5 Ingredient Thai Pumpkin Soup

While making supper the other day, I was thinking about why my interest in cooking perks up when fall arrives.  I came to the conclusion it's because I love comfort food best... stews, soups, scones and biscuits, fruit crisps and (rice) puddings.  I gravitate to those recipes. 

Not so my husband.

Sometimes, it's an issue.... : )

Now, normally my favourite soup is made from roasted vegetables, whatever's in season. My Butternut Squash Soup is a typical example. Life gets even better if I have homemade stock in the fridge.

Add meat, as in Rainbow Chicken Soup, and dumplings... Hey! It's a Full Meal Deal!  


Today's soup idea came from Foodie Crush.

5 Ingredient Thai Pumpkin Soup.

That's right.  Five ingredients, all from my pantry.  That's why I'm tucking this little recipe into my book.  Sometimes, when there's not much in the fridge and you have unexpected people to feed, it's nice to have a quick, simple soup idea you can whip up at the last minute.

Notes:

The original recipe has fresh red chili peppers and uses red curry paste. I only had green curry paste and chili pepper flakes. No big deal. It still tasted good!

I enjoyed the addition of coconut milk. It was a tasty change from my other version - Pumpkin Soup for One.

Butternut Squash Soup

Some winter mornings, it's all about the soup.  

Maggie's Butternut Squash Soup

This particular morning, it's Butternut Squash.  This is a "not really a recipe" soup.  Just some general guidelines... roast, blend, serve.  It's that simple.  Make a few pots and experiment. Measuring accurately is NOT critical.  You can't really go wrong.

Roasting...so simple and
adds so much flavour!

Butternut Squash Soup

1 small butternut squash, peeled and cubed

2 apples, cored and cubed (don't peel)

1/3 cup chopped onion, chopped

1-2 cloves garlic, chopped

Spray or lightly oil large cookie sheet.

Randomly sprinkle on squash, apple, onion and garlic.

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon Greek or Italian seasoning

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Sprinkle on seasonings.

Roast for 40 minutes at 425ºF.

2-3 cups chicken stock

In small batches, blend roasted ingredients...

Fill blender first with a cup or two of vegetables

and enough stock to just cover. Blend until smooth.

"Clean" blender at the end with a cup of stock, 

then stir this into bowl with a whisk.

Taste!  Add additional spices or salt if needed.

If necessary, thin a little more with additional stock.

Store for later or heat to serve.

Add a swirl of sour cream or Greek yogurt or serve plain.

Enjoy!!

NOTE: Adding more apple will make a sweeter soup.  Experiment!

Carry-On Baggage & Vegetable Stock

Simplicity is making the journey of this life 

with just baggage enough.

- Charles Dudley Warner

Hmmm....

Just back after a quick visit to see some snowbird friends in the Phoenix area.

Hmmm.... Just in time for a Canadian prairie storm.  Sigh!

As for being limited to carry-on baggage?

Wonderful...uncluttered...stress free  : )  That makes for a great holiday!

What would life be like if we all had to limit our possessions to what could fit in a carry-on bag?

Our snowbird friends are living a wonderfully uncomplicated life these days.  We enjoyed some great visits to interesting places (more about that another day) and some great meals based on very simple, well-prepared food.  

Making their own stocks for cooking, baking their own bread (on the BBQ), squeezing oranges for fresh juice...inspiring!!

Still feeling that motivation this morning, so join me as I make some...

Vegetable Stock

3 tablespoons olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

3 carrots, peeled and chopped

1/2 onion, chopped

1/2 orange pepper, chopped

Saute gently for about 8 minutes.

3 tablespoons McCormick "No Salt Added Seasoned Herb Medley"

3 litres (about 12 cups) water

3 dried tomatoes

Add and gentle simmer for about 45 minutes.

That's it.  Simple!  

You'll notice I didn't add any celery (didn't have any) or salt - thought I'd wait and add that later when I use the stock.  

Basically, (almost) all vegetables are going to be happy jumping into the pot, but there are some exceptions - check here.  For some additional handy tips, I'm also linking a second article.

Happy Monday!

Maggie

Rainbow Chicken Soup

Yesterday I wrote about some of the things I've recently learned about seniors and nutrition.  The story continues...  : )

I was the one to pick Grandmother up from the hospital so I made some Rainbow Chicken Soup for her first lunch at home.  The rainbow part connects to the current focus on choosing darker colours of vegetables - dark green spinach is more nutrient dense, for example, than iceberg lettuce - and having a variety of vegetable colours.  Choosing a variety of colours is just an easy way of hitting all the different vitamins and minerals we need daily.  

Rainbow Chicken Soup

2 tablespoons olive oil

two chicken breasts, cut into small pieces

1/2 cup diced WHITE onion

1 cup peeled and diced WHITE potatoes

1 cup peeled and diced ORANGE carrots

1/2 cup of diced YELLOW pepper
1 cup of diced GREEN vegetables

(spinach, sugar snap peas, celery, broccoli stems)

Heat oil, then saute chicken.

Add vegetables and continue to saute.

1 litre (4 cups) no salt added chicken broth

1 can (540 ml/19 oz.) RED tomatoes 

(I used Alymer's Accents - Cracked Peppercorn 

and Roasted Garlic)

Add tomatoes and chicken broth.

Simmer gently 60 - 90 minutes.

Rainbow Chicken Soup

NOTE:  Now you'll notice there are no seasonings.  The chicken had been marinating in an oil/lemon juice/herb mixture.  I was fine with the flavour and had a big bowl of this soup "as is" but I don't usually add a lot of salt, etc.  (Grandmother did add salt!)  Often I'll add salsa and Lea and Perrins Worcestershire sauce.  I was interested to read that the first ingredient in Lea and Perrins is malt vinegar!!  Interesting because I'd just read this article, What's a Good Way to Add a Salty Taste Without Using Salt.

Some rainbow!  What happened to blue/purple, you ask?

Okay!!  I know!!  But wouldn't a little bowl of blueberries topped with yogurt complete my rainbow lunch?

From the Soup Kitchen,

Maggie  : )

# 74 What's for lunch? Potato soup...yum!

Maggie's Potato Soup

1/2 cup finely chopped onion or leeks

1/2 cup finely chopped celery

3 cups diced potatoes 

4 cups chicken broth

1 tablespoon butter

1-2 tablespoons olive oil

salt, pepper, parsley to taste

In a medium pot, melt butter and olive oil.

 Slowly, (low heat) saute vegetables at least ten minutes.

Stir every so often to make sure nothing is sticking.

Add chicken broth; bring just barely to a boil.

Simmer about half an hour.

With a potato masher, mash about half the potatoes.

Simmer another five minutes.

#29 Easy, Tasty Recipe - Pumpkin Soup for One

Today I discovered Autumn Pumpkin Soup (Jean Pare's Company's Coming Healthy in a Hurry).

Simple... few ingredients... quick... healthy... tasty...

Here's my "table for one" version...

1/3 cup finely chopped onion  

Saute gently in 1 tsp. olive oil for at least 10 minutes.

1 container (about 1/3 cup) applesauce

2/3 cup pumpkin

1 cup chicken or vegetable broth

dash of salt, pepper and seasoning

Add rest of ingredients.  Bring to boil; simmer 10-15 minutes. 

Garnish with a spoonful of plain, Greek yogurt (or sour cream)

and a sprinkle of chives or green onion. Makes 2 cups.

For more fall recipes and decorating ideas, 
check out
Happy Hour at CraftyScrappyHappy

Salad Soup and Dumplings...weird, I know, but good!!

...on my own... felt like comfort food... homemade soup!  

...warmed some olive oil in a pot... 

...threw in diced onion and 7 or 8 tiny, new potatoes, washed and cubed. 

Good smells already!!

...checked the fridge and out came the remains of a salad from the night before... spinach, tomatoes, yellow pepper, green onions...

  

Could be interesting!  Added the salad to the pot.

What else??

... 1/2 cup salsa

... 1/2 cup leftover spaghetti sauce 

... 1 1/2 cups of water

... a splash of Worcestershire sauce

... 2 Tbsp. homemade salt substitute seasoning

My soup simmered happily for about 20 minutes and then I added...

Dumplings!

1/2 cup flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

Mix dry ingredients, then cut in 

1/2 Tbsp. butter

Stir in 1/4 cup of milk to make a soft dough.

Drop spoonfuls onto soup.  

Cover and simmer for 15 minutes.

NO PEEKING!!

Comfort food...always hits the spot!

The Country Cook Weekend Potluck #35