (The original recipe called for a mere six ounces of cheese, but I kept adding more cheese until I was please with the taste). Mix in the milk and cook a couple more minutes until warm. Adjust salt and pepper, as needed.

Serves 4-6.

Butternut Squash and Leek Soup

Adapted from a recipe by the same name at Cooking.com. I reduced it.

1-2 lb butternut squash

3 T butter

1 large leek, white and tender parts, chopped

4 thyme sprigs

3 c chicken stock

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Slice butternut squash in half, remove seeds, and place on baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Cook for 45 minutes or until tender. Remove skin.

In a medium dutch oven, saute leeks and thyme in butter over low heat until carmelized. This will take nearly as long as the butternut squash. Remove the thyme sprigs.

Add the squash and stock to the cooked leeks. Simmer over medium heat for 20 minutes.

Using an immersion blender, process until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. For a creamer soup, add a splash of milk (up to 1/2 cup) at this point. This is also a very thick soup, so if thinner consistency is desired, add up to 1/2 cup more stock.

4 servings

Broccoli Cheese Soup

This recipe was adapted from a Cooking Light recipe. I fattened it up a bit.

1 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups chicken broth
16 oz broccoli florets (I used two large heads)
2 1/2 cups 2% milk
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
16 oz cheddar cheese, shredded

Saute onion in olive oil until tender. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add broth and broccoli. Bring mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium; cook 10 minutes.

Combine milk and flour, stirring with a whisk until well blended. Add milk mixture to broccoli mixture. Cook 5 minutes or until slightly thick, stirring constantly. Stir in pepper. Remove from heat; add cheese, stirring until cheese melts.

Use an immersion blender and process until desired consistency results. Return to heat and adjust seasonings, if necessary.

4-6 servings

Spinach, tomato, and bean soup

This recipe was derived from a crockpot recipe that was an absolute disaster. I kept the basic idea--spinach, tomatoes, and beans, but got rid of the rice and made it on the stovetop.

45 oz chicken stock

15 oz white beans, such as Great Northern

15 oz black beans

15 oz diced tomatoes

8 oz tomato puree or tomato sauce (which is puree with seasonings)

8-12 oz frozen spinach

1 medium onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tsp cumin (most recipes combine spinach with nutmeg, but I hate nutmeg)

1 tsp dried basil

salt and pepper to taste

sugar to taste

In medium dutch oven or pot, saute onion until tender. Add garlic and cook for another minute. Add dried basil and give a good stir.

Stir in tomatoes and tomato sauce, season with salt and pepper. Add in beans and chicken stock. Bring to a near boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 20 minutes.

Raise the heat to medium and add in cumin and spinach. I bought a 16 oz bag of frozen chopped spinach and added a little more than half the bag. Avoid allowing the soup to boil. Simmer for another 15 minutes.

Adjust seasoning to taste. I also added 4 tsp of sugar at this stage, but that is unnecessary if your tomatoes are sweet.

Serves 6-8.

Chicken Soup with Orzo

This is the same chicken noodle soup recipe that I always use, but I was out of noodles so used orzo. Looks like chicken and rice but with pasta.

4lb cut up frying chicken
2 quarts (8 cups) water
1 cup chopped onions
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup celery leaves
1 bay leaf
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
5 carrots, cut-up
1 cup uncooked orzo

1. In 4-quart stockpot, combine chicken, water, onions, celery, celery leaves, bay lead, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil. Cover; simmer 45 minutes or until chicken is fork tender, no longer pink and juices run clear. Add carrots; cook 15 minutes.

2. Remove chicken from pot. Cut meat from bones. Skim off and discard fat from soup. Return meat to soup. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; simmer, uncovered, 10 to 15 minutes or until carrots are almost tender.

3. Add noodles. Return to a boil. Cook over medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes or until noodles are tender. Remove celery leaves and bay leaf. If desired, garnish with chopped parsley.

Hearty Chicken Noodle Soup

4.5-5lb cut up frying chicken
2 quarts (8 cups) water
1 cup chopped onions
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup celery leaves
1 bay leaf
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
5 carrots, cut-up
1 cup uncooked wide egg noodles

1. In 4-quart stockpot, combine chicken, water, onions, celery, celery leaves, bay lead, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil. Cover; simmer 45 minutes or until chicken is fork tender, no longer pink and juices run clear. Add carrots; cook 15 minutes.

2. Remove chicken from pot. Cut meat from bones. Skim off and discard fat from soup. Return meat to soup. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; simmer, uncovered, 10 to 15 minutes or until carrots are almost tender.

3. Add noodles. Return to a boil. Cook over medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes or until noodles are tender. Remove celery leaves and bay leaf. If desired, garnish with chopped parsley.