Roasted Cauliflower & Chickpea Soup

I am now experiencing that stereotypical "Oregon weather." A cool and constant misty rain - the type of weather that makes you wanna wear nothing but over-sized flannel shirts, thick woolen socks, and make every type of soup and stew imaginable. I LOVE it.

Creamy Chicken & Wild Rice Soup

I was perusing my recipes the other day when I realized that my soup section is noticeably lacking. Especially considering my Mom was always known for making bomb soups, you'd think I'd have a plethora of recipes and soup knowledge to share! It's not that I have anything against soups, but let's face it they're not the most attractive foods to photograph and they do take some time to assemble. I cannot recall an occasion where I have heard someone say "I'm just gonna whip up a soup really quick" it takes time, will power, and endurance to have all those tantalizing smells lingering in your house for hours on end.

Top Round Steak Stew with Parmesan Cheese Dumplings

This dish is a perfect example of that classic rustic meal that is most ideally consumed in a snow covered log cabin nestled among the mountains in front of a roaring fire. For those of us stuck in the city, we can always close our eyes and make do with a candle lit porch (still magical on a less grand scale).

Aunt Gin's No Knead Bread with Pilgrim's Potato Chowder

It's been quite a while since I've done a recipe post! To be honest I've been slacking in the kitchen lately, since I now am struggling to keep up with two jobs I have succumb to the temptations of eating out (Netflix mayyy have had a part in that too). Luckily when my parents came to town my mom was in the mood to bake some bread and actually put my kitchen to use!

This isn't just any bread, however, but my Aunt Gin's famous recipe. Not sure when or how she got it, all I remember is anytime we went over her house for Thanksgiving I remember being greeted by the smell of freshly baked dough filling the kitchen.

This is my all time favorite, It's light in texture and slightly chewy and can serve to make sandwiches, accompany soups, or, if you're like me you just eat it plain slice by slice...by slice. This bread is easy to make but it does take time and patience (like all breads do) so you'll want to plan this at least a day and a half in advance. This bread also cooks best in a cast iron dutch oven which I know a lot of people don't have but if you bake a lot of breads and stews it might be worth the investment.

For the Bread...

1 1/2 cup warm water (about 95 degrees)
1/4 tsp yeast (heaping tsp if you like more holes in your bread)
3 cups flour (I use bread flour but you can use AP)
2 tsp salt

Directions:

1.In a large glass bowl add the yeast to the warm water and let sit for about 5 min.
2.Stir in flour and salt just until combined (the dough will be wet) cover with saran wrap and leave overnight.
3.Flour a flat surface and dump dough, sprinkle additional flour on top of dough to prevent sticking. Cover for 15 additional min.
4.After 15 min. of rest, fold dough over several times until it forms into a small ball (use bench scraper for some help). Sprinkle flour on top and cover with a clean dish towel for 2 hours.
5.When you hit 1 1/2 hours, begin preheating the oven to 450 degrees F. place cast iron dutch oven inside for 30 min. (this will help in forming the crust of the bread).
6.Carefully place dough inside preheated pan (of any bubble form, pop with toothpick) and place in oven on the bottom rack, covered, for 15 min.
7.After 15 min. remove the lid and raise to the upper rack so the bottom of the bread doesn't burn - lower the heat to 400 degrees and bake for an additional 15 min. Bread should have a hollow sound when you tap it in the center. Remove bread from pan and let sit for at least 15 min.

For the Soup...

I pretty much followed this recipe from Cooks.com with a few minor adjustments.

serves 4-5

1 lb. (about 3 med.) potatoes, cubed
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 cup sliced carrot rounds
1 (8 oz.) can whole kernel corn, drained
1/2 cup sliced celery
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp thyme
1 bay leaf
Dash of pepper
2 TBS flour
1 cup light cream or milk
1/4 cup grated Swiss or Monterey Jack cheese (optional)

Directions:

1.Combine 1/2 pound potatoes with broth in saucepan with tight-fitting lid. Bring to boil; simmer until tender, about 10 minutes. Mash potatoes with fork; stir remaining potatoes, carrots, corn, celery, onion, and seasonings. Cover; simmer until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Dissolve the flour in a little cream; stir into chowder with remaining cream and parsley. Cook, stirring, over medium heat to thicken slightly. Serve, topped with grated cheese, if desired.

Fiskesuppe (Norwegian Cod and Root Vegetable Chowder)

This has probably been my favorite soup I've made all year (if not ever).

With that being said - it was the most difficult one to photograph. I had two separate photo shoots for this soup and I don't know if
a) The dark, dreary weather caused the lighting to be off
b) If the somewhat bland color of chowder posed an issue or
c) If I was too blinded by hunger to really care.
...it was probably c

Whatever the cause, I finally had to settle with the pictures above because this chowder only lasted a couple of days. Even though I love fish I had never had it in a soup before - clams yes, shrimp yes but fish? I was scared at first that over time the fish would become overcooked with us reheating leftovers but it stayed flaky and moist. This was so hearty and delicious, the perfect soup to enjoy on a chilly winter day. Traditional Fiskesuppe originated in Bergen, on the West Coast of Norway. It always involves cream, fish, and root vegetables and seasoned with a touch of sugar and vinegar. Cod is the most common fish used but I read that you can also utilize Swai, salmon, halibut, or monkfish.

Fiskesuppe (Norwegian Cod and Root Vegetable Chowder)

serves 4-5

6 tbsp. unsalted butter (I used "healthy" butter with olive oil - hence the oiliness)
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 small leek, sliced ¼" thick
Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced ¼" thick
2 large parsnips, peeled and chopped
4 medium new potatoes, peeled and cut into 1" pieces
3 cups fish stock
2 cups milk
1 cup heavy cream
1 TBS Worcestershire sauce
2 lb. boneless, skinless cod fillet, cut into 2" pieces
2 TBS dried dill, plus more for garnish
1 TBS dried parsley leaves
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
Crusty bread or crackers for serving

Directions:

1.Heat butter in a 6-qt. saucepan over medium-high heat. Add garlic, celery, onions, peppers, and leeks, and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until soft, 8–10 minutes.

2.Add carrots, parsnips, potatoes, stock, milk, cream, and Worcestershire; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender, about 25 minutes.

3.Add cod, and continue to cook, stirring gently, until fish is cooked through, 6–8 minutes. Stir in dill, parsley, lemon juice, and salt and pepper. Serve with bread. Refrigerate for up to one week.

*Recipe adapted from Saveur

Rebollita (Reboiled Italian Cabbage Soup)

Things are finally starting to settle down around here...

It always seems surreal when you're looking forward to something so much and then it comes to an end. With both Lewis and I working all the time, we were highly anticipating our Christmas mini-vaca. We woke up Christmas morning (the first time in our own place) made breakfast and opened presents then headed down to Florida to visit family.

There, I got to eat some of my Mom's famous Christmas cookies (Anise cookies, Chocolate Dipped Shortbread , Candy Cane Crisps, and Snowballs) followed by a feast over at Lewis's house. We spent the next three days sleeping until noon, visiting all our favorite local spots, and spending time with friends and family - it was perfect.

Which brings me to this soup, which I made a couple of days before we left (you might remember the leftover cabbage from the Minestrone) I didn't want to make a plain old cabbage soup so I was excited when I found this recipe for Rebollita. This soup is kinda freaky because it uses pureed beans to thicken the soup and contains soaked toasted bread for added texture. It definitely took some time to make, but with all these textures and flavors from the vegetables, it is sooo worth the wait!

Ribollita

serves 10-12
(Need to prepare the night before eating)

2 cups dry cannellini beans
4 cups water
3 (32 ounce) cartons chicken broth (seems like a lot but it definitely needs it)
5 cloves garlic, minced
4 sage leaves
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup olive oil
1 small onion, diced
3 carrots, peeled and sliced
2 large stalks celery, chopped
1 medium sized russet potato, peeled and cut into chunks
1 1/2 cups cabbage, coarsely chopped
3 stalks of Rainbow chard, trimmed and chopped
1-2 cups spinach (or you could use kale), trimmed and chopped
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
12 (1/2-inch-thick) slices French bread, lightly toasted
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese for topping
1/2 cup olive oil

Directions:

1.Sort and rinse the beans before placing them in a large pot with the water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook 5 minutes. Turn off heat, cover, and let stand 1 1/2 hours. Drain.

2.Place the beans, chicken broth, garlic, sage leaves, bay leaves, and salt in a large pot. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer until beans are tender, about 2 hours. Cool. Remove 1 cup of beans. Discard the bay leaves and sage leaves. Blend the remaining bean mixture with a hand mixer until smooth. Set aside.

3.Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onions; cook and stir until transparent, about 10 minutes. Combine the carrots, celery, potatoes, cabbage, chard, and spinach with the onions. Stir in the tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover, and cook until greens have wilted, stirring at least once, about 20 minutes.

4.Stir in the pureed bean mixture, and cook 40 minute until the mixture thickens. Stir in the reserved beans. Adjust seasonings to taste. Add the toasted bread slices; cook until bread is soaked, about 10 minutes longer. Cool, and refrigerate overnight.

5.Reheat the soup over low heat until heated through, about 20 minutes. Serve each serving garnished with 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese and a drizzle of olive oil.

*Recipe adapted from Josie

Hearty Minestrone Soup

I like my soup how I like my men, easy and low maintenance.

This soup is awesome because almost all the flavor you need come from the ingredients, you just throw it all in a pot and let it simmer as opposed to those other needy soups that keep nagging for your attention, constantly complaining about how they need to be stirred and seasoned. One thing I noticed is how much this soup absorbs liquid over night (even though I covered it whilst cooking) so I added an extra cup of chicken broth to prevent said absorption. With that being said, I must say this soup is delicious and super satisfying (this coming from the woman who lived off this stuff for a week and didn't get sick of it).

Hearty Minestrone Soup

serves 3-4

4 cups vegetable or chicken broth
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (15-ounce) can white (cannellini or navy) beans, drained
3 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
1 cup onion, chopped
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried sage
2 bay leaves
Salt and ground black pepper
2 cups cooked ditalini pasta (I used mini penne because it was the high fiber kind)
1 medium zucchini, chopped
2 cups coarsely chopped cabbage

Directions:

1.In a large soup pot (or slow cooker), combine broth, tomatoes, beans, carrots, cabbage, celery, onion, thyme, sage, bay leaves, and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and black pepper. Cover and simmer on low heat for 3-4 hours, stirring occasionally.

2.Thirty minutes before the soup is done cooking, add pasta and zucchini. Cover and cook 30 more minutes. Remove bay leaves and season, to taste, with salt and black pepper. Ladle soup into bowls and sprinkle Parmesan (or sharp cheddar) cheese over top.

Split Pea Soup with Parmesan Crisps

For once, it has actually been consistently cold outside (which is a rare sight to behold in the south) and I could not be more elated.

Ever since November October hit my brain has been a slurry of warm, comforting recipes usually involving cinnamon and marzipan. Unfortunately making a marzipan soup doesn't sound too appetizing so I decided to take a more traditional route.

Surprisingly I have never actually made split pea soup from scratch before (outside of culinary school) so I decided to consult the all-knowing Ina for suggestions. I have always liked the taste of split peas, but let's face it it's not the most attractive soup out there. To class it up and add some texture, I decided to top it with Parmesan crisps, which is a semi-swanky way of saying delicious bits of burnt cheese. The saltiness from the cheese bits paired perfectly with the creamy texture of this vegetarian classic.

Split Pea Soup

serves 5-6, recipe adapted from Ina Garten

1 cup yellow onions, diced small
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/8 cup good olive oil
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp ground rosemary
1 -1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 cups medium-diced carrots (3 to 4 carrots)
1 cup medium-diced red boiling potatoes, unpeeled (3 small)
1 pound dried split green peas
8 cups vegetable stock

For Parmesan crisps, click HERE

Directions:

1.In a 4-quart stockpot on medium heat, saute the onions and garlic with the olive oil, oregano, rosemary, salt, and pepper until the onions are translucent, 10 to 15 minutes.

2.Add the carrots, potatoes, 1/2 pound of split peas, and chicken stock. Bring to a boil, then simmer uncovered for 40 minutes. Skim off the foam while cooking. Add the remaining split peas and continue to simmer for another 40 minutes, or until all the peas are soft. Stir frequently to keep the solids from burning on the bottom. Taste for salt and pepper. Blend for smoother consistency if desired. Serve hot.