November 27th: Potato Leek

About the soup:

The soup is made with leeks and a little onion, sauteed in a bit of olive oil. Then the mixture is simmered with potatoes and organic chicken broth, and pureed. This week's Potato Leek soup is slightly different than previous batches. I used to do it with a little milk, but I did not today, and I think it's actually much better.

This is also the first pureed soup using my new blender (!) and I think you will all be as pleased with the silky consistency as I am.

Potato soups do have a tendency to thicken upon standing, so if yours seems a little thick, thin it with some chicken broth or water. If you have any serving suggestions, please post them below.

Next week will be Yellow Split Pea with Turkey.

November 13th: Black Bean & Ham

The Black Bean soup is perfect topped with (you guessed it!) a dollop of sour cream and a bit of fresh cilantro. You can also serve it over white rice.

Next week, no soup!

November 27th will be Yellow Split Pea with Turkey. Orders are due no later than WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 14th please.

Some interesting facts:

This season to date (10 weeks) I have made 230 quarts of soup. Wow.

In terms of popularity, the Roasted Vegetable sold 28 quarts, earning it a first place ranking.

After that, there's the Pumpkin Black Bean with 24 quarts, Cowboy Beef Stew (23) then Cheddar Corn Chowder and Turkey Wild Rice (both 22).

I have done many, if not most, of the soups in the repertoire, and you can expect to see repeating in January. If you have requests, they are always welcome.

November 6th: Roasted Root Vegetable

The name is descriptive, but unfortunately not very glamorous! This soup is organic butternut & white acorn squash, white & sweet potato, pumpkin, parsnip, shallots and carrots, slowly oven-roasted with a touch of brown sugar to bring out the natural sweetness in the veggies. After roasting, the ingredients are pureed with chicken broth and a little low-fat milk.

I added some nutmeg as Kim had suggested as well ground black pepper and sea salt. The shallots were roasted with a touch of balsamic vinegar. The butternut squash are especially sweet now, so if you want to add a little acid, a touch more balsamic would be a nice complement. You could also add some garlic croutons for a finishing touch.

Here's the rest of the month:
November 13th will be Black Bean & Ham (meatless by request) order by 11/7, please.
November 20th: NO SOUP
November 27th: Potato Leek (orders due by 11/14)

October 30th: Beef & Bean Chili

Oh, it's perfect weather for chili!

I like my chili on the spicy side, topped with a little shredded cheddar cheese. If you find it a little too hot for your taste, you can do one of the following:

• Add a dollop of sour cream (I seem to make this suggestion a lot!) or plain yogurt.


• Add an 8 ounce can of plain tomato sauce to the pot when you heat it up and let it simmer 5-10 minutes.


• I know in some places they eat chili over white rice. This would also mellow the flavor.

If you have tips or suggestions of your own, feel free to post them at the comment link below.

My favorite side to go with the chili is cornbread (some of you will remember the early days when I was able to bake it for you!) but I have been known to eat chili using tortilla chips instead of a spoon.

Next week will be Roasted Root Vegetable. It's winter squash, white & sweet potato, pumpkin, parsnip and carrots, slowly oven-roasted and then pureed with chicken broth (vegetarian is available upon request) and a little low-fat milk. Orders are due by 10/31.

October 23rd: Creamy Turkey & Wild Rice

As the weather turns fall-like once again, the creamy richness and nutty rice of this soup seem to warm the soul.

But despite the rich mouthfeel, this soup is surprisingly good for you. The creaminess is the result of a flour-thickened homemade broth and the turkey is roasted breast meat.

There's not a thing I can suggest you do to this soup, except maybe get a nice crusty bread to accompany it and wipe the bowl with!

Next week will be Beef & Bean Chili. After that, probably Roasted Root Vegetable.

October 16th: Beef Stew "Cowboy" Style

I've been at home at the range (sorry!) to bring you this latest recipe.

It's kind of a cross between a classic beef vegetable stew and a beef bourguignon. Big chunks of meat, veggies and potatoes, reduced with red wine... The inspiration recipe appears at left, again courtesy of Food Network.

As you can see, it's not quite thick enough to eat with a knife and fork. But close. The original recipe included okra, which I omitted. Add it back if you like. Or try it with mushrooms, if you have some.

Next week (10/23) will be Creamy Turkey with Wild Rice. Followed by Beef and Bean Chili. I'm willing to do some of the chili without meat, so if you're interested, please let me know as soon as possible. As usual, orders are due no later than the preceding Wednesday.

October 9th: Split Pea with Ham

This is NOT your grandmother's split pea soup!

Peas, celery, onions, carrots and ham make this a hearty meal. A slow-simmered ham bone makes a rich, flavorful broth. Balsamic vinegar adds a touch of acid and lightens the soup, adding a fresh flavor.

The soup does thicken upon standing, but you can thin it with a little water or broth. It also freezes well.

The soup for October 16th will be Hearty Beef Stew, cowboy style. Orders are due by 10/10 please.