::Tomato Peanut Soup::

Peanut Butter in soup?!
Yes. Absolutely, yes.
{via Canadian Living}

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp (15 mL) butter
  
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 celery stalk, diced
• 1 garlic clove , minced
• 1 tsp (5 mL) grated ginger root, or 1/4 tsp/1 ml ground
• 1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt
• 1/2 tsp (2 mL) ground coriander
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper
  
• 1 can 28 oz/796 ml diced tomatoes
• 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
• 5 cups (1.25 L) vegetable stock
• 1/2 cup (125 mL) smooth peanut butter
  
• 2 cups (500 mL) chopped fresh kale or spinash
  
• 1 tbsp (15 mL) lemon juice

Preparation

In large Dutch oven or saucepan, heat oil over medium heat; fry onion, celery, garlic, ginger, salt, coriander and cayenne, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes.

Add tomatoes, sweet potatoes and stock; bring to boil. Whisk in peanut butter; reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.

::Ontario Bean Soup with Basil::

Caelah and I made this recipe while studying the pioneering days. It is autumn comfort food. I made a few changes: I used celery salt, instead of celery. No potatoes. And just navy beans.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 large onion (Chopped )
• 1 garlic clove (Chopped )
• 4 medium potatoes (Cubed )
• 4 medium carrots (Chopped )
• 2 stalks celery (Chopped )
• 6 cups chicken stock
• 1 (28 ounce) can tomatoes (Chopped )
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 bunch fresh basil (Chopped )
• 1 cup peas
• 2 (14 ounce) cans romano beans
• 2 (14 ounce) cans white kidney beans
• 1 cup pasta shells
• 2 tablespoons parsley (Chopped )
• romano cheese (Grated)

Directions:

1. Saute onion in butter for 5 minutes.
2. Add garlic, potatoes, carrots, and celery.
3. Saute for 5 minutes.
4. Add stock, tomatoes, salt, pepper, and basil.
5. Boil, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
6. Add green beans, peas, both beans and pasta.
7. Simmer for 10 minutes.
8. Add parsley and serve sprinkled with cheese.

Easy Yummy Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients:
6 tablespoons chopped onion
4 tablespoons butter
6 cups peeled and cubed butternut squash
Enough Chicken Stock to cover Squash
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese *

In a large Soup Pot, saute onions in butter until tender. Add squash, stock, marjoram, black pepper and cayenne pepper. Bring to boil; cook 20 minutes, or until squash is tender.

Add cream cheese and puree until smooth. Heat through. Do not allow to boil.

* I felt it was too cheesy and would try just one brick of cream cheese next time.

Roasted Garlic & Sweet Potato Soup

Ingredients
1 whole head of garlic
1 red onion
1 large sweet potato, peeled
2 tsp olive oil
4 cups chicken stock
2 tsp chopped fresh thyme (or 1/2 tsp dried)
1/2 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp paprika
2 Tbsp finely chopped parsley
salt & pepper

To Do:
PREHEAT oven to 450 F
SEPARATE garlic into cloves and remove root end, but do not peel.
Cut onion into 1/2 inch thick slices. Cut potato into 1/4 inch slices.
Place garlic, onions and potato on baking sheet. Brush with olive oil.
ROAST for 15 min. turning once, or until brown.
REMOVE skin from cloves. In pot, combine garlic, onion, and potato with stock, thyme, curry powder and paprika. Simmer, covered for 15 min or until tender.
PUREE in food processor or blender. Return to pot; reheat. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Garnish with parsley.
Make 4 servings.

Fall Harvest Feast

4 bacon slices, chopped

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasthalves, chopped

1 c. chopped onion
1/2 c. chopped celery
1/2 c. chopped carrot
1/4 c. chicken (or vegetable) broth

6 c. chicken (or vegetable) stock
14 oz. can of pure pumpkin (no spices)
1/4 tsp. dried thyme
1/8 tsp. ground sage

Cook bacon in large saucepan on medium until crisp. Tranfer with slotted spoon to paper towels to drain. Set aside.

Heat 1 tbsp. drippings in same saucepan on medium-high. Add chicken. Cook for about 8 minutes, stirring often, until browned.

Add next 4 ingredients. Heat and stir for about 5-10 minutes, scraping any brown bits from bottom of pan, until vegetables are softened.

Add remaining 4 ingredients. Stir. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium low. Simmer, covered, for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender. Add bacon. Stir.

Makes about 81/2 cups (2.1L.).
Serves 4

Basic Vegetable Broth

The easiest, least ingredient-intensive vegetable broth I have ever found.
Gourmande Tartine
(For 1.5 quarts broth)

You need:

• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion
• 1 garlic clove
• 5 to 6 coriander seeds
• 5 to 6 fennel seeds
• 2 to 3 thyme twigs
• A few peppercorns
• 1 fennel bulb, cut in big pieces
• 1 leek, cleaned and sliced
• 2 carrots
• 2 celery branches
• Salt
• 6 cups water

Steps:

• Peel the vegetables and cut them in big pieces.
• In a large stockpot, heat the olive oil and add the onion, garlic and spices. Cook for a few min, without browning.
• Add the vegetables and cook on medium to low heat for 10 min, until soft.
• Add the water and season with salt. Cover and bring to a simmer, and cook for 20 min. Remove from the heat and let rest for a few hours (or even overnight in the fridge) for the flavors to develop even more. Strain the broth and use when needed. It keeps well in the fridge for a few days.

Tortilla Soup with Avocado Salsa

Karin and I made this last weekend. I thought it would be a heavy meal. Instead, it was refreshing, yet full of taste. Apparently, this soup is a touted as cold remedy. "Healthful." None of us had colds at the time, so you can't take our word for it.
This provides enough for 4 main courses, or 8 appetizers.

Tortilla Soup with Avocado Salsa

Avocado Salsa:
1 ripe avocado
1 plum tomato
1/2 jalapeno
1 green onion
2 T chopped fresh cilantro
2 t lime juice
1/4 t salt
Note: Double this recipe if you want a chunkier soup. We did!

Tortilla Soup:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 T peanut or canola oil
8 large cloves garlic, peeled
8 cups chicken broth
2 sprigs cilantro
1/2 c green salsa
2 green onions
1/4 fresh chopped cilantro
Bag of tortilla chips
2 limes

SALSA:
1. Cut avocado into cubes and place in a bowl. Add: Seeded and diced tomato and jalapeno; chopped green onion and cilantro; lime juice and salt.
2. Stir and set aside.

SOUP:
1. Flatten chicken breasts with a meat mallet. (I put the chicken between two pieces of waxed paper, and use a rolling pin.) Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Add chicken, and scatter garlic around the sides. Cook over med-low heat, flipping chicken once, until chicken is done. Take off the heat. Push garlic off to one side of the pan and mash it with a fork. Pull at the cooked chicken with a fork until it is reduced to shreds. Combine garlic and chicken. Set aside.
2. Prepare broth in a large soup pot, setting aside 1 cup of it. Heat broth over med-high heat along with sprigs of cilantro until boiling. Scoop out the cilantro, and discard. Add chicken mixture, green salsa, green onions, an chopped cilantro. Also, using the reserved cup of broth, deglaze the pan the chicken was cooked in, scraping up any browned bits. Add this to the soup pot.
3. Serve soup with a bowl of tortillas and Avocado Salso, (see below).

Notes: The tortillas and salsa are to be dumped right into your soup. The torillas add saltiness, while the salsa adds substance. Soooooo good.

Roasted Red Pepper Soup

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Roasted Red Pepper Soup

5-6 red peppers
4 cups chicken broth
1t sugar
1-2t paprika
3/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup fresh romano
optional:
cooked shrimp
fresh basil

1. Broil whole red peppers, until every side is charred black
2. Remove and place peppers in a sealed ziplock bag, or a tupperware tub.
3. After 10 minutes remove skin and seeds.
4.Chop most of the peppers but set aside 1 to julienne.
5.Place chopped peppers into a soup pot, along with chicken broth. Simmer for 5 minutes. Puree with a hand blender.
6. Add sugar and paprika. Simmer 5 minutes
7. Add heavy cream, romano, julienned pieces. (Optional: basil and shrimp)
8. Seasonwith salt, pepper and tabasco sauce. Serve.

NOTE: I serve this with cheese buns. Either toast your own buns and melt cheese on top. Or buy those supermarket cheese sticks.