Pumpkin Soup!

Matheus and I have been in a “pumpkin kick” lately, we made pumpkin pie, pumpkin muffins (twice already!), and yesterday was Pumpkin Soup!
I usually make winter squash soup using either butternut or acorn squashes during the winter, not just because it is my absolutely favorite soup, but also because it is really easy to make, and Matheus like it too.
However, I have seen a couple soup recipes with the combination of either pumpkin or butternut squash and leeks, and both sounded so good that got me curious enough to go ahead and try it. And I am glad I did!
I don’t cook much with leeks, as it is not that affordable here where I live. However, I do love the flavor that the leeks impart to food, it is a mellow and sweet onion flavor, not strong, not overpowering, it is a smooth flavor that I truly enjoy, especially on soup bases. So, once in a while I splurge and buy some leeks to make recipes that really sound good.
In this soup I was amazed with how much the leeks went well with the pumpkin flavor, it was so good! And the combination of white pepper and nutmeg were just perfect with this soup, I really loved those flavors here! Thyme is an herb that goes really well with winter squashes in general, but you have to be cautious because it can sometimes be overpowering (I actually used half the amount asked in the recipe, because I have a strong thyme growing in my backyard).
This soup is super simple to make and the end result was really delicious! Smooth and creamy, tasty and rich, what else could you ask in a warm bowl of soup?
I have to say that I didn’t even added the half-and-half, and it was so great this way that I will probably not use it when I make it again. I used a little more pumpkin than the recipe stated (I wasn’t going to keep a tiny amount of pumpkin puree leftover, right?!), and I guess that the extra pumpkin made up for the richness lost with the omitted half-half. Oh, and I used olive oil instead of butter, and maybe not even 2 tablespoons of it.
I had the leftovers today for lunch and am already looking forward to making some more of this soup! And I don’t know if it is because he really likes the fall season, and pumpkins, and Halloween, but Matheus simply loved the soup too! When you hear a “Thank you mommy for making this yummy pumpkin soup”, then you know it is a keeper recipe and that it will certainly be made again, soon!
Ana

Cucina's Pumpkin Leek Soup (CLBB, posted by Darla - Dgeevanson)

4 Tablespoons butter
2 large leeks, white part only, cleaned and thinly sliced
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
2 cups pumpkin puree
4 cups vegetable broth (or chicken broth - not vegetarian then)
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
1 1/2 cups half and half
Garnish - dollops of sour cream, grated Monterey jack cheese, chives

In a large saucepan, heat burner and sauté the leeks for 8-10 minutes on low heat, stirring often. Leeks should be soft and lightly golden. Add the thyme, nutmeg, salt, white peper, pumpkin puree, chicken broth and brown sugar. Stir, cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Taste for seasoning. Add half and half and simmer another 10 minutes.

Pea Soup!

After a couple “anniversaries”, we are back to normal posts!
Last week was so hard on me that I am ready to move on. I got some sort of stomach bug that just messed me up. Not fun, and hard to eat much aside saltine crackers and some plain rice. Even harder is having to cook and feed the husband and Matheus when I could not eat much of what they wanted… argh! I like to cook, and I like to eat what I cook, so I am just glad to be feeling better now!
We saw today’s recipe being made in a cooking show a while ago and since then Matheus had been asking me to make it. We both like all vegetables and fruits a lot, and lately he discovered the wonders of green peas! It is sort of funny, because a few years ago, peas were his least favorite baby food. Luckily we all learn to like good foods!
This soup is super simple to make and yet very delicious! I halved the recipe, and my only complain is that it wasn’t enough… half of the recipe yielded about 1 ¾ cups of soup, as opposed to 2 ½ as it states. So both of us ended up wishing for more at the end of our meal (of course we had other side dishes to go with it), which was not bad, as we can make it soon again!!
It was delicious a little chilled, and the yogurt swirl complemented it well. Sweet and simple flavors here, and I bet it would be also nice with a touch of fresh mint in it too!
An easy and versatile recipe, which can be served during both warm and colder months. We sure enjoyed it; and best of all: Matheus loved the soup!
Hope you like it too!
Ana

Green Pea Soup (Ellie Krieger – foodtv)
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 large onion, sliced (about 1 1/2 cups)
2 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
3/4 teaspoon dried tarragon
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 (10-oz) bag frozen peas
4 teaspoons plain nonfat yogurt, optional

In a large pot, heat the olive oil over moderately-low heat. Add the onion, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the broth, tarragon, salt and a few turns of freshly ground black pepper and bring to a boil. Add the peas and cook just until defrosted.
In a blender, puree the soup in 2 batches until very smooth. If serving hot, return the soup to the pot and bring just to a simmer. If serving cold, transfer to the refrigerator to chill. Ladle into bowls. Stir the yogurt so that it is smooth and top each serving with a swirl of yogurt.
Yield 4 servings (1 ¼ cups each)

Happy Soup Day!

Soup is something that always makes me happy! I find it comforting and it can’t be so full of flavors that you might need nothing else but a big bowl of yummy soup for a nice rounded meal.
I had this recipe from Nigella Lawson on my list for a long time, and today decided to give it a try. It is called Happiness Soup, and its name couldn’t be more appropriate.
I was amazed as how such a simple soup could have so many flavors. Simple ingredients, nothing more than dicing squash and throwing in a pot with a few more items, and in a matter of minutes you have soup, a yellow and mellow yummy soup!
The squash gets tender and the broth infused with the lemon and turmeric flavors. I really liked the subtle flavors of this soup and being this easy I am pretty sure I will make it again. My only changes were to use a little less oil and cooked brown rice (which made it even quicker). Oh, and we added some shredded chicken breast pieces (which I poached in the soup!), just to have a little protein.
Paired with one of my whole-wheat rolls, our soup lunch was perfect. And the soup made us happy indeed!
Ana

Happiness Soup (adapted from Nigella’s book, Summer Forever)
500g yellow squash (2 large)
zest and juice of 1 lemon
3 tablespoons olive oil
1teaspoon turmeric
1 litre (1000ml) chicken stock
100g basmati rice
Salt and pepper to taste

Wash the squash, but don’t peel them; cut into rings and then finely dice them. Put them into a pan with the lemon zest and oil, stir to coat, then cook on a gentle heat for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they have slightly softened. Stir in the turmeric and pour in the stock and lemon juice and then drop in the rice. Cook, uncovered, for 10-20 minutes, or until yellow squashes and rice are tender. Serve warm.
Serves 4-6.

Bean soup

We were in a soup mood last week, so today I am posting one more comforting concoction. I like beans a lot, especially chickpeas and white beans, so when I saw this recipe I immediately copied it and placed in on top of the never-ending-to-try-pile. And I am glad I did! It is a very simple but flavorful soup. I like white beans because they are creamy and almost melt in your mouth, and chickpeas I believe is one of my all time favorites. It has such a nice flavor and is versatile, as it can be prepared in many different ways, you can varying its texture by cooking it more or less, use it soaked raw when preparing falafels, cooked into soups, pureed into hummus (yum!), you can even roast it and turn them into crunchy salty snacks.
In this dish a combination of both beans is used and then pureed into a nice velvety soup! I wasn’t sure about the addition of spinach but it ended up complementing the soup nicely. I really enjoyed it and so did Matheus. But don’t be fooled by the 8-servings the recipe states, as I believe they are supposed to be really small portions. I made half recipe, we ate it all and ended up wanting some more… oh well, next time I will definitely make the whole batch!
Right now I am in a quest to find a tasty recipe for a “Milk-free Egg-Free Nut-free Cake”. Yes, I know, it seems like a lot of no-no, but as far as my testing are going I think I may actually be getting close to what I need. So, you can expect to see some cake recipes around here soon!
Ana

Creamy Bean Soup With Fresh Herbs And Spinach
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 cups chopped onions (about 2 medium)
3 garlic cloves -- minced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
5 cups low-salt chicken broth
2 to 16-ounce cans white beans -- drained
2 to 16-ounce cans chickpeas (garbanzo beans) -- drained
1 package baby spinach leaves -- (6 ounce)
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage
Grated Parmesan cheese
Extra-virgin olive oil (optional)

Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in large pot over medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic and sauté until onions are golden, about 15 minutes. Add rosemary and stir 1 minute. Add all broth and beans. Bring soup to boil; reduce to medium-low and simmer until flavors blend, about 10 minutes.
Working in batches, transfer soup to blender and puree until smooth; return to pot. Mix in spinach and sage; stir until spinach wilts, about 1 minute. Season soup to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle soup into bowls. Sprinkle each with Parmesan cheese and drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil, if desired.
Makes 8 first-course servings
Bon Appétit, January 2006

Cauliflower soup!

I bought a cauliflower head for using on a different recipe, but with the weather being so yucky and rainy yesterday we were in the mood for some wintry food and ended up having soup instead. And what a delicious lunch we had!
Silky Cauliflower Soup was just the perfect meal for a winter day. Creamy, warm, nice and comforting! I like cauliflower a lot, and recently discovered the wonderful texture it gets when pureed, either in soup or in a “mock” mashed potato, this vegetable is a lot more versatile than most of us think. I loved trying it as a puree, it is amazing how a cauliflower can turn into something so creamy and delicate!
We loved the soup, add a little butter and grated cheese on top and Matheus and I were in heaven!
I made the soup just like on the recipe, but since I like very creamy soups, I did not use all the chicken broth when pureeing mine in the blender. The taste was so good, but I think that some roasted garlic pureed into this would do wonders in terms of flavoring the soup… just a though to keep in mind for the next time, because this one is definitely a repeater here.
Matheus is on a “kebab-thing” right now, we had some kebabs the other day and he just loved the idea, putting anything possible on a skewer now, from chicken to beef, to fruits and veggies, you can only imagine the fun! So we had our soup with chicken skewers and some oven baked spinach croquettes that I made, which were actually very tasty, but the recipe is in Portuguese, so I will translate and post it later. Meanwhile, try the cauliflower soup; it is good!

Ana

Silky Cauliflower Soup
1 head cauliflower
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 quart low-sodium chicken stock
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Remove the leaves and thick core from the cauliflower, coarsely chop, and reserve. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan or soup pot over medium heat and add the onion and garlic. Cook until softened, but not browned, about 5 minutes. Add the cauliflower and stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook until the cauliflower is very soft and falling apart, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and, using a hand held immersion blender, puree the soup, or puree in small batches in a blender, and return it to the pot. Add the Parmesan and stir until smooth. Season, to taste, with salt and black pepper.
(Recipe adapted from www.foodtv.com)

It is tomorrow….

Yes, it is tomorrow, we are going to Brazil!!!
I have been meaning to come here and post the recipes I have made during the week, but with all the packing, laundry, Christmas shopping, and a few other things I had to get done before going, I simply did not have much time left to post.
But here I am, ready to go! Everything is done and now I just have to be organized and put everything together before we leave. Until tomorrow I will probably find out that something is missing, or that I forgot something important, but I will leave to worry about this part later.
Now on to my favorite subject… Food!!
I had a pretty busy week but still managed to cook and even try new recipes, cooking for me is like a therapy so nothing better than heading to the kitchen after a stressful day. Thursday I decided to make muffins to leave for the husband’s breakfasts during the weeks he will be here alone. He requested banana bran muffins and strawberry muffins, and I also made my new favorite oatmeal muffin (the one from Nic’s site, posted here before!), believe it or not, we were in a muffin mood this week and about half of them is already gone… seems I will be making one more batch before leaving!
I also made an asparagus soup that was very good! I know, it is not asparagus season right now, but I found some frozen asparagus spears for the first time when shopping at whole foods during the week, I was extremely happy with my finding and since it was cold I decided to make soup. Very easy recipe and very good too, and you can vary the vegetables accordingly to what you have on hand.
Another recipe I made was for potato rolls, and this was a new one. I have had this recipe on my “to try pile” for years, and although it looked like a good one (it had a picture with it, which I like!) I had not made it before. And I have no idea why I waited so long, because the rolls were awesome! Simple but so good, they had the perfect texture of the potato rolls we buy at bakeries in Brazil, which usually come filled with a creamy cheese called “catupiry”. Well, I did not have the cheese here so I improvised and stuffed them with small pieces of those laughing cow triangles (Brazilians, read “ polenghinho”). It worked very well and the rolls were delicious! The recipe is in Portuguese, so if you want it just let me know and I will be glad to translate!
Recipe for the rolls can be found here: http://cybercook4.uol.com.br/exibir_receita.php?codigo=486
Friday night we had Cheese Fondue! What can be better than melted cheese in a cold night, huh?! So good, and very easy to make too! I always make the same recipe, which I got from foodtv. As with usual fondue it is made with wine, but since Matheus was eating with us I made ours with chicken broth, instead (you can use milk too). I turned out very good, but if you have no kids for dinner by any means use the wine!
Finally, today after our obligatory “Sunday Pasta”, we had Cheesecake Ice Cream! This is actually a recipe I created after browsing different other recipes. As I have told you before, the husband loves cheesecake, and I love ice cream, so during the summer I developed this recipe in an attempt to combine both our likings and create one concoction we could happily enjoy together. It worked, we were all happy and now I share my recipe with you! Today I had some cream cheese left that I needed to use, so I made the recipe again, however, I did not have half-half on hand and used plain whole milk yogurt instead, which worked nice! The recipe is super easy to make and makes a creamy and delicious ice cream!
That is it for today. Have to finish up cleaning and getting everything in order for the husband before we go tomorrow. And I promise I will write from Brazil and try to post some pictures. Whish me a good trip!
See you soon, and enjoy the recipes!

Ana

Cream of Asparagus Soup (Cooking Light, April 2002)
3 cups (1/2-inch) sliced asparagus (about 1 pound)
2 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
3/4 teaspoon fresh thyme, divided
1 bay leaf
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2 cups 1% low-fat milk
Dash of ground nutmeg
2 teaspoons butter
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon grated lemon rind
Combine asparagus, broth, 1/2 teaspoon thyme, bay leaf, and garlic in a large saucepan over medium-high heat; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 10 minutes. Discard bay leaf. Place asparagus mixture in a blender; process until smooth.
Place flour in pan. Gradually add the milk, stirring with a whisk until blended. Add puréed asparagus and ground nutmeg; stir to combine. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, and stir in 1/4 teaspoon thyme, butter, salt, and lemon rind. Yield 4 servings (serving size: 1 cup).
Cream of Carrot Soup: Substitute 2 cups baby carrots for asparagus. Omit bay leaf.
Cream of Leek Soup: Substitute 3 cups sliced leek for asparagus. Substitute 3/4 teaspoon rosemary for thyme. Omit bay leaf.

Cheese Fondue (Tyler Florence)
1/2 pound imported Swiss cheese, shredded
1/2 pound Gruyere cheese, shredded
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 garlic clove, peeled
1 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon cherry brandy, such as kirsch
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
Pinch nutmeg

In a small bowl, coat the cheeses with cornstarch and set aside. Rub the inside of the ceramic fondue pot with the garlic, then discard. Over medium heat, add the wine and lemon juice and bring to a gentle simmer. Gradually stir the cheese into the simmering liquid. Melting the cheese gradually encourages a smooth fondue. Once smooth, stir in cherry brandy, mustard and nutmeg.

My Cheesecake Ice Cream
8 oz cream cheese
1 cup milk
1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
3/4 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sour cream (or heavy cream)
1 teaspoon vanilla

Blend everything together in a blender and freeze on ice cream machine.

“Squashy” day!

At $0.38 a pound I could not contain myself today when saw such squash sale at the grocery store, and so I bought home a spaghetti, an acorn, and a butternut squash! Yum! However, it wasn’t so difficult to decide which one to make first, as I was craving the flavors of butternut, my favorite squash of all! I like pumpkins and all of the others, but no winter squash is as creamy and delicious as the butternut. It has a firm and bright orange flesh, which turns into perfection once roasted or cooked. Hence its name, it is really buttery and creamy, deliciously loaded with vitamins, healthy and good for you!
So today I made roasted butternut squash. I was thinking about making soup but the squash was so delicious that we ended up eating it just pureed, oh my, talk about creaminess!
Whenever I think about pumpkin I remember my grandmother and when she used to make her “pumpkin compotes” (Doce de Abobora). She would clean up big pumpkins and chunk them, then cook the squash in a large iron pot with cinnamon, cloves, and enough sugar to make it a delectable sweet concoction. The compote itself was really sweet, but every single one in the family simply loved that one, even the non-pumpkin eaters. And for me besides the compote there was also the pumpkin seeds, which she would roast in a skillet, sprinkle some salt and call it a snack. What a nice and crunchy snack it was! I loved the pumpkin compote and those little seeds even more, plus it was fun to watch her shake the skillet swirling all the seeds around, and as they got toasted they would start to pop, cracking and bursting out of the pan, nutrition and entertainment at the same time!
I remember all this from my early years and to this day there is no way I will open a pumpkin (and any sort of squash for that matter) and not separate the seeds for a toasty snack. And I guess some of our tastes may pass to our kids through our genes, because every single time I make pumpkin/squash the first thing Matheus asks is “mommy, did you make those pumpkin seeds?” Once he tried the seed he also fell in love with it. Today I toasted the butternut seeds and I actually like them better than the pumpkin ones, they are smaller and get even crunchier! I toast them in the skillet, as my grandmother did, with a little bit of olive oil and salt to taste; I also add a little bit ground pepper, garlic salt and paprika, so they get spicy and flavorful. As I was toasting the seeds today it came to me that you might even be able to make them sweet, by adding sugar and cinnamon to it. However, I had so much sugar yesterday that the salty ones were perfect for today!
And as I said it was a “squashy” day, because besides the butternut I woke up early and used some leftover pumpkin to bake pumpkin muffins for breakfast this morning. I have seen lots of pumpkin recipes lately and ended up creating my own. It came out so good that I could not even believe it I made them myself! The muffins rose nicely, were moist and tender, with a hint of cinnamon and a not at all overpowering pumpkin flavor, just sweet enough for a warm breakfast treat. Very good, and I liked it a lot!
I will post the recipe here, it was so easy and simple to make that you may also enjoy it yourself. Today I only added cinnamon, but believe that ground cloves would do wonders to the pumpkin flavors on this one (pumpkin pie spice might work even better). I definitely need to buy some ground cloves on my next stop at the grocery store.
Well, that is it for today, happy pumpkin eating for you all too!

Ana

Roasted Butternut Squash puree









Toasted seeds

Pumpkin Muffins
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup pumpkin puree
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup skim milk
1/4 cup plain nonfat yogurt
1 large egg
1 tablespoon canola oil
dash salt, optional

Preheat oven to 375 F. Sift together the flours, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in a large bowl. In another bowl mix pumpkin, brown sugar, milk, yogurt, egg, and oil until blended. Add pumpkin mixture to dry ingredients and stir just until incorporated. Pour batter into 9 greased muffin cups and bake for 20 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into center of muffin comes out clean.

Wednesday’s Loaf

Today’s lunch reminded me of the wonderful time I had this past July when my mom and my sister were visiting us. I made a turkey loaf one Wednesday during the first week they were here; they liked it so much that we ended up having it every Wednesday of their vacation (four times to be more exact!). As per my sister request I always ended up adding ground turkey to my weekly grocery list, and we all enjoyed having our Wednesday menu filled with meat loaf!
I know, it is Friday, but this recipe is so easy and so good that I decided to make Turkey Loaf today! We used to have it accompanied by brown rice and a salad made with yellow squash and tomatoes from our garden, but since our garden has given up its production and it is starting to get cold around here, today the loaf was paired with the usual brown rice and Herbed Zucchini Soup, from Eating Well – Aug/Sept 2005.
I usually make the loaf with ground turkey (white and dark meat) but you can use any kind of meat you like (beef, chicken, pork). My loaf recipe is based on a CL recipe called Sun-Dried Tomato Meat Loaf (March 2003), and I add sun-dried tomatoes only if I have them around (which is not always the case), so you can omit that if you wan. But definitely do not forget to add the Parmesan cheese, as I once did… the loaf was not the same without it.
This is a pretty basic loaf and can easily be jazzed up by adding grated carrots and/or zucchini, which I have done before (a good way to sneak in some veggies). Also, you can double the recipe and freeze a loaf for later.
You can make it as a loaf by using a pan, or by just shaping the mixture and baking in a baking sheet. Another alternative is making it as meatballs, as I have done numerous times. I bake the meatballs, then pop them into a zip bag and freeze for future use. When it is time to eat, just drop them into a saucepan with your favorite tomato sauce or soup and simmer it all together until the meatballs are heated through. This loaf is very versatile and tasty, besides it is always nice being able to make things ahead of time and having them ready when the hunger attacks!
The Zucchini Soup is even easier and super delicious! I tried it this summer and I think I have made it about ten times by now. It is creamy and cheesy, so good and so healthy!
I am posting both recipes for those who want to try. And if you like the ingredients then do give it a try, ‘cause these recipes are very easy to make and shock full of flavor!
Have to go now; we still have an afternoon play date and a goodbye potluck dinner to attend today. See you around!

Ana

My Wednesday Meatloaf
1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
1 tablespoon shopped sun-dried tomatoes
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound ground meat (turkey, beef, or chicken)
1 egg

Preheat oven to 400F. Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Put the mixture into a loaf pan (8 x 4-inch), or shape into a loaf and place it on a baking sheet. Bake it for 50 minutes (or until a thermometer inserted reads 180). Serves 4.

Herbed Zucchini Soup
3 cups chicken broth
1-1/2 pounds zucchini (about 3 medium), cut into 1-inch pieces
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon or dill or 1 teaspoon dried
3/4 cups shredded Cheddar Cheese (3 oz)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Place broth, zucchini and tarragon (or dill) in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce to a simmer and cook, uncovered, until the zucchini is tender, 7-10 minutes. Puree in a blender, in batches if necessary, until smooth. Return the soup to the pan and heat over medium-high heat, slowly stirring in cheese until it is incorporated. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper. Serve hot or chilled.
Serves 4. Eating Well – Aug/Sept 2005.

My notes: For the herbs I used fresh basil and oregano that I had in the garden and the soup came out delicious! I added some chopped onions and a clove of garlic to the broth, and substituted the cheddar cheese with 3 of those laughing cow Swiss cheese triangles, which made the soup velvety smooth! (For the Brazilians: I used 3 “polenguinhos”)

Yes, we really like soup!

Yesterday I saw such a nice looking bunch of escarole at the grocery store that I was more than tempted to buy it. Needless to say it ended up being part of our lunch today!
As times goes by and I post more you will see how much I like my vegetables and fruits! I like all kinds of veggies and greens, and am still to meet a fruit I don’t like. Seriously, I love all fruits!
Escarole can be bitter, but if you cook it enough all the bitterness seem to “evaporate” leaving behind a nice flavor and bite to the greens.
Today I made Escarole and White Bean soup. So healthy and so good! I like beans, especially the white ones, they are buttery and tender, and such a good compliment to soups and stews. I am going to post the recipe I based my soup on, it is from Bon Appetite, and other than not adding tomatoes to my soup I basically followed the recipe (although I chopped my garlic and left in the soup… Yes, garlic lover here!).
I made half of the recipe for me and Matheus, and believe it or not, there were no leftovers…!
We had our soup with some rolls I made and froze last week. The rolls are a Cooking Light recipe and called Cloverleaf Honey-Wheat Rolls, they are so easy to make and freeze beautifully. I have made it many times and they always come out great!
Simple, light and delicious… no wonder I love soup so much!
(oh, and the escarole in the picture is half of the bunch I bought... so escarole will probably show up again in the menu later this week!)

Ana

White Bean and Escarole Soup with Garlic
1 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 large carrot, cut into small dice
5 large garlic cloves, peeled, flattened
3 cups (packed) 1-inch pieces escarole (about 1/2 large head)
4 cups (or more) canned vegetable broth
3 1/4 cups cooked Great Northern beans or two 15-ounce cans cannellini (white
kidney beans), rinsed, drained
1 14 1/2- to 16-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Heat oil in heavy large Dutch over medium-low heat. Add onion, carrot and garlic and sauté until onion is golden and tender, about 7 minutes. Discard garlic. Add escarole; stir 3 minutes. Add 4 cups broth, beans and tomatoes and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer until escarole is tender and flavors blend, about 20 minutes. Thin with more broth, if desired. Season soup to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Bring to simmer before continuing.) Ladle soup into bowls. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve.
Serves 4
Bon Appétit - March 1996