Carrot and Sweet Potato Soup

Even though warm weather is coming...slowly, we are still at the tail end of Winter produce. Soup is the perfect easy dinner to keep me warm as the evening turns chilly. Using the carrots and sweet potatoes from the last of the Winter harvest makes for a perfect base for soup.

During the month of February, I was sick for probably 20 of the 28 days! It was a rough month, and soup got me through most of the sniffles, sneezes and freezing cold weather. As Spring approaches, I have a few soup dinners planned for the Hubby and I to keep us warm during the chilly nights.

I love carrots and always eat them. It seemed like an orange match made in heaven pairing them with sweet potatoes, another favorite vegetable. I first made this soup during one of the snow days in February. The Hubby loved it and I knew it would be the perfect dinner for the chilly nights ahead this week.

Carrot and Sweet Potato Soup 

Yields: 6-8 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30-40 minutes

1 onion, chopped

3 tablespoons butter
3 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 inch fresh ginger, grated

2 medium sweet potatoes, chopped

4-6 whole carrots, chopped

salt and pepper

1 quart organic low-sodium chicken broth (use vegetable broth if vegetarian)

1 large bay leaf

1/8 teaspoon coriander

1/4 teaspoon dried chili peppers

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

lime wedges

maple syrup

fresh parsley, chopped

In a large, thick-bottomed soup pot, melt the butter over medium heat and sauté the onions until translucent, around 7 minutes. Stir in the garlic and ginger and sauté for another few minutes. Add in the sweet potatoes, carrots, dash of salt and pepper and continue to cook while stirring. After 2 minutes pour in the broth, bay leaf, coriander, chili peppers and thyme. Stir well and cook covered for 20 minutes over medium heat. Check to see if the sweet potatoes and carrots are well cooked and soft. If not, continue to cook for 5-10 more minutes.

Pull out the bay leaf and discard. Using an immersion blender, puree the soup until desired consistency. You can also use a blender to puree the soup (most likely in batches). Serve with a drizzle of maple syrup, fresh parsley and juice from a lime wedge, all to taste.

Roasted Sunchoke and Shallot Soup

Today, we are cooking with Sunchokes! A few weeks ago, I came across these nubby looking roots at the Market, which at first I thought were ginger, but after further investigation found out were Sunchokes. 

Sunchokes, also known as Jerusalem artichokes, are the root of a plant in the Sunflower family. Oddly, they are neither originated from Jerusalem nor an artichoke, so I prefer to call them Sunchokes. These little tubers store a lot of inulin (not insulin), which is a great source of fiber. But be careful not to over-do-it on the 'chokes since inulin can cause gas and bloat. Hey, just being real here! 

Sunchokes have a similar consistency to a potato when raw, but have a much nuttier and sweeter flavor when cooked. According to the Farmer, these tubers have a short season in NC, so I have been trying to get some every week while I can. For such an ugly little vegetable, they sure do pack a nutrient punch, full of not just inulin and fiber, but also potassium and iron. I really enjoyed taking these little vitamin-filled veggies and coming up with a soup recipe. 

I am a big fan of vegetable soups, especially with all of the winter vegetables since I have a harder time digesting them. However, I also tried pan roasting the Sunchokes with some butter and thyme and they were delicious! Here is a good recipe for roasting the 'chokes on Bon Appetit.

Roasted Sunchoke and Shallot Soup

Recipe altered from A House In the Hills
Yields: 6 cups
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes

1 pound sunchokes, quartered (about 4 cups)

1 yellow onion, roughly chopped 

4 cloves garlic

2 tablespoons Grape seed oil

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

2 shallots, sliced

2 tablespoons butter

2 cups vegetable broth

1 cup almond milk

salt and pepper to taste

top with fresh cilantro or fresh parsley

Preheat the oven to 400F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. 

In a large bowl, toss the sunchokes, onion and garlic with the oil, thyme and salt and lay out on the baking sheet. Roast the vegetables for 20 minutes, tossing a few times.

While the vegetables roast, melt the butter in a large, thick-bottomed soup pot. Saute the shallots, stirring constantly until they are golden and caramelized. Add in the vegetable broth and almond milk, scrapping any bits at the bottom of the pan. Once the broth/milk mixture comes to a boil, add in the roasted vegetables and cook on medium heat for 5 minutes. 

Puree the soup mixture with either an immersion blender or standing blender in batches. Serve the soup with fresh herbs and crumbled cheese.

Vegetarian Gumbo

Watch out everyone, the Polar Vortex is coming!! At least, according to every news and weather station. In my opinion it doesn't really seem to be heading towards NC. The weather forecast just looks like the normal late fall and early winter weather...am I missing something? 

Regardless of the Weather Man being right or wrong, cold weather is creeping in, which means I plan to make a large pot of soup, or in this case, gumbo. I threw this one together on a whim a few weeks back when we had vegetarian friends over for dinner. It then took me two more attempts to actually write the recipe down and perfect the amounts! Hate it when I do that sometimes. 

Anyways, this is a great soup, or, gumbo for a large crowd with various dietary needs. You basically start with a vegetarian soup, then have the option to add grains and meat for those that want it. The Hubby and I personally love adding in spicy pork sausage (that we from Fickle Creek Farm - love those guys)! 

So, grab a blanket, light the fire and whip up a pot of my Vegetarian Gumbo! 

Great with rice, grits or cornbread.

Vegetarian Gumbo

Yields: 6-8 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25-30 minutes

2 Tablespoons all purpose flour (use gluten free if needed)
3 Tablespoons butter (only for vegetarian version)
1 large onion, finely diced
2 carrots, cut into rounds
4 cloves of garlic, finely minced

3 cups vegetable stock, separated
1 cup tomato sauce
1 green bell pepper, finely diced
2 cups button mushrooms or crimini mushrooms, quartered
2 cups fresh Romano beans or green beans, chopped
1 Tablespoon dry sage
1 Tablespoon dry thyme
1 Tablespoon Cajun seasoning
1 Tablespoon chili powder
2 Tablespoons soy sauce (use Tamari if gluten free)
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
Parmesan rind (optional)
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 pound Sage Hot pork sausage (optional for non-vegetarian version)
Rice or grits for serving (optional)


First step, chop all the vegetables! This is definitely a recipe where you want to have your mise en place (stuff in place).

In a large soup pot, prepare the roux:

• Vegetarian version - Heat a large soup pot over medium heat and melt the butter. Stir in the flour and continue to stir constantly for around 5 minutes until the roux is a few shades darker.
• Non-vegetarian version - Heat a large soup pot over medium heat and cook the sausage through. Remove the sausage and set aside, reserving the rendered fat in the pot. Stir in the flour and continue to stir constantly for around 5 minutes until the roux is a few shades darker.

Add the onions, carrots and garlic along with a quarter cup of vegetable stock so the roux doesn’t burn (the mixture will be thick and pasty). Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions soften and the broth has evaporated.

Stir in the tomato sauce, bell peppers, mushrooms and beans and cook, stirring, for another 5 minutes. Add the herbs, spices and soy sauce and mix well.

Stir in the canned beans and rest of vegetable stock and Parmesan rind and allow the gumbo to come to a boil over medium-high heat. If the gumbo is too thick, add more broth. Lower the heat to a simmer and let everything cook for another 10 minutes.

Late Summer Minestrone Soup

I'm back from all my travels!! I've been to Bald Head Island, San Francisco, Sonoma County and New York City, all in the past few weeks. I love to travel, but I also love to get home and back into a routine in the kitchen. I always feel so discombobulated when I have an empty refrigerator and pantry!

I was looking forward to getting back to the Farmers Market as well this weekend and stock up on my favorite local goods. There was still a good amount of summer produce left, so I took advantage and loaded up my basket. The Hubby and I were planning on an all-day football extravaganza Sunday since we didn't get to watch kickoff weekend due to our travels. Sunday Fun Days are THE BEST...full of football, cooking and laziness!

Since the weather forecast for the weekend was overcast and slightly cool and I was going to be around the house I decided to make a soup. A minestrone is a super easy and healthy soup to make. Minestrones are not only super versatile, but very cost effective because they are vegetarian. I like to add in a little pasta and beans to make it robust and filling and the Hubby usually includes a little extra cheese and slice of crunchy bread.

It was definitely a lazy Sunday, but at least we got our veggies in:)

Late Summer Minestrone Soup

Recipe inspired from Half Baked Harvest
Yields: 6 servings
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes


2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
1 sweet onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
2 zucchinis, chopped (if available, if not, use about 1 cup chopped)
1 ear corn, kernels removed, cob reserved
4 cloves garlic, minced
6-8 cups chicken and/or vegetable broth
1 reserved corn cob
1 Parmesan rind
1 sprig fresh rosemary, chopped
1 small bunch kale, ribs removed and chopped
1 cup favorite pasta (can use a gluten free variety)
1 can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
1/2 cup grated parmesan
sun dried tomatoes (dry packed)
salt and pepper, to taste

Heat a large soup pot over medium heat and melt the butter. Add in the olive oil, onion, carrots and red pepper. Season this with a pinch of salt and pepper and cook, stirring often, for about 10 minutes. Then stir in the zucchini, corn kernels and garlic and cook for another 10 minutes, stirring frequently.

Pour in the broth and add the corn cob and Parmesan rind and bring the soup to a boil. Once boiling, add the rosemary and kale and reduce the heat to a simmer for about 10 minutes. Add in the pasta and cook until it is al dente (according to the package directions). Once the pasta is cooked, remove the soup from heat and stir in the cannellini beans, grated Parmesan, parsley and thyme. Season the soup with salt and pepper to taste and serve with sun dried tomatoes and more grated Parmesan if desired. 

Heirloom Tomato Soup

Every Saturday morning, I come home with multiple baskets full of produce from the various markets that I now find myself going to. For the past several weeks, I have been loading up on tomatoes, all different varieties - sun golds, heirlooms, sunrise bumblebees, and more!

This weekend, I went to the Western Wake Farmers Market again and found myself with too many tomatoes when I got home. Since the weather is crumby (as in rainy and 64 degrees), I decided to work on a soup recipe to use up some of my tomato stash. The heirloom tomatoes were perfect for the soup, not only bringing a vibrant color, but a bright sweet flavor. 

What is an heirloom tomato exactly? Heirlooms are open-pollinated varieties of tomato that can be classified into four categories; family, commercial, mystery and created. Even though heirlooms are not the most attractive of tomatoes, they make up for it with flavor, much more than conventional strands.

I added a few carrots to create more texture, then built on top of the tomato flavor with spices, a Parmesan rind and garlic. The end result was a spicy, yet refreshing soup that was perfect for dinner along-side some sautéed zucchini and corn on the cob from the market. The recipe made enough to last us for several leftover meals, especially since we would need something to combat the rainy day blues ahead!

Heirloom Tomato Soup

Recipe Adapted from Go Bold With Butter

Yields: 4 cups
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes

2 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped

1/2 yellow onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 pounds Heirloom tomatoes (about 4-5 large tomatoes), cut into chunks

3 cups vegetable stock

1 Parmesan rind (optional)

2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped and divided

Heavy cream (optional)

In a large stock or soup pot melt the butter over medium heat, then add in the olive oil, carrot and onion. Season with salt and sauté for 5 minutes or until onions become translucent. Add cayenne and stir to coat vegetables, cook for one minute, then stir in the tomatoes.


Pour in the vegetable stock and Parmesan rind (if using) and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and bring the soup to a simmer. Cook for 15-20 minutes until almost reduced by half and tomatoes are soft. 

Remove the pot from heat and remove the Parmesan rind. Using an immersion blender or regular blender (in batches), blend the soup until a smooth consistency. Serve with fresh basil and heavy cream if desired.

30/30 - #2 Lentil Soup with Curried Brown Butter

Almost there, only 1 more day until the big 3-0. I am super excited for all the festivities this weekend and have really enjoyed posting the Top 30 Countdown. #2 is another favorite from 101 Cookbooks. I was pretty skeptical to make Lentil Soup with Curried Brown Butter at first because I was never a huge fan of lentil soup, but the added flavor of curry and the browned butter makes this over-the-top, flavorful and satisfying. 

101 Cookbooks is actually the blog that inspired me to start KettlerCuisine. I enjoy her recipes, writing, photography, and frequency of her posts. When I first started posting, I felt a lot of pressure to post every day and add content to the blog. However, after observing 101 Cookbooks and other blogs, I focus on quality instead, which makes the blog more manageable with a full time job. I've made this soup many times since I first posted two years ago. The Hubby loves this easy and cheap weeknight meal.

Find the recipe for Lentil Soup with Curried Brown Butter here.

30/30 - #4 Pho

I Pho-reaking love Pho and only started enjoying this deliciousness about two years ago. I have not tried to make this dish yet, but this is definitely on my "kitchen challenge" list to work on eventually. Pho is on the Top 30 list because I enjoy it every time and have several days where I even crave it, even in the summer time. This spicy, flavorful, broth-y, Vietnamese soup packs a powerful punch. It is a labor of love that takes hours, often days to make. 

There is a small place in Raleigh called Pho Far East that makes the BEST Pho ever. The Hubby and I go there often and order the same thing every time. We even get it as take out.

So if you haven't tried Pho, go find some! You will NOT regret it :)

30/30 - #14 Tortellini & Spinach Soup

We are in the final half of my Top 30 Favorites here on Kettler Cuisine! #14 on the list is a soup that was handed down from my Mother. Not only is this soup delicious, it is about the easiest dinner to put together, so makes a perfect weeknight meal. 

Tortellini & Spinach Soup was another one requested by the Hubby for the Top 30 list. He loves this soup, mostly for the bacon and the tortellini, but also that it sneaks in some vegetables as well.

The recipe instructions for Tortellini & Spinach Soup can be found here.

Spicy Cioppino (Seafood Stew)

Everyone knows by now that we had to cancel our recent trip to San Francisco. For my final attempt to make up for this disappointment (that can be blamed on the weather), I brought San Francisco to him (and his belly).

We have always enjoyed watching the Oscars, trying to guess the winners of all the movies (most of which we have not seen). We like star-gazing and laughing at Ellens tasteful jokes! I wanted to come up with a fancy meal to enjoy while we watched the Oscars, but what to make??

I was perusing the seafood counter in Whole Foods, trying to decide between scallops, shrimp, fish, clams....when it hit me! Why not all of them?!?! I had the perfect recipe tucked away that needed one more test run before becoming blog-worthy, Cioppino.

Cioppino is a fish stew that originated in San Francisco. It usually combines the fresh catch of the day with a tomato-wine sauce. How perfect! A San Francisco-inspired meal full of some of our favorite ingredients (crab, wine, garlic).

I will admit, this is not the cheapest dish to make, so we only bust out for special occasions, and ONLY when there is worthy seafood for the recipe. This recipe is most fun when it is just the two of us, especially when crab legs are involved! It can get a bit messy when you are trying to crack crab legs and open clams in a red broth!

A few tips for this recipe:
1. Definitely prep all the ingredients prior to starting the cooking process. This recipe cooks quickly in the beginning and at the end.
2. If you are making for 2 people, make the same amount of the broth, but cut down on the seafood. I find that seafood doesn't make a good leftover meal. For instance, when I made this on Sunday, I bought two small crab clusters, 8 shrimp, 4 scallops and 10 clams. Even that was too much for our large appetite!
3. Any type of seafood can be used here. If you don't like mussels, try clams. Not a huge shrimp fan, try squid or a sturdy fish. If you are making this for a dinner party, cut out the crab so it is not as messy to eat.
4. Don't wear a white shirt when you eat this!

I should also add that the long list of ingredients shouldn't turn you away from this recipe. It really is quite easy - mostly just adding everything into one big pot. Stash this recipe away for a special meal to impress your loved one.

Another option is to make the "stew" part ahead of time (everything but the seafood). Just reheat it in a large enough pot and cook the seafood right before you are ready to serve it.

Spicy Cioppino

Yields: 4-6 servings
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 fennel bulb, finely chopped
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
4 large garlic cloves, minced
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 1/2 cups dry red wine (such as a Rioja or Chianti)
1 (28 ounce) can whole plum tomatoes and juice, chopped
1 (8 ounce) bottle clam juice (about 1 cup)
1 cup chicken broth (vegetable broth works also)
salt and pepper to taste

1 pound Dungeness crab leg or cluster, thawed if frozen (might need to cut if pot is smaller)
1 pound mussels or clams (scrubbed and de-bearded)
1 pound large shrimp (16-20 count), shelled and deveined
1 pound sea scallops, tough muscle removed from side of each if necessary
1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped

Serve with:
Sourdough bread slices
Roasted garlic
Parmesan cheese, shredded

Start by chopping the fennel, onion and celery to the same size pieces. In a small bowl combine the oregano, thyme, basil, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper and set aside.

Heat the butter and oil in a large heavy pot or dutch oven. Saute the onion, fennel and celery until softened, about 5-7 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute, then stir in the spice mixture. After about 30 seconds, add in the tomato paste and stir until well combined.

Pour in the wine and bring this to a boil and reduce by about half, while stirring occasionally. Add in the broth, clam juice, chopped tomatoes and their juice and the bay leaf. Bring this to a simmer, cover and cook for 35-40 minutes.

While the broth cooks, pull out the seafood and prep anything (peel and devein the shrimp, clean the mussels, cut the crab clusters, etc.). When the broth is finish, taste and add salt and pepper accordingly. Prep any side dishes or set the table at this point before adding in the seafood!

Add the crab and mussels (or clams) in the pot first, pushing them into the broth so they are covered. Cover the pot and cook for 2-3 minutes, then add in the scallops. Cover and cook another 2 minutes. Finally, throw in the shrimp, cover and cook another 1-2 minutes. Garnish with fresh parsley and shredded Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.

Carrot Soup with Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Well, its still freezing! I can't stop drinking hot tea and eating warm soup. It just warms me to my core and makes me forget that the temperature is close to 15F outside! We even got a little sprinkle of snow the other day in NC. And yes, just enough to shut down schools, delay the work day and empty the grocery store shelves (Northerners laugh here). 

As long as the weather continues like this, I will keep sharing soup recipes. This one is from my Fall Cleanse days, remember that?!?! I was able to survive the brutal five days because of this dish though. The soup was from a recommended recipe from the Cleanse list, but I added the Brussels Sprout part for color and texture. I also added some brown rice for a little bit of carbohydrates when I had this during the Cleanse, but it isn't mandatory.

I enjoyed the planning part of the Cleanse - making a grocery list, studying recipes and scheduling my days around cooking and preparing as to distract me from my hunger and cravings. I started with a base of recipes and then put my usual spin on things. Since I was doing the Cleanse, I couldn't add any meat or dairy, which I think would be a great addition to this dish. Stir in a little bit of heavy cream at the end or simmer a Parmesan rind in the broth while the carrots cook. Chicken stock could easily be substituted for the vegetable broth as well. Lots of versatility here!

Carrot Soup with Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Soup recipe based on Not Quite Nigella
Yields: 6 servings
Prep Time:
Cook Time:


1 onion, chopped
1 tablespoon ghee (or butter)
1/2 teaspoon ginger, minced
2 pounds carrots, peeled and roughly choppped
1 teaspoon cumin powder
4 cups vegetable stock
salt and pepper
1 pound Brussels Sprouts, trimmed and halved
1 tablespoon grapeseed oil
Fresh parsley, chopped
Creme fraiche or heavy cream (optional)

Preheat the oven to 400F.

In a large thick-bottomed soup pot, saute onions and ginger in the butter over medium heat until translucent. Stir in the carrots and cook for about 5 minutes. Add in the stock and cumin powder and simmer for about 45 minutes until the carrots are soft.

While the soup is cooking, line a large baking sheet with parchment. Mix the Brussels sprouts with the oil and some salt and pepper. Roast for 30 minutes in the oven, mixing around once half way through. The goal is to have slightly browned and charred sprouts!

Once the carrots are soft, puree the soup by either using an immersion blender (one of my favorite kitchen gadgets) or in a blender (in two batches).

To serve, fill a bowl with the carrot soup and top with roasted Brussels sprouts, pepper and parsley. A dollop of creme fraiche or drizzle of heavy cream would be a nice finishing touch as well. Crusty bread or brown rice is a great addition to this dish!

Red Lentil Curry Soup with Pancetta

It has been a busy weekend and week so far, so I will keep this short. This past weekend I went to the Panthers game with my bestie and had an awesome opportunity to go down on the field. I will work on getting the video posted for next time! Until then, I have to share one of my favorite soup recipes to keep you warm!

Most will agree when I say that the weather has sucked lately. Everywhere! It has been cold, snowy, winter vortex-y It is definitely soup weather, which I am totally OK with!

This is another tried and true soup recipe that I bust out when I don't want to think about what to make. I usually have all the ingredients already and can always substitute if needed. The toppings are pretty versatile as well depending on the person. We like to have crispy pancetta, but this soup could easily be made vegetarian. And as usual, this is a very gluten free friendly recipe! 

Red Lentil Curry Soup with Pancetta

Yields: 6 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45-60 minutes

1 tablespoon ghee or butter (if keeping vegetarian)
3 stalk of celery, sliced (use the interior stalks plus leaves if possible)
1 small yellow onion, chopped
4 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 tablespoon curry powder
½ teaspoon ground oregano
2 cups red lentils, rinsed
1 cup pancetta, chopped into small chunks
4 cups vegetable broth
Water as needed
Salt and pepper
Green onions, chopped
Creme fraiche, sour cream or plain greek yogurt
Grape tomatoes, halved (get the yellow ones if you can find them)

In a large soup pot or dutch oven, heat pancetta chunks until rendered and crispy. Remove the pancetta to a paper towel lined plate with a slotted spoon, leaving as much of the fat in the pot as possible (which isn’t too much).

Add the celery, onion and carrots into the pot and sauté 7-10 minutes on medium heat. Stir in the curry powder, ground oregano, salt and pepper and continue to sauté for 2-3 more minutes.

Place the lentils in the pot and cover with vegetable broth. Add in bay leaves and stir gently. Add water if necessary to make sure the lentils have plenty of liquid to absorb while cooking.  Bring the soup to a slight boil, lower heat to medium-low and simmer for 30-45 minutes until lentils are softened. Quickly stir again and serve with recommended toppings and garnish below:

• a dollop of creme fraiche (sour cream or yogurt)
• crispy pancetta
• chopped green onions
• diced grape tomatoes 

This soup can be served over steamed rice, chopped fresh spinach or with fresh naan or bread. If you happen to have any mango chutney, stir a tablespoon into the soup for added flavor.

Tortellini and Spinach Soup

Work has been crazy. Seriously crazy. I am putting in a lot of time there, so cooking dinner has gone down on the priority list lately (which kills me to say). There is really only so much take-out a girl can take! I was determined to come up with a list of easy dinners that I or the Hubby could throw together and initially thought of one that I had growing up - Tortellini Soup.

My brother and I were a handful growing up. I have mad props for my mom being able to juggle work, volunteer stuff, school stuff, kids, husband, house, life AND cooking! She always had dinner on the table and it was always delicious.

One of her staple winter meals was this Tortellini Soup recipe. You need to add this to your recipe repertoire immediately because it takes 10 minutes to throw together, can feed an army (of hungry kids or husbands) and, some how, finds a way to taste even better after a few days in the fridge!

Hubby LOVES this soup, and always makes me double up on the bacon and tortellini. Sometimes I will make two pots, one with double bacon and tortellini for him, and one with double spinach for me!

Tortellini Soup

Altered from my Mom's recipe
Yields: 6-8 servings
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes


4 cloves of garlic, minced
8 slices of bacon, thinly sliced (leave out if vegetarian)
One 15 ounce can of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
One 28 ounce can diced tomatoes
8 cups chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
Parmesan rind (optional)
Two 9 ounce packages cheese tortellini (or spinach tortellini)
4 cups fresh spinach, chopped

In a large soup pot over medium heat, render the bacon slices until almost crispy. Add in the garlic and saute for a little under a minute, stirring constantly. Stir in the tomatoes and beans, then finally the chicken broth and Parmesan rind.

Bring this to a simmer and stir in the tortellini. Cook this according to the package and stir in the fresh spinach in the last minute of cooking until wilted.

How I make this gluten free:
 - before adding the tortellini, I remove some of the soup. I add in cooked brown rice and Parmesan cheese to mine.

Tales of a Weary Traveler and Minestrone Soup

Five weekends down, two more to go. After a month of traveling, Ryan and I are "hitting the wall," as they say in the running world. We are in the middle of a traveling marathon visiting friends, family and running in races. 

This past long weekend was fantastic. We were beach-bound for a Hegele Thanksgiving Extravaganza (Hegele is my maiden name). Most of my crazy family gathered for food, fun and several drinks! We then traveled to Charlotte for my high school reunion, which was more food, fun and several drinks! 

After this type of weekend, Ryan and I seriously crave vegetables. Since we only have a few nights until we jet off again (this time to NYC), I thought a vegetable soup was in order and would last us a few nights without filling up our fridge with a million items.

A hearty winter minestrone soup sounded like the perfect thing for me! To make things easier, I started from an established recipe so I could just chop and drop in the large soup pot. We both thoroughly enjoyed this recipe from Ina Garten's (also known as The Barefoot Contessa) Barefoot Contessa Foolproof: Recipes You Can Trust. I did make some changes (of course) to the recipe, so here are my notes:

• I usually always increase the garlic in recipes because we love garlic in our house. If you are not too keen on garlic, reduce the amount or leave it out entirely.
• If you can find fresh bay leaves, use those! Same for the other dried herbs. However, I don't like spending a lot of money on fresh herbs in the winter.
• Chop the onion, celery, carrot and butternut squash into even size pieces. This ensures even cooking!
• If you are like me and save your Parmesan rinds, this is a perfect soup to throw one into.

The recipe falls somewhere between a soup and a stew, filling your bowl with hearty vegetables.

Winter Minestrone Soup

Recipe Adapted from Barefoot Contessa Foolproof: Recipes You Can Trust by Ina Garten

Serves: 6-8
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes

Good olive oil

4 oz. pancetta, diced

2 cups yellow onion, chopped

2 cups carrots, chopped 

2 cups celery, chopped

2 cups butternut squash, peeled, chopped

5 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp dried sage

26 oz. can diced tomatoes

6 cups chicken stock

2 bay leaves

Salt and Pepper

1 (15oz.) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

2 cups cooked small pasta (which is about 1 cup dried pasta)

4 cups fresh spinach, roughly chopped

1/2 cup dry white wine

2 T pesto

Parmesan, rind and freshly grated

Heat 2 T olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy pot or Dutch oven. Add the pancetta and cook over medium-low heat for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally to keep it from sticking to the bottom. When the pancetta is lightly browned, pour in 2 T of white wine to deglaze the pan. Be sure to scrap up the bits on the bottom well with a wooden spoon. When the wine has reduced down a bit, add in the onion, garlic, carrot, celery, butternut squash, thyme, oregano and sage. Cook this over medium heat, covered, stirring occasionally for about 8-10 minutes until the vegetables start to soften.

Add in the tomatoes, chicken stock, bay leaves, salt and pepper to the pot. Bring this to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer covered for 30 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. While the soup simmers, boil the pasta and set aside.

Stir in the drained beans and cooked pasta, heat through. The soup should be quite thick but if it is too thick, add more chicken stock. If making the soup ahead, stop here and refrigerate until ready to serve.

To serve, reheat the soup, add the spinach and cook until wilted. Stir in the white wine and pesto. Serve with shredded Parmesan

Stewed Butter Beans

Beans usually are not the most desired vegetable among the younger generation, but butter beans are called butter beans for a reason. When they are cooked, they taste like butter!

Also known as lima beans, these are another one of my favorite summer vegetables that are abundant at our local Farmer's Market. I hate to be picky again, but the only way I will eat them is if I can find them fresh. Dried beans are too much effort and canned beans are for salsas!

About a year ago, I had the opportunity to do a cooking class at one of the best restaurants in Durham - Nana's. The recipe that I enjoyed learning most was one that highlighted butter beans. I couldn't wait to get home and try my own version. Unfortunately, butter beans were not in season when I got around to trying the recipe, so I had to wait until this summer to try it again. The biggest challenge was to document amounts, as the chef at Nana's did not have any sort of measuring utensil in his kitchen.

There are several elements that make this recipe delicious - bouquet garni, broth and mirepoix. Ok, I promise I am still speaking English...well sort of!

Bouquet Garni

Bouquet garni is a french term for "garnished bouquet," in other terms a bouquet of herbs. This is used to flavor sauces, soups and stews and is very easy to put together. Take string and tie it around a bunch of fresh herbs - any kinds available.

Mirepoix

We all know what broth is, but you might be asking what mirepoix is. Another term I learned at the cooking class, that is also referred to the "Holy Trinity" or "Soffritto." Mirepoix is a combination of equal parts celery, onion and carrot. This is the base of most soups, sauces and broths. These three boring vegetables come together to create a fantastic flavor base for many recipes. For all the soups and sauces that I make, I always start with mirepoix now.

Mirepoix - equal parts chopped carrots, celery and onion.

Butter Beans

Yields: 4 cups

1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup carrots, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
1 cup onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 bouquet garni (I used basil, thyme, oregano and bay leaves)
   mixture of fresh herbs (can use a combination of basil, chives, oregano, parsley, bay  
   leaves, thyme, rosemary, sage)
   butcher's string
4 cups chicken broth (use vegetable broth for vegetarian version)
1 quart fresh shelled butter beans
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

In a large sauce pot, heat the butter and oil over medium-high heat. Toss in the chopped onion, celery and carrot and stir to coat with the butter/oil mixture. Cook this for about 5-7 minutes just until the vegetables start to become soft.

Prepare your bouquet garni while the vegetables are cooking. Tie the butcher's string around a bunch of fresh herbs.

Add the garlic to the pot and cook for another 2 minutes.

Add the broth, bouquet garni and butter beans to the pot. Gently stir to combine and add salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil, lower the heat to a simmer and cover the pot. Cook on low, covered for 45 minutes. Check the beans, stir and continue to cook for an additional 15-20 minutes if they are not done. Be careful not to overcook the beans as they will lose flavor and become too mushy. Once you are able to easily mash the beans with a fork, they are done.

I like to serve my beans on top of a baked sweet potato or fresh spinach. You can leave the beans in the broth for more of a soup or drain some of the broth out. I like to reserve the broth to drink or use for other uses like cooking rice, couscous or noodles.