Tuscan Bread Soup

This recipe began in Italy. We were in some teeny, tiny town in wine country and Tuscan bread soup was on the menu.

Then, my friend Nat Slavin sent me his recipe with a note that said, during the winter, he always has a pot of it in his fridge.

This is a combination of both recipes, with my own little additions.

Ingredients
2 T olive oil
2 T butter
4 cloves of garlic, peeled
1/2 yellow onion, diced
3 carrots, peeled and diced
3 stalks of celery, diced
2 14-oz cans fire roasted tomatoes
6 C vegetable broth
2 Parmesan heels (Whole Foods has them in their cheese department)
1/2 loaf cibatta bread, cut into squares
2 T herbs de Provence
Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper

In a large stock pot, melt the butter and warm up the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and onion and cook until softened, three to four minutes. Add the celery and carrots and cook another four minutes. Add the tomatoes, vegetable broth, Parmesan heels, herbs de Provence, salt (just a pinch), and pepper (about 1 teaspoon). Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and let simmer for an hour. Add the cibatta.

It's actually better if you let it sit, untouched and in the stock pan, in the fridge overnight. But it can be served immediately. It makes excellent leftovers.

French Onion Soup

2 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp olive oil
4 yellow onions, sliced
3 shallots, sliced
1 leek, sliced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tsp fresh thyme
2 Tbsp flour
1 bay leaf
1/2 C dry red wine (I use cabernet or merlot)
6 C vegetable broth (or beef, if you're not vegetarian)
Salt
Pepper

Whole wheat baguette, sliced and toasted
Shredded gruyere cheese

Melt butter and olive oil in stock pot over medium high heat. Add onions, shallots, leek, garlic, and thyme and cook until caramelized, about 15-20 minutes. Add flour and mix well. Cook for five more minutes. Add wine and bay leaf. Simmer for five minutes. Add vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Season with salt and pepper. Boil for 10 minutes. In the meantime, turn the broiler on high. When soup is finished, take off heat and ladle into bowls. Top with 3-4 slices of bread and shredded cheese. Broil until cheese is bubbly and begins to turn brown.

Corn Chowder

(Picture to come)

There is nothing better than crisp, cool mornings and a pot of soup simmering on the stove. If you like corn and you like cream-based soups, this is an easy and delicious one for you!

2 T butter

2 T olive oil

1/2 sweet yellow onion, diced

3 garlic cloves, minced

6-8 sprigs of thyme (just the leaves, not the stems)

1/4 tsp rosemary (finally chopped)

1/4 C flour

8 cups vegetable stock

3 potatoes, peeled and diced

6 ears of corn

Salt

Pepper

1/4 C Cream

1/4 C chopped parsley

Cheddar cheese, shredded

Fire up the grill - about 500 degrees - and place the corn directly on the grate. If corn is in season, you can grill directly in the husk. Otherwise I buy frozen corn on the cob and grill it in tin foil. Don't cook all the way through - just about six minutes on two sides.

Over medium heat, melt the butter and olive oil in a stock pan. Add the onion, garlic, thyme, and rosemary. Cook until the onion is translucent (about 10 minutes). Add flour and stir to mix well so there are no lumps. Add the vegetable stock and potatoes and bring to a boil. After the corn is finished (let it cool a bit), cut it off the cob. Add to the soup and let simmer for 20 minutes. Add cream and let it warm through. Add the salt, pepper, parsley, and cheese. Serve.

Potato Soup

I created this almost accidentally so I figured I should write it down before it leaves my brain.

Homemade potato soup...yum! It's PERFECT for the frozen tundra our country seems to be under right now. Make this, pour a glass of wine, start a fire, and watch it snow!

One of Kelly's business partners had a bowl of this and said it was really good, so if you don't like it, we'll blame him!

4 T butter
1/2 onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
2 T flour
3 potatoes, peeled and chopped
2 C milk (whole or 2%)
1/2 C vegetable broth (you can use chicken broth, too)
1 can corn
1/2 C cream
Shredded cheddar cheese
Salt
Pepper

In a stock pot, melt the butter. Add the onion and garlic and cook until softened, about five minutes. Whisk in flour and let thicken, about one minute. Add the potatoes, milk, and vegetable broth and cook until the potatoes are soft, about 15 minutes. Mash slightly with a hand masher or fork - just slightly - don't try to make mashed potatoes out of it. Add the corn and the cream and let it simmer for a couple of minutes, just to warm both. Then taste it. Add salt and pepper to your liking. Stir in a handful of cheese and let it melt. Ladle into bowls and top with cheese. You can also add some crumbled bacon to the top.

Roasted Tomato Soup with Chipotle Cream

I was at an event at Merchandise Mart and, in the Kohler store, they were serving little ladles of mushroom risotto with chipotle cream. I thought, "I wonder how you make chipotle cream and if it would be good in anything else?" So was born this recipe. You could actually make it without the chipotle, but it definitely gives it a unique flavor and just the right amount of spice.

Ingredients

2-3 tomatoes on the vine
2 beefsteak tomatoes
2 Roma tomatoes
10 cloves of garlic, peeled
1 large yellow onion
1-2 chipotle peppers (to taste; you can find them in a can in the vegetable section)
1 quart chicken or vegetable broth
1/2 C heavy whipping cream
Salt
Pepper
Olive oil

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line jelly roll sheet (or cookie sheet with lip) with foil. Slice tomatoes in quarters and place on sheet. Add garlic (whole, but peeled) to sheet. Slice onion into rings and add to sheet. Sprinkle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Bake for 40-45 minutes, until vegetables begin to brown and the oil is bubbling.

In a large stock pot, heat broth over medium heat. Pour vegetables directly from sheet into pot. Add chipotle pepper (two if you like spicy food). Simmer over medium heat for 20-25 minutes.

Working in batches, pour soup into food processor and combine until all chunks are gone. You can also use an immersion blender directly in the pot. Return soup to pot and add cream. Stir until heated through. Serve immediately.