Fall Flavor- Lentil and Swiss Chard Soup

The weather is finally cooling off here and it has been so lovely. It's making me want to do lots of fall cooking, which makes me think of pumpkin, apples, comfy casseroles, and hearty soups. When I'm in the mood for cooking I like to take a look back through my past issues of Everyday Food. This weekend I pulled out all my October issues and did some perusing. I saw this soup recipe and thought I'd give it a go. It came out pretty well, and I'm definitely looking forward to trying more new soups this season.

Lentil and Swiss Chard Soup
Recipe from Everyday Food; Serves 4

1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for serving
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 cup lentils, picked over and rinsed
1 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes in juice
2 bunches Swiss chard, stalks cut crosswise into 1" pieces, leaves torn into 2" pieces, kept separate
Coarse salt and ground pepper
Juice of 1/2 lemon

• In a large saucepan with a lid, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, until softened and browned, 3-5 minutes. Add tomato poaste, oregano, and thyme; stir to combine.
• Add lentils, 5 cups of water, and tomatoes with their juice; bring to a coil. Reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, 20 minutes. Add chard, stalks and cook until beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Add chard leaves; season with salt and pepper, and cook until lentils and chard are tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Stir in lemon juice; ladle into bowls. Drizzle with olive oil and serve with bread, if desired.

My notes: I totally forgot about the lemon juice at the end. I was also prepping some veggies for the week and taking peeks at "Glee" while I was cooking, so it just slipped my mind. This soup tasted good without it, although it could use a little bit more kick. Not sure if the lemon juice would do it for me though. Made a batch of cornbread to go with it.

Butternut Squash & Chipotle Soup

EDIT: NOW WITH PHOTO! Well, I forgot once again to upload the photo for this recipe, but I thought I'd go ahead and get this post up and add the pic when I get home tonight. I've got a lot on my holiday plate this week, and if I wait until I get home to do the whole thing then it just won't get done! This recipe is an adaptation of the Sweet Potato & Chipotle Soup from the December issue of Everyday Food. Tracy at Shutterbean recently gave it try, and subsequently two thumbs up. I thought this might be a great recipe to adapt so I could use the other half of the butternut squash I'd bought. This was my first attempt at making a squash soup and gladly it came together quite easily. That also meant it was my first time to eat a squash soup, Josh's too. It was really good, I was impressed. That said, it's a cup kind of soup for me, not a bowl. I can't eat too much of it in a sitting before I'm longing for a bit more texture. But it was good, and I would definitely use it as a first course in the future.

Butternut Squash and Chipotle Soup
Adapted from Everyday Food; Serves 4














1 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 medium white onion, chopped
coarse salt & ground pepper
1 teaspoons ground cumin
1 lb. butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
1 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 whole chipotle chili in adobo, chopped
3.5 cups of low sodium chicken broth
Tortilla chips, for serving

• In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium high heat. Add onion, season with salt and pepper, and cook until beginning to brown around the edges, about 5 mins. Add cumin & garlic and cook, stirring until fragrant, about 1 min. Stir in squash, chile, and broth. Bring to a boil; reduce to a rapid simmer, partially cover and cook until sweet potatoes can be mashed easily with a spoon, 20 to 25 mins.
• Let soup cool slightly. Using an immersion blender, or a blender working in batches, puree the soup. Season with salt & pepper and serve.

My notes: This is a halved version of the original recipe, which served 8. I adjusted for our household size, and for the amount of squash I had on hand. I topped my soup with some broken tortilla chips, which added some texture and a little something to help with the spicyness. I love finding a use for those little chippies at the bottom of the bag!

Keeping Healthy and Warm

I was planning on making Huevos Rancheros tonight, and I might still. But last night I dreamed I was sick. I've definitely been feeling run down, especially right now after the long, busy weekend. I'm starting to get paranoid about impending illness, so I might just make this soup instead. A few weeks ago I was planning on making this recipe. However it got shuffled to the end of the week and by then the collard greens I had were half wilted. Considering that I'd only bought half the greens the recipe called for in the beginning I was going to have to make some adjustments if I still wanted some soup for dinner. So, I looked over the Classic Minestrone recipe from my October 2008 issue of Everyday Food and made my own mish-mash of the two soups with what I had in my pantry and fridge. I thought it came out great and Josh liked it better than the original recipe so I think it's a keeper for us. And with all the good-for-me veggies in it I'm thinking it might be just the thing to fend off an (imaginary?) cold.

Minestrone Mine
Adapted from Everyday Food; Serves 4-6













Olive oil
1/2 medium onion, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 pound collard greens, stalks removed, leaves coarsely chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 cans great northern beans
1 can diced tomatoes in juice
Frozen french cut green beans

• In a large pot, heat oil over medium. Add onion, carrots, and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion begins to turn golden, 5 to 8 minutes.
• Add tomato paste, and cook, stirring, until onion is coated, about 30 seconds. Add collard greens, thyme, and red-pepper flakes. Cook, stirring, until collards start to wilt, 2 to 4 minutes.
• Place 1/4 of beans in a bowl, and mash them with the back of a spoon (this will help thicken soup). Add all the beans to the pan, as well as tomatoes with juice and 4 cups water. Bring to a boil.
• Stir in green beans. Reduce to a simmer, and cook until all the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper; serve with grated Parmesan, if desired.

My notes: I had a 16 oz. bag of frozen green beans and I just dumped some in. You could do the exact same or use a 10 oz. box. Can't really mess this yummy soup up. Everyday Food had a list of substitution and addition ideas as well.

Mmminestrone With Collard Greens and White Beans

I'm going a bit out of order, as I still have Monday night's cooking to post about, but this soup was so good and easy that I felt the need to write about it now. This was my first time cooking with collard greens. I know that they are somewhat of a staple in Southern cooking, but that didn't seem to tempt me to get acquainted with them before. But I was looking for a simple vegetarian recipe for this week's menu and came across this one, from the October 2007 issue of Everyday Food. I was also painfully aware that I haven't really been trying new things, like I had resolved to do at the new year. This recipe certainly fit both those bills so I decided to give it a go. And I'm so glad that I did. Another healthy green added to our diet is definitely a good thing. Collard greens are rich in calcium, vitamins B1, B2, B9, C, beta carotene, and of course is a good source of fiber. So this is a soup that definitely packs a punch. So glad to have another great go-to soup recipe and to have had a great experience with collard greens.

Minestrone with Collard Greens and White Beans
Recipe from Everyday Food; Serves 4












1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
Coarse salt and ground pepper
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 lb., about two bunches, collard greens, stalked removed, leaves coarsely chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
2 19 oz. cans white beans, drained and rinsed
1 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes in juice
Grated Parmesan, for serving

• In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium. Add onion and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion begins to soften, 5 to 6 minutes. Add tomato paste, and cook, stirring, until onion is coated, about 30 seconds. Add collard greens, thyme, and red-pepper flakes. Cook, stirring, until collards start to wilt, 2 to 4 minutes.
• Place 1/4 of beans in a bowl, and mash them with the back of a spoon (this will help thicken soup). Add all the beans to the pan, as well as tomatoes with juice and 4 cups water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, cover and simmer, until collards are tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper; serve with grated Parmesan, if desired.

My notes: I used 2 15 oz. cans of beans. Where are these magical 19 oz. cans that keep popping up in my recipes? Make sure to clean your greens in several rinses of water, as they can have grit on the leaves. And definitely use the Parmesan, it adds a wonderful flavor. Josh really liked this soup too, and we are both looking forward to enjoying our leftovers for lunch. I think a smaller portion would make a great starter when we have our vegan friends over (minus the cheese for them, of course). And a big, steaming, flavorful bowl is just 260 calories! All those good vitamins and nutrients and so low in calories- you can follow it with a cookie!

Lackluster Lentils

Last Thursday I made the Vegetarian Lentil Soup with Croutons found in the December issue of Everyday Food. I thought it would be a good way to use the rest of the lentils leftover from the Veggie Chili. I also wanted to make it so I could use the cute plates that my brother-in-law & wife got us for Christmas. This was a pretty easy and quick recipe. Eating it went something like this...

-First bite: Not sure if I'm gonna like this
-Two more bites: Actually, it's not too bad
-Five more bites: Nope, I'm done, it's not for me

Josh wanted nothing to do with it after smelling it. Apparently Josh doesn't like things flavored with bay leaves. He compared it to a meal I made once before that he didn't like. I understood none of this comparison though, because that meal had chicken, bacon, corn, and edamame. Nothing in common with this soup. He claimed there was a smoky scent that he didn't like. I guess bay leaves can be a little smoky in scent. But really, I think he's just crazy. Anyway, it's quite possible that most people will really enjoy this recipe. We aren't two of them however, so I doubt I will ever make this again.

Vegetarian Lentil Soup with Croutons
Recipe from Everyday Food; Serves 4












2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
Coarse salt and ground pepper
2 carrots, quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise
1 bag (1 pound) brown lentils, picked over
2 cans (14 1/2 ounces each) reduced-sodium vegetable broth
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 dried bay leaf
4 ounces sourdough bread, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 1 1/2 cups)

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium. Add onion and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 1 minute. Add carrots, lentils, broth, bay leaf, cayenne, and 3 1/2 cups water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, partially covered, until lentils are just tender, about 20 minutes. Discard the bay leaf.
• Meanwhile, on a rimmed baking sheet, toss bread with remaining tablespoon oil; season with salt and pepper. Bake until golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes, tossing once halfway through. Serve soup topped with croutons.

My notes: I cut this recipe in half, which I am very glad of, cause otherwise I would have been disposing of twice as much soup. Nothing went wrong with this recipe, we just didn't like it.

My grilled cheese however, rocked!

Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Recipe from me















Sourdough bread
Extra-sharp cheddar cheese
Crumbled feta
Butter

• Slather butter on the exterior side of the bread slices. Apply layer of cheddar cheese on one slice and sprinkle light layer of crumbled feta on top. Complete the sandwich format by topping with other bread slice.
• Cook in small frying pan over medium heat till cheese is starting to melt and bread is golden and toasty. Flip carefully to toast other side. Remove and enjoy, but don't burn your mouth!
  

Super Soup

Don't you hate it when you make a recipe you think your significant other is just going to love, and they give you an "it's okay", in response? Well, no matter what Josh thought of this soup, I thought it was fantastic. I don't have a picture for it, it was so good the thought didn't even cross my mind before I dug in. But I wanted to tell you about it anyway. This recipe come from Jane at This Week For Dinner. She has plenty of great recipes, so definitely check them all out, but here is the recipe that I made and happily gobbled up.

Lentil Soup
Recipe from This Week For Dinner

1 cup dry lentils
1 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon cooking oil
4 cups beef broth
1 7.5 ounce can tomatoes, cut up
1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme or oregano
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon cumin
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup chopped carrots
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 lb. fully cooked smoked sausage links, sliced - or chopped ham

• Rinse lentils, set aside. In a large saucepan cook onion and garlic in hot oil until tender but not brown. Stir in lentils, beef broth, undrained tomatoes, worcestershire sauce, thyme/oregano, pepper, cumin, and bay leaf. Bring to boiling, reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
• Add carrot and celery. Return to boiling, reduce heat. Simmer for 15-20 minutes or until lentils and veggies are tender. Stir in meat - heat through. Discard bay leaf.

My notes: I used thyme, and I opted for ham. It was delicious, but I think next time I'm going to try turkey sausage to see how good that is. This made enough for Josh and I to each have a big bowl for dinner and I had enough leftovers for two lunches. I don't really get why Josh wasn't head over heels for it, it seemed like such a man-pleasing soup, but he does have particular taste at times. He liked it, but just wasn't as head over heels for it as I thought he would be. Like I said, I'll definitely make it again and try changing it up a little just to see how it comes out each way.

Fast & Filling

Now that Dancing With The Stars has started I'm going to be looking for fast and easy Monday & Tuesday night meals. So last night I pulled out an old standby that we hadn't had in quite a while. This stew is hearty and filling without being heavy and without meat. It's also incredibly easy as the only thing I have to chop is an onion. I guess you could mince the garlic too, but I either use the jarred variety or my lovely garlic press. I think I've addressed my laziness already, so no need for excuses. Anyway, I'll be pulling this recipe out time and again as the cold winter months approach. I typically serve this with cornbread, but tortillas or tortilla chips would also be delicious.

Black Bean and Corn Stew
Recipe from Everyday Food; Serves 4
4 teaspoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 4.5 oz. can chopped green chiles
2 15 oz. cans black beans, drained and rinsed
2 14.5 oz. cans diced tomatoes
Salt
1 10 oz. package frozen corn

• In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion; cook until softened, 5 to 6 minutes. Add garlic and cumin; cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about 2 minutes more.
• To the pan, add chiles, beans, tomatoes and their juice, 2 cups water, and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Bring mixture to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, partially covered, until slightly thickened, about 20 minutes.
• In a blender or food processor, puree 2 cups of the stew. Return the puree to the pan, and add frozen corn; simmer until heated through, about 5 minutes. Serve hot.

My notes: I typically get more than 4 servings out of this. Last night I ladled 2 cups worth into my bowl for dinner. I had 1 1/2 cups for lunch today and I have about 1 1/2 cups left for tomorrow. My husband helped himself last night, so not sure how much he had then, but he divvied up the leftovers so he probably has about the same 3 cups worth left. Depending on how hungry you are you could definitely exceed the 4 servings. In fact, if you served this alongside some quesadillas or flautas you could probably stretch it quite a ways.

Soup's On

Last Friday night I made this delightful soup. It was really easy, pretty quick, and a nice light substitute for our usual Chipotle outing. This soup is great for summertime, but I think this could definitely carry over through winter too. It could be great served up with some quesadillas for a heartier meal, but we were plenty satisfied enjoying it with some tortilla chips. This is also nice because it makes up just 2 servings. Perfect for the pair of us, but also something great to throw together for dinner and have leftovers for lunch the next day.

Southwestern Corn Chowder
Recipe from Everyday Food; Serves 2
1 tablespoon butter
1 scallion, white and green parts separated, thinly sliced
1 medium carrot, halved lengthwise, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 baking potato, peeled and cut into 1/2" pieces
1 10 oz. package frozen corn kernels
1 14.5 oz. can reduced sodium chicken broth
1 cup milk

• In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add white part of scallion, carrot, chili powder, and oregano; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until scallion is soft, about 2 min. Add potato, corn, broth and milk.
• Bring to a boil over medium-high, and reduce to a simmer. Cook until potato is easily pierced with the tip of a knife, 15-20 minutes. Stir in green part of scallion, and season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately or refrigerate in an airtight container up to 1 day.

My notes: Like I said, this soup was very enjoyable. I was glad to actually stumble upon it on another food blog. I had overlooked it in one of my Everyday Food issues, as it was wedged between several pages of ads. I think next time I might add a little red pepper flakes to spice it up just a tad more. Again, I think this would be a great accompaniment to other tex-mex/southwestern dishes. Please note that this includes chicken broth, so not quite vegetarian, but it is a nice no-meat meal all the same.

Comfortably Rushed

So I still haven't had a shower yet this morning, but I've gotta get this entry posted to make it in under the Blog Party deadline. The theme of this month's Blog Party, hosted by Dispensing Happiness is Comfort Food. So, I thought about the foods & beverages that are comforting to me and I decided to go with grilled cheese, tomato soup, and peppermint tea. To fit in the appetizer guidelines I served my comforting sandwiches in the form of strips, and went with Tomato Soup Shooters as an accompaniment.

For the Grilled Cheese Strips I used Monterrey Jack and Extra Sharp Cheddar, with a layer of crumbled feta filling, sandwiched between two
slices of well buttered Sourdough Bread. I grilled them slowly over medium-low heat in my new-to-me cast iron skillet I got from the in-laws. They were cheesey, gooey, and very toasty. Mmmmmm.....


For the Tomato Soup I followed a recipe that I had jotted down while watching Everyday Food a week or two earlier. What follows is the halved recipe I wrote down, to avoid a ginormous amount of leftover soup.


Classic Tomato Soup
Recipe from Everyday Food; Serves ???- lots I guess, ha.

1/4 stick butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 medium onion, chopped
Coarse salt & pepper
1/8 cup flour
1 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1 can reduced sodium chicken broth
1 28 ounce can whole peeled tomatoes in juice

• Melt butter over medium heat. Add oil & onion; season with salt and pepper. Cook until onion is transparent, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomato paste and flour; cook, whisking, 1 minute.
• Add thyme, broth, and tomatoes, breaking up tomatoes with your fingers. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
• Puree 2.5 cups in blender and return to pot. Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

My notes: I actually pureed all but about a cup of the soup. I like my tomato soup very creamy, so this is an act of personal preference.

For my comforting beverage, as I mentioned above, I chose peppermint tea. I love peppermint tea! It's so soothing when I'm not feeling well, or I've been out on a cold blustery day. It is definitely my go-to mug filler, especially since my stomach can only handle one cup of coffee a day. I can fill my belly with cup after cup of peppermint tea.


So, that's my contribution to the February Blog Party. I hope I did everything right, ha. These blog events are new to me so I usually go over any rules I can find a million times, to hopefully avoid making a fool out of myself and my fledgling blog. As I mentioned in th post below I'll be out of town for a few days, so when I get back I should have a post about the yummy dinner I prepared last night. Incidentally I'm hoping it will be my Waiter, There's Something In My...Pie entry.