Acorn Squash Soup with Parmesean Cheese

Dinner tonight was AMAZING! Really. I'm trying to incorporate more vegetarian meals in our dinner routine both for health and for expense. I've encountered resistance from just about everyone in the family except the baby - she's happy to eat anything. My darling husband, Mr MacGuyver on the other hand insists on meat - protein for him he says. I think he might be finally softening after a few really good meatless meals we've had.

Tonight was one of them. Acorn Squash Soup that was delicious...creamy, tangy, sweet. So many flavors, it was hard to pin down and perfect for a cold night after everyone had played outside all afternoon. The recipe is pretty easy too, which always makes me happy on weekends when I really want/need to do other things besides cook. I'm guessing I'm the odd-ball there because most of you probably want fast dinners on weeknights. With homeschooling and really limiting what are kids are in involved in, weeknights are actually easier for me. I can start dinner anytime after 4pm when the baby wakes up, so I have plenty of time.

Weekends are are another story. There is NEVER enough time on the weekend. I want to play games with the kids, work in the yard, work on the computer, go on adventures, everything gets done on weekends around here. Whichever night you choose, this soup is one you should pin, stumble, or bookmark for an easy dinner meal.

Acorn Squash Soup with a Lime Twist
Adapted from Sargento's Website

Ingredients
2 large acorn squash
2 Tbsp. butter or margarine
1 small onion, chopped
1 can chicken or vegetable broth
1/4 tsp. nutmeg 
1/4 tsp. salt  
4 slices Parmesan cheese

Place whole squash on paper towel in microwave oven; cook on HIGH 5 minutes. Turn over; continue cooking 4 minutes more or until squash is barely tender when pierced with a knife. Let stand 5 minutes. Melt butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion; cook 8 minutes or until onion is soft, stirring occasionally. Cut squash in half; scoop out and discard seeds and membrane. Keeping squash shell intact, scoop out flesh, leaving 1/4-inch thick shell. Add squash pulp to onion mixture; cook 1 minute. Add chicken broth, nutmeg and, if desired, cayenne pepper and salt; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes or until squash is very tender, stirring occasionally. Transfer squash mixture to food processor or blender; process until smooth. Reheat soup until very hot. Arrange squash shells, cut sides up, in ovenproof bowls; place bowls on baking sheet; fill with hot soup. Top with toast and cheese. Place under preheated broiler 5 inches from heat; broil 3 minutes or until cheese is melted and golden brown.

Gazpacho - Cold Tomato Soup

It's the end of summer and I love this time of year. For me, it's the change in seasons that I adore. When winter ends and spring begins I feel alive and joyful. When summer warmth comes I am ready to run around in flip flops and tank tops. I have to say, I really think fall is my favorite. Warm days with crisp nights. We get out the marshmallows and drag branches to the fire pit for smores bonfires with friends. We go camping and hang out watching the starts. Fall is bliss.

I've worked all summer long, in the garden and the harvest is paying off, but these days my garden is winding down. The beans are finished, the squash kaput, the peppers producing less each day. Today we pulled up two dead tomato plants, but at least the other are still going. We have different varieties of tomatoes planted. Last year I introduced the mini orange ones and they were amazing. This year, my new plants were Cherokee Purple and Mr. Stripey heirloom. Both had interesting color, but tasted not as bold as the traditional Better Boy that is our mainstay. They were also not as pest resistant. In fact, I'm pretty sure more bugs enjoyed my Mr. Stripey than I did! 

Better Boy, Purple Cherokee, Mr. Stripey all ready for soup

I did can (that soooo should be "jar") some of these tomatoes, which I will share with you tomorrow. It was pretty easy considering I usually only can jam. The canning jars look beautiful with the different color tomatoes in them.

Today however, I wanted to enjoy the end of summer. Today I made gazpacho. I have to say, I've never...ever had gazpacho. I'm sure it wasn't for lack of it being offered. My Mom loves the stuff, so I know she tried to get me to like it. I always declined. As usual, my Mom was right, I should have come around much sooner than this.

I'm pretty sure it was the name that put me off. It sounds so...so....tough. Like it might grow hair on your chest tough. Like take your lunch money away tough. Gestapo tough. I was intimidated. But as I've said before with souffle - wusiness needs to be confronted. I had to make this stuff. I'm proud to say...

I...have..conquered...gazpacho!!! And I actually liked it.

Of course, now that means I want you to conquer gazpacho as well (or at least be able to spell it). You may be an old pro at it like my Mom, or you may be a wussy newbie like me, but if you like fresh tomatoes, you are going to love this recipe. All you need is a food processor - no cooking involved. That's my kinda summer cooking.

Gazpacho
from Southern Living

8 tomatoes, peeled and chopped (I used several types of tomatoes, just be sure they are flavorful and ripe)
2 cucumbers, peeled and seeded
1 large bell pepper
1 small red onion, peeled
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded
1 large clove garlic
1- 32 oz bottle of tomato or vegetable juice
1 lemon, need 1 tbsp zest, 1/4 c juice
1/3 c red wine vinegar
2 dashes of hot sauce
3 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp paprika
sour cream
avocado

Cut tomatoes, cucumbers, pepper, and onion into quarters. Put all the chopped vegetables, the jalapeno and the garlic into the food processor. Pulse until chunky (or you can keep going til it's smooth if you don't like texture in your soup), scraping the sides when necessary. Pour into a large plastic container and add the rest of the ingredients. Stir, cover and put in the fridge for at least 8 hours or overnight.

Serve with sour cream and a sliced avocado. 

If the Tomato Peach Salad is summer on a fork, this is summer on a spoon! Thanks Mom for having patience and letting me grow into my taste buds.

 

Pizza Soup - Fast and Easy

When I was busy recovering from my fourth cesarean section with our last baby (who is now 16 months old - yikes) a neighbor made this wonderful soup for us. I was a little unsure over the name Pizza Soup, thinking it would be more of a "kid recipe". I am not the biggest pizza fan unless it's really good pizza. So far I haven't found a pizza joint in Roswell that I love. I guess I just prefer making it, kinda like how I am about Mexican food too. Do I sound high-maintenance? I don't feel that way, but when I actually say it out loud, I sound like a food snob. I'm not, I promise. In fact the food item I craved most when pregnant with all four of the kids was McDonald's french fries. Nothing else would cure that craving - nothing. And yes, I now they are soooo bad for you and contain all kinds of preservatives and sodium levels off the charts, but it's what my body said it NEEDED and who was I to deny? Since the kids turned out healthy and *mostly* sane, I guess I didn't do any damage. All that to say I do like junk food occasionally. I'm not much of a Mexican food fan (unless it's homemade), I don't like hot dogs and I don't crave pizza, but those McDonald's fries are my weakness.

I do have a twist on junk food with this pizza soup. It breaks the pizza mold by going into a bowl, not a crust. I loved it. It was a creamy soup with a little kick from the pepperoni. The great thing about it, well actually there are two. One, you can customize the recipe so easily just like making your pizza the way you like it. Two, the basic recipe is SIMPLE. Don't thank me, thank Sybil, who introduced me to the simple pleasure of....

Pizza Soup

1 jar of spaghetti sauce

6 oz cream cheese, I used non-fat

1 c milk, I used skim

Assorted pizza toppings: pepperoni (we like turkey pepperoni), candian bacon, mushrooms, black olives, spinach, mozzarella, oregano, hot pepper flakes, whatever you like

Put the sauce, cream cheese and milk in a pot and stir until it's all melted. Add toppings to warm the up and serve. How easy is that??? Dinner's ready in a hurry!

Spiced Pumpkin Soup

 This soup recipe comes my my friend Judith who blogs over at...judithcooks.blogspot.com. She is a wonderful cook and I love everything she creates. I once had two baby showers to attend on the same day, at the same time. I chose the one Judith was catering! She's from Ireland and has the most lovely accent and a warm heart.

This soup was served at a New Mother's Tea. Our church, Fellowship Bible Church throws a bi-annual tea party for all new and expecting moms. It's a huge undertaking and such a gift for the attendees. Each organizer has talents that are put to great use. The creative ladies make beautiful invitations. The chefs prepare delicious food. The hostesses greet and make everyone feel comfortable. It's a fabulous party. I had to have another baby just so I could go again!

My family makes this every winter several times. The kids really love this soup since it's kinda sweet. Readers have asked how I get my kids to eat soup. Simple. When they were little I gave it to them in their sippy cups (lukewarm of course). Now they are bigger, I often serve the soup in mugs so they can drink it instead of dealing with a spoon. Course, having some fresh bread to dunk in the soup makes it even more fun!

Spiced Pumpkin Cream Soup
1 c onion, minced
4 tbsp butter
6 c vegetable or chicken stock
1 15oz can of pumpkin
1/2 c brown sugar
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ginger
1/2 c heavy whipping cream (I use 1/2 skim milk and 1/2 c cream)
1/4 c sour cream

Melt butter in saucepan and saute onions in pan until tender. Add stock, pumpkin, sugar, and all seasonings to the pan. Bring it to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in cream (and milk) until the soup is heated throughout.

Serve in bowls or mugs with a dollop of sour cream and a pinch of nutmeg for garnish.

Creamy Corn Potato Chowder

We are still working on the Pantry Challenge, but I think I have to break down and go to the store for milk and a few other things. I needed to come up with dinner from the pantry and found a few potatoes lurking in the bottom bin of the fridge that I needed to use up. I always have frozen veggies on hand, so I made this yummy chowder from Family Fun online. The soup was really creamy and fabulous even though I substituted half and half for the heavy cream. It's the perfect soup for dreary day.

Creamy Corn Potato Chowder

2 tablespoons butter

1 large onion, finely chopped
1 rib celery, finely chopped
5 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 1/2 cups frozen corn kernels
1 large all-purpose potato, peeled and diced
1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon salt, to taste
1 cup heavy cream (or use half and half)
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Black pepper, to taste
Fresh dill or parsley for garnish, chopped (I used dried chives)


Melt the butter in a large saucepan or medium soup pot. Stir in the onion and celery. Partially cover the pan and cook the vegetables over moderate heat for 9 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the chicken stock, corn, potato, and salt and bring the mixture to a low boil. Lower the heat, cover the pot, and simmer for about 7 minutes, until the potatoes are just tender. In a small bowl, whisk together the cream and flour. Stir the mixture into the soup with the pepper. Bring the soup back to a low boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 8 minutes. Serve hot, garnished with herbs.