Gingered Butternut Squash Soup

Seasonal Sunday is back in action! And staying in step with my soup season ecstatics I now present you with a simply sweet and smoothly spicy winter soup: The Gingered Butternut Squash Soup. 

Not only will this soup warm your insides but it works quite delightfully to clear the sinuses as well! 

You will need a large saucepan and a food processor to complete this recipe. 

Gingered Butternut Squash Soup

• 2lb Butternut Squash, skinned, seeded, and chopped
• 1/3 cup Fresh Ginger, skinned and grated
• 2 tbsp Unsalted Butter
• 1 medium Vidalia Onion
• 1 large Carrot, diced
• 3 Cloves Garlic, minced
• 4 Cups Chicken Stock, canned or Homemade Recipe Here
• 1/4 tsp Garlic Powder
• Sea Salt and Fresh Cracked Black Pepper, to taste

*After you have prepped all your ingredients, melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and carrot and let cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. 

*Once onions and carrots are soft, add the ginger and garlic and cook for an additional 1 minute. Next, add the butternut squash and chicken stock and increase heat to high. Bring to a boil for 2 minutes before reducing heat to medium-low. Simmer for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.

*Next, carefully ladle the soup in batches into your food processor, and pulse until well-blended and smooth. Return to saucepan and reheat if necessary. Salt and pepper to taste.

*To Serve: Ladle into bowls and lightly drizzle with a tsp or so of heavy cream or plain yogurt. Serve hot with a hearty baguette for dipping. I complimented mine with some warm homemade potato and onion bread. 

This soup is yet another reason to love the cold; or go wild and mix up a hot meal by serving this soup for starters, chilled ala gazpacho-style. 

Enjoy! :] 

<3 Marea


Butternut Squash

Creamy Tomato Soup with Three Cheese Crostini

The cold weather is finally here and I am more than ecstatic to break out my peacoat, my boots, and most importantly my soup pot! I look forward to soup season and sweaters in the way that normal people look to summer vacations, and beach getaways. I simply adore  the way curling up under a blanket feels when the world around you is frozen. The way the cold kisses noses and makes them red. And the way that a warm cup of anything never achieves its full potential until it is consumed in an icy environment!

Whenever I need an escape from the winter chill, a sense of nostalgia, or something to warm my insides, my mind goes directly to hot creamy tomato soup. I've been making this recipe for the last 5 years and my taste buds still delight over the first bite every time. This recipe is quick and simple and 100 times better than anything that will ever come out of a can. Andy Warhol would agree.

In celebration of the start of Soup Season, here's a twist on the Campbell's classic- sure to warm even the most chill-worthy day. 

Creamy Tomato Soup

• 4 Tbsp Unsalted Butter
• 2 Celery Stalks, diced with leaves
• 3/4 cup Shallots, diced
• 2 Garlic Cloves, minced
• 1/2 cup All-Purpose Flour
• 1 28oz Can Diced Tomatoes, plus juice
• 2 cups Chicken Stock, canned or homemade recipe here
• 2 cups Half-and-Half
• 1 tsp Marjoram, freshly chopped
• 1/2 tsp Thyme, fresh or dried
• Salt and Freshly Cracked Black Pepper

*In a large saucepan melt the butter over medium heat. Add the celery and stir, allowing it to soften, approximately 1-2 minutes. Mix in the garlic and shallots, continuing to stir frequently until soft, about 2 minutes. 

*Sprinkle the flour over the celery mix, coating the vegetables entirely. Pour in the tomatoes and their juices, the half-and-half, the chicken stock, the marjoram, and the thyme. Stir well and increase the heat to high. Bring to a 30 second boil and then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer. Allow to simmer and thicken for 30-35 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

To Serve: Salt and Pepper to taste and ladle into bowls. Top with a sprig of thyme and pair with hot out-of-the-oven Three-Cheese Crostinis.

Three Cheese Crostinis

• 1/2 loaf of Artisan Baked Bread (I use a Garlic & Rosemary Loaf from Costco.)
• 1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese, freshly grated
• 1/2 cup Gruyere Cheese, freshly grated
• 1/2 cup Smoked Gouda, freshly grated
• Paprika
• Italian Seasoning

*Slice the bread into long, thin pieces. Sprinkle with the cheeses, adding the parmesan last. Top with a shake of paprika and a dash of italian seasoning. 
*Spread the slices onto a foil lined baking sheet, place in the oven and broil on high until cheese has melted and the bread has browned, about 2 minutes. Broil longer if bread is not yet crispy and golden. 

To Serve: Carefully remove crostinis from the oven and serve hot alongside a steaming bowl of creamy tomato soup. 

You can really use any three of your favorite cheeses for this recipe. I like to switch it up with various cow's milk swiss cheeses and sharp cheddars. Also, play with the bread; a ciabatta or focaccia crisp up nicely as well.

With winter approaching and the cold weather rolling in, this recipe is sure to come in handy; so break out your warm fuzzy socks, your down blankets, and your firewood, then take the heat to the next level and warm your soul with a piping hot bowl of creamy tomato soup! 

Enjoy :]

<3 Marea

Chicken Tortilla Soup

When I was younger I remember going to a restaurant in downtown Tucson with my mother and having my first memorable bite of Chicken Tortilla Soup. There were thick juicy slices of fresh green avocados atop crunchy salty tortilla strips. The bowl was finished off with a generous blanket of deliciously gooey cheddar cheese. This was my inspiration when creating this recipe.

This soup was the first dish I ever made in my Crockpot- in fact it was the motivating factor behind my purchase of said Crockpot. I just had the feeling that this soup would be a perfect Crockpot cook. The ingredients are easy to find and cheap to stockpile and the results are simply mouth-watering! Enjoy :]

Chicken Tortilla Soup

• 3 cups boneless skinless Chicken Breast, cubed
• 2 cups whole kernel corn, thawed if frozen.
• 2 medium yellow onions, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
• 2 cans of Low Sodium Chicken Broth (14.5oz ea.)
• 1 can Tomato Puree (10.5 oz)
• 1 can Diced Tomatoes with Green Chiles (10 oz)
• 1 tsp Kosher Salt
• 3 tsp. Ground Cumin
• 1-3 tsp Chili Powder (Adjust for your spice preference)
• 1 tsp freshly cracked Black Pepper
• 2 tsp Cayenne red pepper (or 1 to reduce the heat)
• 2 Bay Leaves

TOPPING

• 2+ cups Shredded Cheese (I use a Mexican or 3 Cheese Blend)
• 1 cup Fresh Chopped Cilantro
• 6 Soft Corn Tortillas
• 2 Avocados, Sliced
• Seasoning Salt 

* To prepare the soup combine all ingredients (minus those set aside for the topping) into your slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours. I tend to check it after two and adjust the spice and salt to my liking. After 6 hours turn the pot to high and cook an additional 20-30 minutes. During this time preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Slice the corn tortillas into long thin strips. Place on tin-foil lined baking sheet and sprinkle with seasoned salt. Bake for 5 minutes and then turn and bake for an additional 3 minutes until crisp.

*Ladle the soup into bowls and top with the tortilla strips, avocado, and cheese. Add the cilantro as the final touch. 

I use these proportions in a 6 quart Crockpot and yield approximately 8 servings. Which makes this a perfect dish for a get together or one to ensure left-overs!

Happy Eating :]  

<3 Marea