On a roll for soup?

So I guess I am really enjoying making soups lately.. The other day I made an AWESOME vegetable soup and a few before that a "cioppino" with shrimp and spicy italian chicken sausage. Soups are so darn easy!! Although they are so easy they can also be so incredible and hold so much flavor. I am going to just go ahead and post two different recipes that I have come up with lately and tried that were wonderful!


Homemade Classic Vegetable Soup

2 finely diced stalks of celery
1 diced white onion
2 diced cloves of garlic
2 cubed large zucchinis
1 1/2 larger or 3 small cubed sweet potatoes
2 cubed squash (summer squash, butternut squash, or acorn squash will work)
1 large can of crushed tomatoes
1 8 oz can of tomato paste
1 quart of vegetable stock
2 tablespoons of dried Thyme
1 tablespoon of basil
1 tablespoon onion powder


Start with your onion and garlic. Get those going in a hot heavy bottomed pot with some olive oil while you prep your other veggies. As you chop, dice and cube, throw in your colorful veggies as you go. When they are all incorporated add your tomato paste and stir for a few minutes. Finally add you crushed tomatoes, vegetable stock, and spices. Let cook for about an hour on medium low.


Seafood Sausage Cioppino

3 cloves of garlic chopped
1 spanish onion chopped
1 chopped celery stalk
2 tablespoons of olive oil plus more if needed
1 large can of crushed tomatoes
1/2 a lb. of jumbo shrimp
1/2 a lb. of spicy italian chicken or turkey sausage
1 Tablespoon of smoked paprika
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 can of cannelloni beans
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 bay leaf
1/2 a tablespoon of mustard seed
1 handful of chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
1 quart of chicken stock (could use homemade seafood stalk that would make it amazing.)

Start off by browning your sausage with the onions, garlic and celery. Remember to season every layer for a well rounded dish. Add the rest of the ingredients at a medium temperature, stirring all the while. Finally add the stock and make sure you get a good sizzle to let you know that your de-glazing the pot and getting all of those beautiful flavors to merry together. Add your shrimp as close to serving as possible. This would be so great served over a pollenta or risotto. Also great with a good baguette.

ENJOY THESE YUMMY WARM SOUPS FOR THE COZY WINTER DAYS TO COME! :)

I have also found a new appreciation for beans. They are SO filling, SO packed with protein and SO yummy! Here is a great spin on a classic "Insalata Di Fagioli" = Bean Salad. Classically made with Cannelloni beans..I used Garbanzos. Both work well, I find that Garbanzos are a little bit lighter where you could eat more than you cold if you used the classic white beans.

And now...last but not least...

Super Salad

1 can of Garbanzo Beans drained and rinsed
1 finely diced celery stalk
Juice of 1/2 of a lemon
Handful of chopped parsley
Aprx 3/4 cup of tuna or albacore
Salt and Pepper to taste....YUM!

So simple, so good, so good FOR you. Super Salad.


ATTN Bakers that are reading... What is the difference between bread flour and regular all purpose flour? And Cake flour too? I have had some breads fail lately and all of them called for bread flour where I used All purpose. Please give me your baking knowledge...Thanks!


Until Next post..I'm Out Yall!