Soup, please........?

Roasted Mediterranean Vegetable Soup

Ingredients:

1 medium eggplant, peeled

1 tablespoon salt

1 red bell pepper,

1 small zucchini

1 small yellow summer squash

1/2 medium red onion, peeled

3 garlic cloves, peeled

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 1/2 pounds tomatoes, peeled and seeded*

1/4 cup onion, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 cup dry red zinfandel

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

1 tablespoon minced basil (1/2 teaspoon dried)

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon Balsamic vinegar

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

chicken broth

heavy cream

Preparation:

Cut eggplant in half crosswise. Slice into 1 inch slices. Place in colander and sprinkle with salt. Toss. Allow to stand over a bowl, or in the sink for 30 minutes. Pat pieces dry, do not rinse.

Preheat oven to 425ºF.

Cut red bell pepper into about 8 pieces, both squash into 1/2 inch slices and the red onion in 3 pieces. Place pepper, squash, onion, and the eggplant into a large flat pan. Toss with garlic salt, pepper and olive oil. Do not cover. Roast for 25 minutes, stirring twice.

Sauté the chopped onion and minced garlic in oil until transparent. Do not brown. Add Zinfandel to stop cooking. Add remaining ingredients and cook quickly to evaporate liquid. Stir continuously to prevent scorching. Remove pan from heat immediately if you see any problem.

Combine both mixtures in large stockpot. Simmer briefly if vegetables do not seem fully cooked and soft. (They should be already.)

Purée with hand blender or transfer solids to food processor or blender in batches to purée.

Measure puréed mixture. Add 1 can chicken broth to each 1 cup of puréed vegetables. Heat to a good bubble and then simmer for 5 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon heavy cream to each can chicken broth added. Reheat until hot, but do not boil.

*If fresh tomatoes are not nice, use canned, diced tomatoes, drained. You will need 1 pound after draining—don’t squeeze liquid out, just empty can into a sieve and discard the liquid that goes through.

Time Management: Soup may be completed the day before serving, except do not add the cream until you have reheated it.

Chipotle Corn Chowder with Shitake Mushrooms

Ingredients:

2 cans chicken broth

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups diced potatoes (about 10 ounces)

1 pound package frozen corn

1 to 2 dried chipotle chili peppers, seeded*

10 shitake mushrooms**

1 medium onion, diced

1/2 red bell pepper, julienned

4 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons flour

1 cup half and half (may use milk)

1 1/2 cups milk

1 teaspoon liquid smoke (optional)

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon sugar

2 tablespoons minced parsley

Preparation:

*Cut off top of pepper and split down one side. Scrape out seeds.

**Remove stems from cleaned mushrooms. Use as directed. Slice tops in 1/2 inch slices and set aside.

Add chicken broth, salt, potatoes, mushroom stems, seeded chipotle peppers and corn to stockpot. Simmer until potatoes are tender (about 10 to 15 minutes).

Melt butter in sauté pan. Sauté red bell pepper strips for 3 minutes. Add onions and sliced mushroom tops and continue to sauté until onions are translucent. Stir in flour and continue cooking, stirring, to cook flour for about 2 minutes.

Transfer the cooked mushroom stems, chipotle peppers, half of the potatoes and half of the corn to food processor with metal blade inserted, or to a food mill. Purée. Add mixture back to stockpot. Add the sautéed vegetables, cream, milk and seasonings. Return to a gentle simmer, stirring to be certain to not scorch. Add parsley.

Ladle into soup bowls. Serve with a hearty bread.

Quick Curried Pumpkin Soup

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons butter

1 small onion, minced

4 teaspoons curry powder

1/4 cup pecans, finely chopped

1 can chicken or vegetable broth

1/3 cup instant dried potato flakes

15 ounce can solid pack pumpkin

1 1/2 cups cider or apple juice

2 tablespoons brown sugar

3/4 teaspoon salt

few grinds pepper

2 cups half and half

Preparation:

Melt butter in bottom of 3 to 4 quart saucepot. Sauté onion for 2 to 3 minutes, until beginning to soften. Add curry powder and pecans and continue to cook for another 2 minutes, adding broth as needed to keep mixture from sticking. Add remaining broth, instant potatoes and pumpkin. Whisk together well. Add apple juice, sugar, salt, pepper and half and half. Whisk again to make a smooth mixture.

Heat to a gentle simmer and cook for about 4 minutes, being careful that mixture doesn’t scorch. Taste for salt and add more if needed. Cover, turn heat down and allow to set for 10 minutes, or until almost ready to serve. Just before serving, turn heat back up and bring back to a gentle simmer. Serve hot.

May be garnished with curry flavored whipped cream.

Variations:

You may start with 1/2 cup of cooked and mashed potatoes if you do not wish to use the instant variety.

You may substitute 1 pound frozen winter squash, thawed, for the pumpkin or you may use fresh pumpkin. To use fresh pumpkin, cut a 1 1/2 pound chunk of fresh pumpkin and lay in microwave-safe flat dish. Cover with plastic wrap. Cook for 10 minutes on high. Let cool, then remove from the outer shell. Mash this up and use instead of the can of pumpkin.

Note: If desired, oil may be substituted for the butter and milk for the half and half.

Time Management: The soup may be prepared the day before serving. Refrigerate until shortly before reheating. Soup will thicken as it cools. Wait until you have gently reheated it before deciding if you need to thin. If still too thick, thin by adding a little milk.

Easy Cheesy Potato Soup

Ingredients:

1 stick butter

1/2 cup diced onion

6 large (4 1/2 pounds) potatoes, diced

water

2 teaspoons chicken bouillon granules or 2 cubes

12 ounces dairy sour cream

1 pound processed block cheese (such as Velveeta®)

10 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

1 tablespoon salt

freshly ground black pepper to taste

Preparation:

Cook onion in 1 tablespoon of the butter until wilted. Add potatoes, bouillon and sufficient water just to cover. Boil gently just until potatoes are cooked. (Be careful to not scorch.) Do not overcook until potatoes are mushy. Do not drain after cooking.

Cook bacon while potatoes are simmering. Crumble.

Dice the cheese and stir into the hot potatoes until melted. Add the sour cream and remaining butter. Stir together until combined.

Taste for salt. Top with freshly ground pepper and crumbled bacon.

Garnish with snipped chives if desired.

MEDITERRANEAN VEGETABLE SOUP

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 onion, diced

1 carrot, halved lengthwise and sliced

2 stalks celery, sliced

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups chicken or beef broth

2 cups water

1 can (14 1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, not drained

1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped

1/4 teaspoon oregano

salt and pepper to taste

1 15 oz. can cannelini or white beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup pasta bows

Parmesan cheese (optional)

1 small head escarole (optional)

Heat the oil in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot and celery, and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, broth, water, tomatoes, basil, oregano, salt, pepper, and beans.

Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. If escarole is being used, wash, tear into 2 inch pieces and add to soup 15 minutes before soup is done, or at the same time as the pasta.

Add the pasta bows and cook 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally until the pasta and escarole is tender.

Serve sprinkled with Parmesan cheese.

The easiest thing I can think of is to go to a "gourmet" food store like Trader Joe's or Cost Plus and buy those pre-made soup kits. They're easy, healthy and delicious. They may be a little on the expensive side, but once you find a few you like, it isn't hard to make them yourself.

Get a crock pot and just throw in veggies, broth and beans/noodles/rice.....you can't mess it up. Get some crusty bread to go with and enjoy !

Vegetable Chili

Who needs meat when you can have this delicious all-vegetable chili?

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 45 to 55 minutes

You Will Need

2 tablespoons olive or canola oil

2 large onions, coarsely chopped

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 tablespoon chili powder

2 stalks celery, diced

2 large carrots, diced

1 sweet red or green pepper, diced

1 can (16 ounces) crushed or diced tomatoes

1 cup vegetable broth

2 yellow squash

1 can (16 ounces) red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup frozen corn kernels

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

1/2 cup low-fat sour cream

What to Do

1. In a Dutch oven, heat oil over moderate heat. Add onions and garlic; sauté, stirring, about 7 minutes or until softened and golden. Stir in chili powder and cook 2 to 3 minutes longer.

2. Sauté celery, carrots, and sweet pepper, stirring frequently, 6 to 7 minutes or until softened.

3. Add tomatoes and broth; bring to a boil. Add squash, kidney beans, and corn. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, 25 to 30 minutes or until tender.

4. Stir in the parsley and top each serving with sour cream.

Serves: 4

Per serving: Calories 374, Saturated Fat 1 g, Total fat 14 g, Sodium 661 mg, Cholesterol 0 mg, Protein 13 g, Carbohydrate 54 g, Fiber 14 g

Last Updated: 2005-11-02

Potato Minestrone

INGREDIENTS

2 (14.5 ounce) cans chicken broth

1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes

1 (16 ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans (chickpeas)

1 (14.5 ounce) can beef broth

2 cups frozen cubed hash brown potatoes, thawed

1 tablespoon dried minced onion

1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram

1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained

2 cups frozen peas and carrots, thawed

DIRECTIONS

In a slow cooker, combine the first 13 ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours. Stir in the spinach, peas and carrots; heat thorough.

Fruits are the immediate way to obtain vitamins, proteins, and electrolytes, so over body can certainly absorb them. Found in the case of veg some of the immediately eatable but some need to cooked well for enhance their taste.

Fruits have seeds; "vegetable" is a non-scientific word for produced edibles

Take a look at Culinary Chef at http://www.culinarychef.com/ for recipes. Enjoy!

two cans broth, throw in veggies of choice , potatoes, rice or barley. Boil a lot. add seasonings as desired. Eat and Enjoy

Dump a pint of Rum in it and enjoy.

http://www.recipezaar.com/146609