Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Soup Tasting
Now that time has passed since the 1st Annual Spokane Soup Swap, I have had a chance to taste some of my soups. I have one quart thawed for our weekend lunches as the temperatures have remained near or below freezing. We have enjoyed the Curried Squash Soup. It has a bit of spice, near the medium salsa degree of "hot". We have also loved the Southwest Chicken Soup. It had two varieties of beans and seemed like a chili with corn in it. It was hardy enough for a meal with nothing added. Last week I had the Chicken Chowder. It was flavored with corn and mushrooms and was tasty. Today I had the Steak Soup. It was full of vegies and very healthy. The recipe was in the Spokesman Review article on February 11, 2009 (http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2009/feb/11/local-soup-swappers-unite/?print-friendly). We have also had the African Peanut Soup. I made it, so I already knew I loved it. Please see our blog linked to www.soupswap.com. Have fun eating your soup!
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Zuppa Toscana (Olive Garden Soup)
Zuppa Toscana (bag) cooked meat
1 lb. Italian sausage (cooked and brought in a bag)
2 large russet baking potatoes diced
2 C onion, chopped
1/4 C Bacon Bits (these are less fatty than real bacon)
3 cloves garlic minced
1/2 t crushed red pepper
2+ cups kale or swiss chard, chopped 1/2 inch pieces
Add after thawing:
1 49.5 oz can chicken broth
2 T chicken boullion paste
1 qt. water
3 cup half and half
Cook potatoes and onion, not completely soft. Cool
Add all other ingredients to bag except can of broth and water.
Freeze.
When cooking, thaw, add the broth and water, and put in pot for 1 hour or crockpot for 6-8 hours on low.
1 lb. Italian sausage (cooked and brought in a bag)
2 large russet baking potatoes diced
2 C onion, chopped
1/4 C Bacon Bits (these are less fatty than real bacon)
3 cloves garlic minced
1/2 t crushed red pepper
2+ cups kale or swiss chard, chopped 1/2 inch pieces
Add after thawing:
1 49.5 oz can chicken broth
2 T chicken boullion paste
1 qt. water
3 cup half and half
Cook potatoes and onion, not completely soft. Cool
Add all other ingredients to bag except can of broth and water.
Freeze.
When cooking, thaw, add the broth and water, and put in pot for 1 hour or crockpot for 6-8 hours on low.
Spokesman Review Covers our Soup Swap
http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2009/feb/11/local-soup-swappers-unite/?print-friendly
If you didn't see the Spokesman Review Food section on Wednesday, February 11, 2009, then check out the link above. Lorie Hutson did a fantastic job reporting the Soup Swap and adding important links and extras. She also included 4 recipes in the article. Way to go, Lorie!
If you didn't see the Spokesman Review Food section on Wednesday, February 11, 2009, then check out the link above. Lorie Hutson did a fantastic job reporting the Soup Swap and adding important links and extras. She also included 4 recipes in the article. Way to go, Lorie!
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Curried Squash Soup
1 ¾ lb. butternut squash, roasted until soft
1 large onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon red curry paste
dash cayenne pepper
5 cups chicken broth
1 bay leaf
1. Place squash cut side down in a greased baking pan. Bake, uncovered, at 400 degrees F for 40-50 minutes or until tender. When cool enough to handle, scoop out pulp; set aside.
2. In a large saucepan, saute onion and garlic in oil until tender. Add the flour, salt, curry powder and cayenne until blended. Stir in broth. Add bay leaf. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Discard bay leaf. Cool to room temperature.
3. In a blender or food processor, place half the broth mixture and squash; cover and process until smooth. Repeat with remaining broth mixture and squash. Return to the saucepan; heat through.
Use below recipe for topping.
CILANTRO CREAM TOPPING:
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup whipping cream
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro or
parsley
1 large onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon red curry paste
dash cayenne pepper
5 cups chicken broth
1 bay leaf
1. Place squash cut side down in a greased baking pan. Bake, uncovered, at 400 degrees F for 40-50 minutes or until tender. When cool enough to handle, scoop out pulp; set aside.
2. In a large saucepan, saute onion and garlic in oil until tender. Add the flour, salt, curry powder and cayenne until blended. Stir in broth. Add bay leaf. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Discard bay leaf. Cool to room temperature.
3. In a blender or food processor, place half the broth mixture and squash; cover and process until smooth. Repeat with remaining broth mixture and squash. Return to the saucepan; heat through.
Use below recipe for topping.
CILANTRO CREAM TOPPING:
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup whipping cream
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro or
parsley
African Peanut Soup
2 Sweet Potatoes, peeled and cubed 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 Yam, peeled and cubed 6 C Chicken Broth + 2 C water
1 Sweet onion, chopped 1 ½ t cumin
1 red bell pepper, diced 2 C prepared salsa
3 cloves garlic, minced ½ C creamy peanut butter
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
Fill Soup pot with broth, water, chicken, cumin and salsa.
Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer 2 hours.
Sauté potatoes, yam, onion, bell pepper, garlic and jalapeno.
Shred cooked chicken and place into soup pot.
Put sautéed vegetables in soup pot.
Simmer 1-2 more hours or in crock pot 4-5 hours.
Last 10 minutes whisk in peanut butter.
Makes 6+quarts.
1 Yam, peeled and cubed 6 C Chicken Broth + 2 C water
1 Sweet onion, chopped 1 ½ t cumin
1 red bell pepper, diced 2 C prepared salsa
3 cloves garlic, minced ½ C creamy peanut butter
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
Fill Soup pot with broth, water, chicken, cumin and salsa.
Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer 2 hours.
Sauté potatoes, yam, onion, bell pepper, garlic and jalapeno.
Shred cooked chicken and place into soup pot.
Put sautéed vegetables in soup pot.
Simmer 1-2 more hours or in crock pot 4-5 hours.
Last 10 minutes whisk in peanut butter.
Makes 6+quarts.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
1st Annual Spokane Soup Swap
January 27, 2009 6:00-8:00pm
Opening
On a frigid Tuesday night in January (27th) I hosted the 1st Annual Spokane Soup Swap. As guests entered my home, they dropped donations to the Second Harvest Food Bank of the Inland Northwest into a basket. We collected 14 cans!
The Meal
Serving a meal before the swap is not necessary, but it is fun! I served Chicken and Vegetable Tortellini Soup with a Roasted Garlic bread loaf for dinner. After introductions, we began our meal together. What fun to chat about how this idea began and what soups we love while enjoying a great dinner.
The Telling of the Soup
After our meal we went around the table and explained the soup we brought to share. Some of the soups shared were Chicken Taco Soup, Pumpkin Soup, African Peanut Soup, White Chicken Chili, Carrot Chowder, Curried Squash Soup, Chicken and Brown Rice Soup, Southwestern Chicken and White Bean Soup, Steak Soup and Chicken and Vegetable Chowder.
My daughter made numbers for a drawing and put them in a soup bowl. As my guests passed around the bowl, I brought the quarts from the deep freeze (garage) to the kitchen island and put them all on display. Even though I pulled out my number last, I got number 3! I was pretty stoked.
The Choosing of the Soups
How great to get pictures of the soups on the island with the cooks gathered around. We chose soups in order of the number we picked from the bowl then repeated it until the soups were all chosen.
The Twist to the Swap
Participants brought anywhere from 4-6 quarts of frozen soup. When they had chosen the number of quarts they had brought, they dropped out of the choosing. Everyone took home the same number of quarts that they brought. This adaptation worked out very well. All were satisfied and we had a great time dining, chatting, and swapping together!
The Future
Watch for posts on recipes and new ideas. Some of you Spokanites will host a swap this year. Spokane doesn't do anything small.....the run that turned into Bloomsday, the 3 on 3 basketball tournament that turned into Hoopfest! The 1st Soup Swap will turn into many; let's hear about them!
Yes, this will be repeated for the 2nd Annual Spokane Soup Swap in 2010! Will you be a host/hostess?
Opening
On a frigid Tuesday night in January (27th) I hosted the 1st Annual Spokane Soup Swap. As guests entered my home, they dropped donations to the Second Harvest Food Bank of the Inland Northwest into a basket. We collected 14 cans!
The Meal
Serving a meal before the swap is not necessary, but it is fun! I served Chicken and Vegetable Tortellini Soup with a Roasted Garlic bread loaf for dinner. After introductions, we began our meal together. What fun to chat about how this idea began and what soups we love while enjoying a great dinner.
The Telling of the Soup
After our meal we went around the table and explained the soup we brought to share. Some of the soups shared were Chicken Taco Soup, Pumpkin Soup, African Peanut Soup, White Chicken Chili, Carrot Chowder, Curried Squash Soup, Chicken and Brown Rice Soup, Southwestern Chicken and White Bean Soup, Steak Soup and Chicken and Vegetable Chowder.
My daughter made numbers for a drawing and put them in a soup bowl. As my guests passed around the bowl, I brought the quarts from the deep freeze (garage) to the kitchen island and put them all on display. Even though I pulled out my number last, I got number 3! I was pretty stoked.
The Choosing of the Soups
How great to get pictures of the soups on the island with the cooks gathered around. We chose soups in order of the number we picked from the bowl then repeated it until the soups were all chosen.
The Twist to the Swap
Participants brought anywhere from 4-6 quarts of frozen soup. When they had chosen the number of quarts they had brought, they dropped out of the choosing. Everyone took home the same number of quarts that they brought. This adaptation worked out very well. All were satisfied and we had a great time dining, chatting, and swapping together!
The Future
Watch for posts on recipes and new ideas. Some of you Spokanites will host a swap this year. Spokane doesn't do anything small.....the run that turned into Bloomsday, the 3 on 3 basketball tournament that turned into Hoopfest! The 1st Soup Swap will turn into many; let's hear about them!
Yes, this will be repeated for the 2nd Annual Spokane Soup Swap in 2010! Will you be a host/hostess?
1st Annual Spokane Soup Swap Invitation
1st Annual Spokane Soup Swap
January 27, 2009 6:00-8:00pm
Located at the home of Cheryl CM
Soup Swap Guidelines
1. Make one or two soups that will freeze well and place into one quart containers. 6 quarts is suggested, but any less will do. Freeze the filled quarts.
2. Make a copy of the recipe to bring. If you are able, think about those in our community who are hungry and gather a can or more of soup to donate to Second Harvest Food Bank of the Inland Northwest.
3. Show up at 6:00 with your 6 quarts of frozen soups in a box or bag to carry them in and your recipe, and your hunger. If there are any instructions other than warm and serve, please accompany each quart of soup with those instructions.
4. 6:00- 7:00 visit with friends and meet new friends.
Eat: Soup and accompaniments will be served by hostess for your evening meal.
5. 7:00 Soup Swap: take a number, you could be first to choose, or you could be last! You take home the number of quarts you brought.
6. 8:00 Take your soup home and put in your freezer!
I got the idea for the Soup Swap on the internet while looking for new recipes. This is the best website I found. You will see pictures of the containers people use to freeze in and get all sorts of ideas. Perhaps you will host one this year or next!
http://soupswap.com/news/
Please rsvp by email and I will confirm.
January 27, 2009 6:00-8:00pm
Located at the home of Cheryl CM
Soup Swap Guidelines
1. Make one or two soups that will freeze well and place into one quart containers. 6 quarts is suggested, but any less will do. Freeze the filled quarts.
2. Make a copy of the recipe to bring. If you are able, think about those in our community who are hungry and gather a can or more of soup to donate to Second Harvest Food Bank of the Inland Northwest.
3. Show up at 6:00 with your 6 quarts of frozen soups in a box or bag to carry them in and your recipe, and your hunger. If there are any instructions other than warm and serve, please accompany each quart of soup with those instructions.
4. 6:00- 7:00 visit with friends and meet new friends.
Eat: Soup and accompaniments will be served by hostess for your evening meal.
5. 7:00 Soup Swap: take a number, you could be first to choose, or you could be last! You take home the number of quarts you brought.
6. 8:00 Take your soup home and put in your freezer!
I got the idea for the Soup Swap on the internet while looking for new recipes. This is the best website I found. You will see pictures of the containers people use to freeze in and get all sorts of ideas. Perhaps you will host one this year or next!
http://soupswap.com/news/
Please rsvp by email and I will confirm.
Why Swap Soup?
In the city of Spokane, December and January are typically cold, snowy and gray. We experience snowfall, then snow melt, snowfall, snow melt etc.
When the snow melts, the streets get slushy and grime sprays all over the vehicles until the color has dulled to a grayish-brownish shade of ??? This then transfers to anything it comes in contact with. Often that would be gloves, coat, pants, or shoes. This filth follows these items to their next destination which could be the seat of the car, the sofa in the house, office chair, or…I guess you get the picture.
By late January, Spokanites are ready for anything except numb fingers scraping ice off windshields, boots laden with snow tracking into freshly vacuumed carpet, and freezing gloomy days ending by 4pm. It’s time to add some spice into the winter routine!
In November, while looking for new soup recipes, I happened upon soupswap.com. What a great idea! What we don’t have one in Spokane? Well it’s about time we did. Little did I know that when I committed (in my own mind) to starting the 1st Annual Spokane Soup Swap, that in the near future we would have a December to Remember!
Thanks to the National Weather Service for providing me with these numbers:
Daily snowfall records in Spokane were broken on 5 days in December (the 17th, 18th, 22nd, 24th, and the 29th) and 1 in January (the 5th).
New 24-hour record of 19.4" on the 17th and 18th of December. Old record was 13.0" on January 6th/7th 1950.
The snowiest 2 consecutive days, 23.6" on the 17th/18th. Old record was 16.4" on January 6th/7th 1950.
The snowiest 3 consecutive days, 25.1" on the 17th-19th. Old record was 18.4" on January 1st-3rd, 1899.
Snowiest December ever. New record 61.5". Old record 42.7" in 1996.
Snowiest month ever. New record 61.5". Old record 56.9" in 1950.
The above 2 records are even more impressive when you consider that all of the snow fell in just 20 days.
With no melting periods, the entire snow fall of 77.8" at Spokane Airport from 12 December through 6 January was on the ground (and roofs) at one time.
Spokane averages only 4 calendar days each winter of 3" of snow or more. This winter so far saw 9 such events. Six winters have seen 10 or 11 such days, but this was over an entire winter, not just 20 days.
So much for the typical snowfall, snow melt! I spent most of December shoveling snow and spending time with my mother who fell and broke her arm on the 14th. Where did December go? With schools out 2 days in December, and 3 the first week of January, at least I had help with the shoveling.
As you can see, we in the city of Spokane have lots of Soup eating days ahead of us. What a delight to pull out of my freezer a soup I typically would not make. What a treat! A meal I don’t have to cook. I would rather have variety than eating my soup leftovers for 4 days straight. Others' cooking always tastes so wonderful, doesn't it? I was totally convinced I could not pass up the opportunity to host the 1st Annual Spokane Soup Swap and place Spokane on the map on the soupswap.com website!
By the time I took a breath it was Friday, January 9, 2009! The kids were in school after an incredibly snowbound, icy week.
Oh, when was that Soup Swap supposed to be????
I went back to the bookmarked site to discover The National Soup Swap Day was in 2 weeks, January 24th! As I read the How To section, I discovered that I should give people 2 weekends notice so they can cook the soup. January 27th would be the date! As soon as I decided that, I adapted the suggestions on soupswap.com to create an invitation, and emailed it to numerous friends.
When the snow melts, the streets get slushy and grime sprays all over the vehicles until the color has dulled to a grayish-brownish shade of ??? This then transfers to anything it comes in contact with. Often that would be gloves, coat, pants, or shoes. This filth follows these items to their next destination which could be the seat of the car, the sofa in the house, office chair, or…I guess you get the picture.
By late January, Spokanites are ready for anything except numb fingers scraping ice off windshields, boots laden with snow tracking into freshly vacuumed carpet, and freezing gloomy days ending by 4pm. It’s time to add some spice into the winter routine!
In November, while looking for new soup recipes, I happened upon soupswap.com. What a great idea! What we don’t have one in Spokane? Well it’s about time we did. Little did I know that when I committed (in my own mind) to starting the 1st Annual Spokane Soup Swap, that in the near future we would have a December to Remember!
Thanks to the National Weather Service for providing me with these numbers:
Daily snowfall records in Spokane were broken on 5 days in December (the 17th, 18th, 22nd, 24th, and the 29th) and 1 in January (the 5th).
New 24-hour record of 19.4" on the 17th and 18th of December. Old record was 13.0" on January 6th/7th 1950.
The snowiest 2 consecutive days, 23.6" on the 17th/18th. Old record was 16.4" on January 6th/7th 1950.
The snowiest 3 consecutive days, 25.1" on the 17th-19th. Old record was 18.4" on January 1st-3rd, 1899.
Snowiest December ever. New record 61.5". Old record 42.7" in 1996.
Snowiest month ever. New record 61.5". Old record 56.9" in 1950.
The above 2 records are even more impressive when you consider that all of the snow fell in just 20 days.
With no melting periods, the entire snow fall of 77.8" at Spokane Airport from 12 December through 6 January was on the ground (and roofs) at one time.
Spokane averages only 4 calendar days each winter of 3" of snow or more. This winter so far saw 9 such events. Six winters have seen 10 or 11 such days, but this was over an entire winter, not just 20 days.
So much for the typical snowfall, snow melt! I spent most of December shoveling snow and spending time with my mother who fell and broke her arm on the 14th. Where did December go? With schools out 2 days in December, and 3 the first week of January, at least I had help with the shoveling.
As you can see, we in the city of Spokane have lots of Soup eating days ahead of us. What a delight to pull out of my freezer a soup I typically would not make. What a treat! A meal I don’t have to cook. I would rather have variety than eating my soup leftovers for 4 days straight. Others' cooking always tastes so wonderful, doesn't it? I was totally convinced I could not pass up the opportunity to host the 1st Annual Spokane Soup Swap and place Spokane on the map on the soupswap.com website!
By the time I took a breath it was Friday, January 9, 2009! The kids were in school after an incredibly snowbound, icy week.
Oh, when was that Soup Swap supposed to be????
I went back to the bookmarked site to discover The National Soup Swap Day was in 2 weeks, January 24th! As I read the How To section, I discovered that I should give people 2 weekends notice so they can cook the soup. January 27th would be the date! As soon as I decided that, I adapted the suggestions on soupswap.com to create an invitation, and emailed it to numerous friends.
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