Hatch chile tortilla soup

http://sotastysoyummy.blogspot.com/2017/08/hatch-chile-tortilla-soup.html

Photo & recipe credit: http://sotastysoyummy.blogspot.com/

5-ingredient cheesy cauliflower soup with pesto

So easy and so delicious!  I pressed the easy button and used store-bought pesto instead of making my own.  Two thumbs up.

http://pinchofyum.com/5-ingredient-cheesy-cauliflower-soup


Recipe & photo credit: http://pinchofyum.com/

Creamy tomato chipotle soup

http://noblepig.com/2016/12/creamy-tomato-chipotle/

Photo & recipe credit: http://noblepig.com/

French onion soup

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/geoffrey-zakarian/french-onion-soup.html

Photo & recipe credit: http://www.foodnetwork.com/

Corn and sweet potato chowder with saffron cream

https://www.washingtonpost.com/recipes/corn-and-sweet-potato-chowder-saffron-cream/15458

Photo & recipe credit: Washington Post/Soup Swap cookbook

Broccoli cheddar chicken and dumpling soup

http://www.halfbakedharvest.com/broccoli-cheddar-chicken-and-dumpling-soup/


Photo and recipe credit: http://www.halfbakedharvest.com/

Brown sugar chili and cheese grits

http://www.eunamaes.com/2016/10/brown-sugar-chili-and-cheese-grits.html


Photo and recipe credit: http://www.eunamaes.com/

Sweet potato corn chowder

http://www.ambitiouskitchen.com/2016/09/vegan-sweet-potato-corn-chowder/

Recipe and photo credit: http://www.ambitiouskitchen.com/

Roasted garlic tomato soup

http://naturallyella.com/roasted-garlic-and-tomato-soup/

Note: I skipped the sorghum garnish because I couldn't find it anywhere, and I added a splash of worcestershire sauce.

Recipe and photo credit: http://naturallyella.com/

Thai coconut curry chicken soup

http://www.cookingclassy.com/2016/08/thai-coconut-curry-chicken-soup/

Recipe and photo credit: http://www.cookingclassy.com/

Moroccan chili

We made this Moroccan vegetarian chili from the Soup of the Day cookbook (Williams-Sonoma) last week and it was a big hit.  It is perfectly and warmly spiced with turmeric, cumin and cinnamon, and butternut squash is always welcome in this house.

Moroccan Vegetarian Chili

Serves 6

Ingredients:

4 large ancho chiles

10 cloves garlic (4 whole, 6 sliced)

1 yellow onion

1 1/2 tsp ground turmeric

1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 1/2 tsp ground coriander

1 28 oz. can diced tomatoes

1 butternut squash, peeled, halved, seeded and cut into 1/2 inch cubes

2 15 oz. cans chickpeas

2 zucchini, cut into 1/2 inch dice

1/3 cup sliced dried apricots

1/3 cup sliced pitted prunes (I omitted these)

In a saucepan, combine the chiles and 3 cups water and bring to a boil.  Remove from the heat- cover and let stand for 15 minutes.  Using tongs or a slotted spoon, transfer the chiles to a work surface; reserve the liquid.  Discard the stems and seeds from the chiles.  In a blender or food processor, combine the chiles with the 4 whole cloves garlic and 1/2 cup of the reserved chile soaking liquid.  Process until smooth and set aside.

Heat a large, heavy pot over medium heat.  Coat the pan with nonstick cooking spray.  Add the onion, the sliced garlic cloves, turmeric, cinnamon, cumin and coriander and saute until the onion and garlic have softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and their juices, the butternut squash, and chile puree.  Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the butternut squash is just tender, about 25 minutes.

Stir in the chickpeas with their liquid, the zucchini, and the dried apriocts and prunes.  Simmer, uncovered, until the zucchini is tender, about 15 minutes.  Serve and enjoy!

Barbecue chicken chili

Well y'all, it is officially chili season.  There is nothing I love more on a cold night than a fire in the fireplace and a pot of chili on the stove!  We made this BBQ chicken chili from Skinnytaste with friends on Halloween night, and it was a big hit!!

Spicy tomato and cheddar soup

Yay, it's SOUP SEASON!!  We've never met a tomato soup we didn't like (there are 4 or 5 versions on this blog alone), and this spicy tomato and cheddar soup from Nancy Fuller is no exception.  It's simple but has a ton of flavor- it's the classic combination of tomato soup and grilled cheese, all in one bowl!  

White bean, tomato and kale soup

We've had our share of freezing temperatures, wintry mix, and occasional snowflakes falling here in Arkansas, and in this house that means soup, soup, soup!  We made this one from Ezra Pound Cake last week and LOVED it- so hearty and such great flavor.  I can't wait to make it again!!

WHITE BEAN, TOMATO AND KALE SOUP

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

For the Roasted Garlic:

1 head of garlic

2 Tbsp olive oil

For the Soup:

2 Tbsp olive oil

1/2 cup onion, diced

1 rib celery, diced

1 tsp thyme, chopped

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1 14.5-ounce can diced fire-roasted tomatoes

1 Tbsp roasted garlic

32 ounces vegetable or chicken broth

1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped

2 15-ounce cans white cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

6 ounces kale, stems removed and leaves lightly chopped

Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions:

To Roast the Garlic: 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Turn your garlic bulb on its side, and cut in half. Place the garlic, cut side up, on a sheet of aluminum foil. Drizzle the cut sides with olive oil, and put them back together.  Wrap the garlic in the foil, and roast until tender, about 50 minutes. When the garlic cools, squeeze it out of the skin. You’ll be using 1 tablespoon for the soup, so you can store the rest in the refrigerator for several days.

For the Soup: 

In a large pot, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil on medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring until soft, about 5 minutes.

Add the celery, thyme, chili flakes and oregano, and cook for 2 minutes.

Stir in the tomato and roasted garlic, and cook for 3 minutes.

Add the broth and basil, reduce the heat to simmer, and cook for 15 minutes.

Add the beans, and bring the soup back to a gentle simmer. Cook for 10 minutes more. (Check the pot every once in a while to make sure the soup isn’t boiling and breaking apart your beans.)

Gently add the kale. Bring the pot back to a simmer, and cook for 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.

Creamy tomato-balsamic soup

I LOVE tomato soup.  If it's on the menu, chances are I'm ordering it.  I get it to-go from Panera at least once a week, I've made several delicious versions at home (here, here and here for example), and now I'm adding this creamy tomato-balsamic soup from Cooking Light to the list.  The preparation of this recipe is pretty unique- you pour a broth mixture over the vegetables and then roast them in a very hot oven to get all that browned caramelly goodness.  This one is a keeper!

CREAMY TOMATO-BALSAMIC SOUP

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

1 cup less-sodium beef broth, divided 

1 tablespoon brown sugar

3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce

1 cup coarsely chopped onion 

5 garlic cloves

2 (28-ounce) cans whole tomatoes, drained

Cooking spray 

1/2 cup half-and-half

Cracked black pepper and salt to taste

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 500°.

Combine 1/2 cup of broth, sugar, vinegar, and soy sauce in a small bowl. Place onion, garlic, and tomatoes in a 13 x 9-inch baking pan coated with cooking spray. Pour broth mixture over tomato mixture. Bake at 500° for 40 minutes or until vegetables are lightly browned.

Place tomato mixture in a blender. Add remaining 1/2 cup broth and half-and-half, and process until smooth. Garnish with cracked black pepper.

Sweet potato & chicken chili

The temperatures have finally started to cool off around here, and we jumped at the chance to make this sweet potato & chicken chili from Pinch of Yum.  It is thick, hearty and delicious- welcome, Fall!!

SWEET POTATO & CHICKEN CHILI

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients:

1½ lbs. chicken breasts

5 cups chicken broth

1 onion, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 jalapeno, minced

2 tablespoons butter or olive oil

1 Tbsp chili powder

1 teaspoon salt

2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and diced (about 4 cups)

2 14-ounce cans fire roasted tomatoes, undrained

1 14-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed

Cilantro, for topping

Instructions:

1). Poach the chicken: Bring the chicken broth to a rolling boil and add the raw chicken breasts. Cover and cook for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the chicken continue to cook in the broth for another 20 minutes. Remove the chicken, let cool, and shred with two forks. Reserve 2 cups of broth.

2). Saute the veggies: Heat the butter in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and jalapeño and saute until tender. Add the chili powder, salt, and sweet potatoes. Saute until the sweet potatoes are lightly browned.  Add the fire roasted tomatoes, black beans, shredded chicken and reserved broth. Stir and cover with a tight fitting lid. Keep over medium low heat for 45 minutes without stirring.

3). Make it saucy: After 45 minutes, uncover and you’ll see a bunch of chicken and veggies with hardly any liquid. Perfect. Add 2 cups of water (or less, as needed) and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper and serve topped with cilantro.

Pumpkin Sriracha soup

Did you know pumpkin isn't just for baking?  We discovered it makes a great soup, too, when we made this pumpkin Sriracha soup from Noble Pig a few weeks ago.  It's creamy and spicy, and Robert is always game when there's fried sage involved.  It's a great comfort food on these cold nights!

PUMPKIN SRIRACHA SOUP

Serves: 4

Ingredients

1/4 cup olive oil

12 fresh sage leaves, divided (1 Tbsp chopped for soup, fry additional leaves for garnish)

1/2 cup finely diced onion

1 Tablespoon minced garic

1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika

2 cups chicken stock or vegetable broth

1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree

1/4 cup dry white wine

1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish

Salt and black pepper, to taste

1/4 cup heavy cream

1-2 Tablespoons Sriracha (this is a hot sauce typically found on the Asian foods aisle)

1 Tablespoon white wine vinegar

Instructions

Heat olive oil in a saute pan until it shimmers. Fry whole sage leaves in batches until crispy, about 30 seconds. Transfer sage leaves to a paper-towel lined plate; season with salt. Reserve 2 Tablespoons of this oil.

In a large pot, saute onion in reserved oil over medium heat, about 10 minutes.. Add minced sage, garlic and paprika, saute for about one minute. Stir in broth, pumpkin and wine, bring to a slight, slight boil. Add Parmesan cheese and stir until melted. Simmer soup covered for about 15-20 minutes.

Stir in heavy cream. Stir in Sriracha 1 Tablespoon at a time. Taste after first addition, and add additional Sriracha to desired spiciness. Add the vinegar and serve immediately.  Garnish with extra Parmesan and fried sage leaves.

Chicken soup with avocado relish

We made this chicken soup from Cooking Light last week and it is FANTASTIC!  The guacamole on top was an a-ha moment- why didn't I think of that??  Try it- you'll love it.

CHICKEN SOUP WITH AVOCADO RELISH
Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients

Spice blend:

2 1/2 teaspoons chili powder

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Soup:

1 tablespoon canola oil, divided 

1 1/4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch-wide strips

2 cups chopped sweet onion

1 cup chopped red bell pepper 

1 cup chopped green bell pepper 

1 cup chopped yellow bell pepper 

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups fresh corn kernels

1 32-ounce carton fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth 

1 28-ounce can fire-roasted crushed or diced tomatoes, undrained

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

Relish:

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

1/3 cup chopped green onions

1 teaspoon grated lime rind

1/3 cup shredded cheese of your choice

1 diced avocado 

Instructions

1. Prepare spice blend: combine first 6 ingredients in a small bowl.

2. To prepare soup, heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick saucepan over medium-high heat. Add chicken; sprinkle 1 1/2 tablespoons spice blend over chicken. Sauté 8 minutes or until done; cool. Shred chicken; set aside.

3. Heat remaining 1 teaspoon oil in pan over medium-high heat; add onion, bell peppers, garlic, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Sprinkle vegetable mixture with remaining spice blend; sauté 8 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Stir in chicken, corn, broth, and tomatoes; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 15 minutes. Add lime juice.

4. To prepare relish, combine chopped cilantro and next 4 ingredients (through avocado).

5. Serve soup topped with avocado relish.

Roasted tomato basil soup

When Fall comes around and the temperatures drop, I go on a soup making frenzy.  And tomato is one of our favorites.  Hot, cold, creamy, soupy... we like it all.  And this roasted tomato basil recipe from Ina Garten is a new favorite.  The original recipe is a chunkier version finished off through the coarse setting of a food mill, but we use our immersion blender and smooth it out a bit more.  I love the combination of fresh, roasted tomatoes and the canned variety- simple and delicious!!

ROASTED TOMATO BASIL SOUP

Ingredients

3 pounds ripe plum tomatoes, cut in half lengthwise

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

2 cups chopped yellow onions (2 onions)

6 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 (28-ounce) canned plum tomatoes, with their juice

4 cups fresh basil leaves, packed

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

1 quart chicken stock or water

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Toss together the tomatoes, 1/4 cup olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread the tomatoes in 1 layer on a baking sheet and roast for 45 minutes.

In an 8-quart stockpot over medium heat, saute the onions and garlic with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the butter, and red pepper flakes for 10 minutes, until the onions start to brown. Add the canned tomatoes, basil, thyme, and chicken stock. Add the oven-roasted tomatoes, including the liquid on the baking sheet. Bring to a boil and simmer uncovered for 40 minutes. Pass through a food mill fitted with the coarsest blade or puree in a blender, depending on texture you desire. Taste for seasonings. Serve hot or cold.

Cherry tomato and chile gazpacho

I love a bowl of cool gazpacho on a hot day- and hot days are plentiful right now.  This delicious recipe from Giada de Laurentiis is cool AND hot- the chiles make it pretty spicy, which I love.  Our polenta croutons didn't really brown, so we thought they were just ok.  I ate the leftover gazpacho the next day with chips as a salsa, so it's a double-duty recipe!

CHERRY TOMATO AND CHILE GAZPACHO

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

Gazpacho:

1 pound ripe cherry tomatoes (about 4 cups)

2 medium cucumbers, peeled and chopped

1 jalapeno chile, stemmed, seeded, deveined, and coarsely chopped

1 serrano chile, stemmed, seeded, deveined, and coarsely chopped

1 large shallot, coarsely chopped

1 clove garlic, smashed

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

2 to 3 teaspoons hot sauce

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus extra for seasoning

Croutons:

Vegetable oil, for frying

1/2 tube (9 ounces) store-bought, pre-cooked polenta, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (I found this in the organic section at Kroger)

3 tablespoons grated Parmesan

Instructions

For the gazpacho: Place the tomatoes, cucumbers, chiles, shallot, garlic, vinegar, hot sauce, and salt in a blender. Blend until smooth. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt, to taste. Refrigerate for 2 hours or until ready to serve.

For the croutons: In a large heavy-bottomed saucepan, pour enough oil to fill the pan with 1 inch of oil. Heat over medium heat until a deep-frying thermometer inserted in the oil reaches 375 degrees F. (If you don't have a thermometer, a cube of bread will brown in about 3 minutes.)

Working in batches, carefully add the polenta cubes and fry, stirring occasionally to keep the cubes separated, until golden brown, about 2 minutes.  Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with the Parmesan.

To serve: Ladle the gazpacho into 4 soup bowls and top with the polenta croutons.