Italian Vegetable and Gnocchi Soup

It has been a while since I have posted a recipe, but I have made this one so many times, I feel it is worth hitting publish, for sure.  A while back, my family started to participate with Meatless Mondays; Now, I just hope to have at least one meatless meal on any day of the week for both the health benefits as well as the environmental benefits.  (I am in my second year of teaching Environmental Science and I have learned how much reducing meat consumption can help reduce our carbon footprint.)  I enjoy a variety of protein sources too much to envision myself ever being a vegetarian, but I have also learned never to say never. 

This recipe has been one of my meatless favorites - I have probably made it twenty times at this point, and it never disappoints.  A hearty bowl of soup (and sometimes fresh bread on the side) is always a comfort to me, especially on the chilly  days we have been having lately.  It isn't difficult or time consuming to make, and the fact that there is always enough for a second meal (or at least lunches) is a bonus!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 yellow onion
• 4 cloves garlic
• ½ cup chopped basil leaves, plus additional for serving if desired
• 15-ounce can chickpeas
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 pinches red pepper flakes
• 32 oz vegetable broth
• 3 x 15-ounce cans diced fire roasted tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• Fresh ground pepper
• 1 ½ cups frozen (or fresh) cut green beans
• 1 pound gnocchi 
• 4 to 6 cups spinach leaves
• Parmesan cheese, for serving (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Chop the onion and mince the garlic cloves. Chop the basil. Drain and rinse the chickpeas.
2. In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Sauté the onion until translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and basil for 1 minute.   
3. Add the chickpeas, red pepper flakes, broth, all three cans of tomatoes and their juices, kosher salt, and several grinds of fresh pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Add the green beans, then simmer for 15 minutes.
4. Break apart any clumps in the gnocchi, then add them to the pot and cook for 5 minutes until tender. Turn off the heat and stir in the spinach until wilted, about 1 minute.
5. To serve, ladle soup into bowl and top with Parmesan and basil leaves if desired. Allow to cool slightly before diving in!

Difficulty: easy

Time: about 30 minutes

Source: https://www.acouplecooks.com/italian-vegetable-and-gnocchi-soup/

Italian White Bean, Sausage, and Cabbage Soup

We get the best cabbage in our CSA through the fall and though my absolute favorite recipe to make with it is straight from my Polish heritage - haluski (aka cabbage and noodles) - I often look for different recipes to enjoy.  This hearty soup is perfect for a cool fall or winter day.  My family loves it served with crusty bread from the bakery or with the addition of some cooked rice.

INGREDIENTS: 

• 1 pound hot or regular breakfast sausage
• 1 small onion diced
• 1 small cabbage sliced into bite size pieces, about 4 cups worth
• 1 14 ounce can of diced tomatoes
• 1 1/2 cups cooked great northern beans or 1 15 ounce can, drained
• 6 cups chicken broth store-bought or homemade
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon basil
• 1/4 teaspoon thyme

DIRECTIONS:

1. Cook and crumble the sausage in a large pot, adding onions after a few minutes. Cook until the sausage has browned and the onions are tender. 
2. Add the cabbage, beans, tomatoes, broth, and spices. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer for about 10 minutes or until cabbage is done to your likeness.

Difficulty: very easy
Time: 15 minutes prep, 15 minutes cooking
Source: http://www.barefeetinthekitchen.com/

Acorn Squash and Apple Soup

Every now and then I try a recipe with no expectations and it shocks me with its deliciousness.  I had no idea what to expect with this soup - I am a lover of soups, but usually they are thick and filled with chunky veggies and meat and pasta or rice.  This one fell far from my typical choice, but I happened to have the ingredients on hand and no plans for lunch on a Saturday.  I threw the veggies in the oven while I was doing my usual Saturday morning cleaning and finished it up at lunchtime.  When I took that first spoonful, I was shocked at how amazing it was.  I finished that bowl.  And then another.  My kids were skeptical at first, but they did the same.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 medium acorn squash (1 1/2 to 2 pounds)
• 2 tablespoons butter or margarine
• 1 medium yellow onion, sliced
• 2 medium tart cooking apples (Granny Smith, Greening or Haralson), peeled and sliced
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
• 1/4 teaspoon dried basil leaves
• 2 cans (14 ounces each) chicken broth (4 cups)
• 1/2 cup half-and-half
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon white or black pepper

DIRECTIONS: 

1. Heat oven to 350°. Cut squash in half; remove seeds and fibers. Place squash, cut sides up, in rectangular pan, 13 x 9 x 2 inches. Pour water into pan until 1/4 inch deep. Bake uncovered about 40 minutes or until tender. Cool; remove pulp from rind and set aside.
2. Melt butter in heavy 3-quart saucepan over medium heat. Cook onion in butter 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until crisp-tender. Stir in apples, thyme and basil. Cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in broth. Heat to boiling; reduce heat to low. Simmer uncovered 30 minutes.
3. Remove 1 cup apples with slotted spoon; set aside. Place one-third of the remaining apple mixture and squash in blender or food processor. Cover and blend on medium speed about 1 minute or until smooth; pour into bowl. Continue to blend in small batches until all the soup is pureed.
4. Return blended mixture and 1 cup reserved apples to saucepan. Stir in half-and- half, nutmeg, salt and pepper; heat until hot.

Difficulty: easy
Time: about an hour and 20 minutes, though much of it is hands off
Source: www.bettycrocker.com

Copycat Panera Bread Autumn Squash Soup

I just made plans with a good friend to meet for lunch at Panera Bread; her next statement was, "I hope they still have the Autumn Squash Soup!"  I asked if it were good, she couldn't believe I hadn't heard about it. Well, I had missed this.  I used to frequent Panera on in-service days, but gave up the extended lunch  to catch up on my work.  The next thing I knew as I was scrolling through social media I saw a video of someone trying to make a copycat version.

I took this as a sign to find a recipe and try to make it. A quick search uncovered 10 such recipes.  I looked through them for similarities and differences. Some used red peppers; some didn't; some used apple juice; some used apple cider.  I mixed up the recipes to fit what I had at home as I was waiting for the furnace technician to come.  The spices and honey make a huge difference in flavor so don't skip them (I tried prior to adding them because I was cold).

The result was an amazing soup!  It was perfect for lunch on that cold, rainy October day. My husband enjoyed it as well...he can be picky about how I prepare squash.  This is defiantly worth the peeling and cutting of the butternut squash; if you are pressed for time, you can get your squash peeled and cubed already in the produce section of many grocery stores. 

INGREDIENTS:

• butternut squash, peeled and cut into chunks.
• onion, diced
• red pepper
• 1 T olive oil
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 1/2 cups apple cider
• 15 oz canned pumpkin
• 1 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 2 T honey
• 1/4 t curry powder
• 1/2 t ground cinnamon
• salt, to taste
• black pepper, to taste
• pumpkin seeds, for garnish

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.  
2. Peel and seed squash.  Cut into chunks. Peel and dice onion.  Dice red pepper.
3. Place squash, onion, red pepper on a baking sheet.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Drizzle with 1 T olive oil. Bake for 25 minutes.
4. Puree roasted veggies in blender.  (I use a Vitamix)
5. In a large soup pot, combine squash puree, pumpkin, vegetable broth, and apple cider.  Bring to a low boil.
6. Whisk in cream.  Bring back to boil.
7. Add honey and spices. Allow to simmer for 10 minutes. 
8. Garnish with pumpkin seeds. 

The salad and half sandwich make me feel like I am at Panera! 

TIME: 30 minutes prep (lots of veggies to cut and roast); 45 minutes cooking time

DIFFICULTY: Medium

SOURCE: a hodgepodge of internet recipes 

Hoppin' John Soup

There are so many different traditions related to food on New Year's Day. In the area where we live, a common tradition is to have pork and sauerkraut for luck. This year, while perusing recipes online, I stumbled across a recipe for Hoppin' John soup, which is also supposed to be a lucky dish to eat on the first day of the New Year, but tends to be more of a southern tradition. I decided to give it a try as something different.  I have to admit that while it did look good, I was not anticipating it being a huge hit. Let me tell you, it was.  And I hope that this soup isn't meant to be eaten only on New Year's Day, because I plan to make it all year long.  I don't know that I have ever cooked anything with Black Eyed Peas (which are actually beans, not peas, so you can eat them, Dad, despite the fact that you won't go near green peas with a ten foot pole) and my experience with Collard Greens is very limited, but the flavor combination in this soup had my whole family going back for more.  As for the luck it is supposed to bring, so far so good!  Happy New Year, all!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 small bunch (about 1 pound) collard greens
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 8 ounces smoked ham steak, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 medium carrot, chopped (I used a handful of baby carrots because I was out of whole)
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red-pepper flakes
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 dried bay leaf
• One 15 1/2-ounce can black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
• One 15-ounce can diced tomatoes, with juices
• 2 cups cooked brown rice (I used a packet)
• Dash of hot sauce, preferably Tabasco
• Dash of Worcestershire sauce
• Parmesan cheese, grated, for topping 

DIRECTIONS:

1. Remove the stems and center ribs from the collard greens. Stack about six leaves on top of each other, roll into a cigar shape, and slice into thin ribbons. 
2. Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy pot over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, toss in the ham, onion, garlic, carrot, and celery, and cook, stirring, until the vegetables are tender, roughly 4 minutes. Sprinkle in the red-pepper flakes, and season with salt and pepper. Add the collard greens, and sauté until they begin to soften. 
3. Pour in the chicken broth, the bay leaf, the black-eyed peas, and the can of tomatoes with their juices. Bring to a simmer, and cook for 30 minutes. Stir the rice into the soup to warm. Taste for seasoning, and add more salt and pepper, hot sauce, and Worcestershire sauce. 
4. Spoon into bowls, and sprinkle each bowl with Parmesan cheese. 

I wish this picture did it justice!

Difficulty: easy

Time: 15 minutes prep, about 40 minutes cooking

Source: adapted from www.tastebook.com

Beef Barley Soup (Slow Cooker)

So as June hits, we aren't generally thinking about soups, but considering that many people I know turned their furnaces on last night due to the unseasonably cold temperatures, maybe soup isn't such a bad idea.  And honestly, if you are a person who tends to put the slow cooker away for the summer, you may want to reconsider.  Load it up in the morning then play outside, go to the park, head to the pool, take a bike ride, go shopping...and when you return, dinner will be waiting for you without having to heat up the kitchen!

This recipe is a delicious, hearty one.  It will be the first thing I make when I get leeks in my CSA this summer.  If you have never cooked with leeks, now is the time...they have a wonderful mild flavor that you will love and are a perfect complement to the other flavors in this recipe.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 1/2 lb lean beef stew meat, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 2 medium carrots, quartered lengthwise and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 package (8 oz) sliced mushrooms
• 1 leek (white and pale green parts), halved and thinly sliced
• 2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• 1 bay leaf
• 5 cups beef broth (since a carton generally has 4 cups, I use a carton plus 1 cup water and 1 bullion cube)
• 2 cups frozen mixed vegetables, thawed
• 3/4 cup medium barley, rinsed

DIRECTIONS:

1. Season beef with salt and pepper and place in slow cooker.  Add carrots, onion, mushrooms, leek, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, bay leaf and beef broth.  Cover and cook on LOW for 6 hours.
2. Stir in thawed mixed vegetables and barley.  Cover and continue cooking on LOW 1-2 hours or until beef is fork-tender and barley is cooked.  Remove bay leaf before serving.

Difficulty: easy

Time: 15 minutes prep, 7-8 hours cook time.

Source: Adapted from The Slow Cooker Bible, a Crock Pot (R) book

Pasta e Fagioli (Olive Garden copycat)

For a person who has really never been that fond of soups, I have recently become obsessed.  Perhaps it is the bitter cold winter that we have been having, or perhaps I just realized that soups really aren't that hard to make (and they are very hard to mess up) and the homemade stuff is just SO GOOD!  Plus, you have total control over what goes in - how thick or thin you want it, how much salt you want, the veggies, the broth, the seasonings... I honestly don't know that I will ever buy a can of soup again.  This particular soup is supposed to be a copycat version of the Pasta e Fagioli at Olive Garden.  Personally, I cannot attest to how much it tastes like the restaurant version, as I have never had it there.  (Though, I would hazard a guess that this is better.)  But, I can say that my husband raved about it hours after dinner the first time I made it.  

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup ditalini pasta 
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided 
• 1 pound ground mild or spicy Italian sausage
• 3 cloves garlic, minced 
• 1 onion, diced 
• 3 carrots, peeled and diced 
• 2 stalks celery, diced 
• 3-4 cups chicken or beef broth (I use chicken stock)
• 1 (16-ounce) can tomato sauce 
• 1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes 
• 1 teaspoon dried basil 
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano 
• 3/4 teaspoon dried thyme 
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste 
• 1 (15-ounce) can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed 
• 1 (15-ounce) can great northern beans, drained and rinsed 

INSTRUCTIONS: 

1. Cook pasta according to package instructions; drain well and set aside. 
2. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add Italian sausage to the skillet and cook until browned, about 3-5 minutes, crumbling the sausage as it cooks; drain excess fat and set aside. 
3. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the stockpot. Stir in garlic, onion, carrots and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 5 minutes. 
4. Whisk in 3 cups of broth, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, basil, oregano, thyme, reserved Italian sausage and 1 cup water; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, covered, until vegetables are tender, about 25-30 minutes. 
5. Stir in pasta and beans as well as an additional cup of broth (if a thinner soup is desired) and heat for an additional 5 minutes or until heated through.

Difficulty: medium to easy - just some chopping involved; nothing too hard

Time: about 45 minutes to 1 hour, not all of which is active time

Source:  Adapted from Cooking Classy 

Kickin' Butternut Squash Soup

I  love a good soup, and I buy squash during the fall cheaply.  Butternut squash soup sounded good to me.  I prepared it one Saturday afternoon, and enjoyed the pot during the week. I even packed it for lunch using smaller Pyrex storage bowls.

Maybe you, like me, needed to know what this was.

A bowl of hot soup helps you to brave the cold temperatures and take the kids out for recess. After making this soup a few times, I modified the original recipe to fit our tastes more.  I also highly recommend a stick blender for this recipe; I bought mine for under $30 at Kohls. The first few times I made this soup, I took small batches and pureed in my blender instead; it was a lot of work.

A note about the jalapeno pepper-I use a can instead of fresh since my skin doesn't react well to cutting those.  A little bit goes a long way, this soup will be tangy and hot if you use the entire can of jalapenos.  You may want to experiment and start with a quarter or half the can.



INGREDIENTS:

• 4 cups butternut squash, cooked and mashed
• 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1 can jalapeno pepper
• 1 stalk celery, finely diced
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 1 t olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 1/2  cups chicken broth
• 16 oz. heavy cream
• 1 t ground cumin

DIRECTIONS:

1. Mix squash and brown sugar; set aside.  
2. Over medium heat in a soup pot, combine jalapeno pepper, celery, onion with oil. Saute until tender.  
3. Add salt, pepper, broth, and squash mixture.  Using an immersion (stick) blender, puree the mixture until smooth.  
4. Stir in cream and cumin; cover and simmer for 20 minute.

Difficulty: Medium

Time: 60 minutes to cook squash; 45 minutes for soup

Source: adapted from The Christmas Table by Gooseberry Patch

Time Note- I made this soup over two days; the first day, I roasted the squash and diced my veggies.  Roasting a halved squash face-down on a lipped cookie tray in a 1/4 inch of water for an hour allows you to scoop out the contents (yeah-for no peeling and cubing).

White Chicken Chili

One of the highlights of this past summer for me was loading the kids into the car and heading on a not-quite-two-hour road trip to see one of my best friends.  The hours between us and life, in general, keep us from seeing each other more than once or twice a year these days.  But during that visit, she presented me with this amazing recipe and made me promise to try it.  The very next weekend, I did, despite the summer heat.  I have made it three times since and it is a huge hit with my family.  And every time I make it, I get to enjoy some good memories, too.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 rotisserie chicken, de-boned and diced
• 3 medium onions, diced (I used a large and medium)
• 3 tsp garlic, minced
• 3-4 cans great northern beans
• 2 (32 oz) chicken stock (by order of the recipe author, this must be stock and not broth)
• 1 (4 oz) can green chilis
• 3 tsp salt
• 3 tsp ground cumin
• 3 tsp dried oregano
• 1 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1 1/2 cup whipping cream

DIRECTIONS:

1. Saute garlic and onion in oil.
2. Add remaining ingredients EXCEPT for whipping cream.  Simmer 30-45 minutes
3. Add whipping cream (and some corn starch if you would like a thicker broth).  Simmer 5-10 minutes.
4. Garnish with shredded cheddar and sour cream, as desired.

Difficulty: easy

Time: 15 minutes prep, 35-55 minutes simmer

Source: one of my besties, Jen

Broccoli and Cheese Soup

As I sat snowbound reading Joyce's menu plan, I really wanted potato soup.  I found almost all of the ingredients in the house, but no gravy mix.  I started searching for recipes in soup sections of my cookbooks. I found this one, and I actually had all the stuff.

My husband and I liked the addition of the tomatoes; it gave it a tangy taste.  I love the combination of tomatoes with cheese.  I always add a slice of tomato to my grilled cheese. This soup recipe was so easy I couldn't believe how little time it took.  It will become a winter classic in our house.

INGREDIENTS:

• 16 oz. package frozen broccoli
• 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes 
• 2 T dried parsley
• 1 t. dried thyme
• 1 t. salt
• 1/4 cup milk
• 16 oz. pasteurized processed cheese, cubed

DIRECTIONS:

1. Cook broccoli in large pot according to directions.
2. Add tomatoes, seasonings, and milk.  Stir well.
3. Reduce heat to simmer.  Add cheese and cover.  Stir occasionally until cheese melts.

Difficulty: Easy

Time: 15 minutes prep; 1 hour (or less) cooking time

Source: adapted from a Gooseberry Patch recipe

Creamy Crockpot Tortellini Soup

I always thought that my family wasn't big on soup.  Recently, I realized the truth:  We/they aren't big on canned soup.  But if I make a batch of homemade potato soup in the slow cooker, for instance, that is another story.

Enter this tortellini soup...this amazing tortellini soup. Full of good stuff (like carrots and spinach) that blends so well with favorite flavors, this hearty soup is easy to make and has become my new favorite, for sure.  I guess we are soup people, after all!

INGREDIENTS:

• 24 oz jar spaghetti sauce 
• 2 cups water
• 1/4 cup diced onion (or 1 small)
• 3-4 garlic cloves, minced (or 2 tsp)
• 1/2 cup diced carrots (or 2 medium)
• 1lb ground beef, browned
• 4 cups of loosely packed fresh spinach leaves
• 4 cups beef broth (or 1 carton)
• 8 oz cream cheese, cut into 1 inch cubes
• 8 oz sliced fresh mushrooms
• 16 oz refrigerated or frozen cheese tortellini 

DIRECTIONS:

1. If using frozen tortellini, put bag in refrigerator to begin to thaw.  Combine all other ingredients in the slow-cooker.
2. Cook on LOW for 7 hours or HIGH for 5 hours.  (I have only cooked this recipe on the LOW setting, personally.)
3. Before adding tortellini, break up chunks of cream cheese with a whisk.  Stir in tortellini.  Cover and cook for 20-30 minutes until tender and hot.

Difficulty: easy
Time: ~20 minutes prep, 5.5 - 7.5 hours cooking
Source: http://www.familyfreshmeals.com

Stuffed Pepper Soup

When people find out you are a closet food blogger, they start letting you taste their food.  My lunch buddy Kelly heard me complaining about my failure on a crock-pot stuffed pepper soup; she brought me this recipe the next day and some of her soup to try.  It was great on a cold, snowy day!  I liked the idea of browning the meat in the saucepan to save cleaning pots.  This was a great dinner which left us with plenty of leftovers.


INGREDIENTS:

• 2 pounds ground beef
• 1 can tomato sauce, 28 ounces
• 1 can diced tomatoes, 28 ounces, undrained
• 2 cups rice, cooked
• 2 cups green pepper, chopped
• 2 beef bouillon cubes
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 t salt
• 1 t pepper
• 1 hot pepper, optional

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a large saucepan, brown beef and drain.  
2. Add remaining ingredients.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat; cover.
3. Simmer 30-40 minutes, until peppers are tender.

Difficulty: Easy

Time: 15 minute prep; 40 minute cooking time

Source: A coworker 

Potato Soup

During the cold winter months, nothing is better than a bowl of steaming soup. My husband and I love this soup recipe. Honestly, I usually make this soup when I have extra potatoes sitting around, sometimes I'd rather save money than time...but if they aren't on hand, I use Southern-style hash browns. You can make this as fancy as you'd like by adding toppings like bacon, chives, and sour cream.

INGREDIENTS:

• 5-6 large red potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 quart of chicken broth (I usually use 2 cans since that is what I buy)
• 1/4 cup butter
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 package of turkey gravy mix
• 1 cup of half-and-half
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

DIRECTIONS:

1. Peel and cube potatoes (or open bag of hash browns-saute in skillet with butter for 10 minutes) and place into slow cooker.
2. Add onions, garlic, butter, and chicken broth.
3. Cook on high 3 hours (or low for 6); when potatoes are tender, mash them a bit to thicken the soup.
4. Add gravy mix; stir.
5. Add half-and-half; stir.
6. Leave slow cooker on "warm" 20 minutes or so to thicken.
7. Before serving, add cheddar cheese and allow to melt.

Difficulty: Easy, especially if you use hash browns

Time: 20 minutes prep, 4 hours cook time

Source: Adapted from a few friends' recipes