Soups On! 3 Must-Make Recipes for Cooler Weather

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Soups On! 3 Must-Make Recipes for Cooler WeatherWhen the weather gets cold, I start dreaming of soup. It makes me feel warm and cozy. I used to think soup had to be a bit of a production with lots of prep work and time, but that is not the case. Don’t get me wrong, it can be an all-day affair, but it does not have to be. You can make just as good of a soup in 30 minutes or less. So, here are my top three soup recipes from easiest to the most involved to prepare.

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Black Bean Soup

blackbean_soup
This black bean soup is one of the top requests from friends and family.

Low Prep Work

I timed myself the last time I made this. It took me all of six minutes to throw together. I always keep the ingredients on hand and it is one of my most requested soups when I offer to cook for someone.

Ingredients:

  • 3 cans of Black Beans (You can use Black Soy Beans for added protein)
  • 1 can of French onion soup
  • 1 can of Beef Broth
  • 1 packet of chili seasonings
  • 2 cans of petite diced tomatoes (I like the kind with garlic, basil and oregano)

Directions:

Dump all ingredients in the slow-cooker or a big soup pot in the morning and let it simmer over medium for about 30 minutes. If you are like me, you can find something to do with that 30 half an hour. There is always laundry. Or wine. (Or both.)

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Broccoli and Cheese Soup

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The ingredients for broccoli and cheddar soup are easy to change up!

Moderate Prep Work

This soup turns out just a little different every time, but is always good! You can follow the ingredients to the letter, or add extras like a carrot or different cheeses.

Ingredients:

  • 1 bag of frozen seasoning blend (onions, celery and peppers)
  • 1 bag of frozen broccoli florets
  • 1 can of chicken broth
  • 2 cans of broccoli and cheese soup
  • 1-2 cups of milk (according to how thick you want it)
  • 1 ½ cups of cheddar cheese
  • ¼ to ½ cup of Parmesan cheese
  • Olive oil

Directions:

  • Sauté the seasoning mix in a little olive oil until soft. Pour the chicken broth in and bring to a simmer. Add the broccoli florets and cook on medium until tender (about 8 minutes). Then add broccoli and cheese soup and 1 cup of milk. Allow to simmer for a few minutes.
  • Transfer about two thirds of the soup to a blender and blend until smooth. You may have to do this in batches. Be careful! It is much easier to do this with an immersion blender if you have one.
  • Return the blended portion back to the soup pot. Add cheeses. Make sure to start with just a ¼ cup of Parmesan cheese. Then taste for seasoning. You may need salt, pepper or I even add garlic sometimes. You decide.
  • Add milk to achieve desired consistency. When I am watching calories, I use chicken broth to thin it out if needed.

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Ratatouille

preparing ratatoulle
Mmmm … delicious, fresh ingredients! Ratatouille is great on its own as a soup or on top of pasta.

High Prep Work

This soup is not difficult to make, but prepares a lot of preparation. It is definitely worth the effort. My family eats it as soup and sometimes as a pasta topping.

Ingredients:

  • Salt
  • 1 tsp. dried basil
  • 1 tsp. parsley
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 eggplant
  • 3 medium zucchini
  • 2 medium yellow squash
  • 1 baseball size onion
  • 2 bell peppers (green, red, yellow or orange)
  • 2 cloves of garlic, minced
  • Olive Oil
  • 2 large cans of diced tomatoes
  • 1 cup of red wine
  • 1-2 cups of chicken broth

Directions:

  • Peel the eggplant and slice into rounds. Lay paper towels out on a sheet pan and salt both sides of the eggplant slices. Lay another layer of paper towels on top. This will draw the water out and also the bitterness. Do not skip this step!
  • Dice the zucchini, squash, onion and bell peppers roughly the same size. After patting the eggplant dry, dice it as well.
  • Gently cook the garlic in the olive oil in a large sauce pan. Add the onion and bell peppers first. Cook until tender. Then add the zucchini and yellow squash. Toss in the eggplant and continue cooking until all the vegetables are tender. You may have to add more olive oil as well since the veggies tend to soak it up.
  • Add a little salt, basil, parsley and the two bay leaves.
  • Stir in the red wine, chicken broth and diced tomatoes. The longer it simmers, the tastier it will be. It is even better the next day!

Eat Up! Soup is forgiving and flexible, so change it up … try different ingredients … cheat a little with store-bought conveniences; just make sure you have some nice fixins’ and a warm loaf to go along with it.

What are your favorite cold weather soup recipes?

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