Sweet Pepper Soup

Karaoke is not my thing.  I have a huge embarrassment complex that does not make me compatible with getting up in front of people and belting out songs from the 80s.  My mom would say I need to "get over myself," but I haven't quite found a way to do that just yet.  

I actually don't mind that I'm karaoke adverse.  When I'm enjoying a night of karaoke viewing, I feel no pangs of jealousy at the people making fools of themselves (or for the few that actually do a good job).  It's who I am, and I embrace it.

John, on the other hand, does not either acknowledge that he is tone deaf or does not care.  He even has his very own karaoke songs he goes back to again and again.  His "good" ones, I suppose.
(I love you, honey!)

"Suspicious Minds" (originally sung by Elvis) is one of them.  It's a song I'm not sure I had ever heard until I heard John belting it out.  And the second is "Sweet Caroline."  A karaoke favorite for men who enjoy singing songs in one note.

This soup doesn't remind me of the Neil Diamond tune for being one-note, but rather because I can't see the title "Sweet Pepper Soup" without singing it to the tune of Sweet Caroline.  Sweet Pepper Soup.  Bum Bum Bum.  Good times never seemed so good.

This recipe requires sweet peppers, my friends.  That means no greenies allowed.  Red, yellow and orange peppers are your friends.  As well as fresh herbs - thyme and chives - to be exact.  No cream is necessary to make this soup bowl-lickin' good.  It comes together in a flash and tastes perfect alongside some crusty bread and butter.  Enjoy sitting next to your favorite karaoke singer.  Reachin' out, touchin' me, touchin' sooooooooup!

Sweet Pepper Soup
From Happy Yolks (adapted from The Art of Simple Food)

1 1/2 - 2 pounds of sweet peppers (red, yellow, and orange), seeds and veins removed
1 small hot red pepper (optional)
1 onion, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1/2 cup brown rice (uncooked)
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup chives, minced
salt and pepper, to taste

Heat olive oil over medium high heat in a dutch oven.  When oil is heated, add in onion and peppers.  Saute for ten minutes until softened but not browned, stirring frequently.  Add garlic and thyme and cook for another minute or two.  Pour in stock and scrape the bottom of the pan to release the brown bits.  Stir in the rice and the apple cider vinegar.  Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to let the soup simmer for 25 minutes.  When everything is soft, puree in a blender or with an immersion blender.  Season with lots of salt and pepper.  Serve topped with chopped chives and with lots of bread.

Provencal Tomato Soup

At the farmers market two weeks ago...
Me:  Oooh look, tomatoes.  I'm going to make tomato soup this week.
(Rushing over to the tomatoes and filling up two bags.)

John:  You know I don't like tomato soup, right?
Me:    (Holding two pounds of tomatoes.)  Come again? 

I didn't know tomato soup was something people didn't like.  I always thought tomato soup was a universal truth.

Everyone eats Campbell's tomato soup as a kid for weekend lunches, preferably with saltines.  They progress to cream-laden tomato soups, which admittedly are a step-up from the Warhol period, but still aren't tomato soups at their best.

We're grownups here, folks, and it's time for real tomato soup.  Either fresh tomatoes or canned work well in this recipe - just make sure they are good ones either way.  Instead of cream, the soup is flavored with basil sprigs and a Parmesan rind (both removed before pureeing).  To thicken the soup, rice, tapioca, or quinoa can be used.

I went with quinoa because I'm a rebel.  This is grownup tomato soup after all.

I was too lazy to make grilled cheese to go with this hearty soup, but I made do with a thick layer of Parmesan on top and a baguette to dip deep into the bowl.

John made do with room service, since he was out of town when I made it.  Lucky guy got to avoid the horror of tomato soup.

I've always loved tomato soup, and homemade is best.  This rustic recipe is a great way to use the last of this year's tomato crop.  I highly recommend you make this soup when your tomato soup-hating roommate is out of town.  It's not to be missed.

Provencal Tomato Soup
From the NY Times

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
Kosher salt, to taste
2 pounds tomatoes, cored and diced (or one 28 oz. can chopped tomatoes with juice)
Pinch of sugar
2 large sprigs basil (or 14 leaves)
1 quart (4 cups) water
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 Parmesan rind (optional)
1/2 cup quinoa, rice, or tapioca
Parmesan, grated, for garnish

Heat olive oil in medium Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add onion and cook until tender, stirring often, about 5 minutes.  Stir in half the minced garlic and a big pinch of kosher salt.  Cook for 30 seconds to one minute, until the garlic is fragrant.  Add the tomatoes, basil sprigs (whole), the other half of the garlic, and sugar.  Cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring often, until the tomatoes cook down a bit.

Add a quart of water to the pot, the Parmesan rind, and a pinch of salt.  Bring to a simmer, cover, and reduce the heat to low.  Simmer for 15 minutes.  Add the quinoa, rice, or tapioca and cook another 15 minutes until the grain is tender and the soup is fragrant.  Remove the basil sprigs and Parmesan rind.  Puree in small batches in a blender or with an immersion blender.  If you used fresh unpeeled tomatoes and you want a silkier soup, push the soup through a mesh strainer.  (I didn't bother)  Taste the soup and adjust salt and pepper.  Serve garnished with Parmesan and basil.

Curried Butternut and Red Lentil Soup

I had never thought of adding lentils to a soup that was pureed, but that's why I'm not a recipe developer, isn't it?  I rarely cook new things based on random ideas floating around my head.  Maybe one day I'll get to that point, but for now I'm happy to stand on the shoulders of giants.  Well, if not giants, then bloggers, cookbooks, and magazines.

I've made plenty of butternut squash soup in my day.  It's one of our favorites.  I've never made it with lentils or canned tomatoes, though, and I have to say, I love the additions.  The lentils help add body to the soup, and they have the major benefit of pumping up the protein of a vegetarian meal.  The tomatoes add some acidity to the soup, which I think is needed with the milder taste of the lentils.

While I may not be able to concoct a recipe, I am able to tweak them to my tastes pretty well.  I modified the original recipe and added a carrot to the mix, since I didn't have a whole lot of butternut squash.  Since we love spicy soups, I added extra heat via curry powder, cayenne pepper, and most importantly fire-roasted tomatoes with chiles.

Either the recipe as written or with my adaptations - this soup is a keeper.  It's John's new favorite soup, replacing the fat-laden baked potato soup I've made in the past.  This recipe is much easier and healthier, so we'll probably be sticking to this one a lot this winter.

A baguette-for-two on the side (in my opinion the baguette is the perfect size for two people to split with soup for dinner) and topped with some chopped cilantro makes this the perfect fall meal.

Curried Butternut and Red Lentil Soup
Adapted from Eat Live Run

1 butternut squash (about 3 pounds), peeled and cubed (or pre-cut pieces)
1 - 1 1/2 cups red lentils
1 large carrot, chopped
1-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 quart chicken or vegetable stock
1 medium onion, chopped
1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes (or diced tomatoes with chiles)
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced (or grated on a microplane)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2-4 teaspoons curry powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or to taste)
Kosher salt, to taste
Chopped cilantro, to garnish

Heat olive oil in a large dutch oven over medium heat.  When hot, add in chopped onion and saute for 5 minutes, until onion is soft.  Add the garlic and ginger and cook for another minute, stirring often.  Stir in the curry powder and cayenne pepper and cook another minute.  Add in the cubed squash and carrot and stir to combine.  Add in the chicken or vegetable stock and scrape the bottom of the pan immediately to release the browned bits.  Add in the can of tomatoes (juice and all) and the red lentils.  Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to let the pot simmer for 20 minutes, until the lentils, squash, and carrot are all fully cooked.  Transfer to a blender carefully or blend with an immersion blender until smooth.  Add salt to taste and extra cayenne pepper if you want more spice.  Serve with chopped cilantro.

Spring Asparagus and Broccoli Soup

It seems like asparagus is everywhere nowadays - getting prime position in the grocery store and prime recipe spots in blogs and newspapers.  You know what else is everywhere - ramps.  Every blog I read is talking about ramps, but I barely know what a ramp is and have little desire to buy ramps when asparagus is calling my name.  We buy one or two bunches of asparagus every week at the farmers market and love having it simply roasted with olive oil, salt, and pepper.  (We buy zero bunches of ramps.)

The roasting routine can get a little tired a month into asparagus season, so this year I decided to make asparagus soup.  I randomly picked up a recipe card at Whole Foods for the first time in my life, and low and behold, this recipe is a winner (with some tweaking).  It takes only slightly more effort than just roasting the asparagus and you get a whole meal out of it.  The potatoes provide a wonderful creaminess and body to a soup that is essentially made up of broth and vegetables.  Just a small amount of cream - a half cup - provides what I consider the necessary fat to make the soup really sing.  Don't skip the cream, folks, life is too short.

Make sure to add plenty of salt, freshly ground pepper, and Cayenne pepper to this soup to season it how you prefer.  I like my soups pretty spicy so I kept going back to my trusty Cayenne bottle.  Now is the perfect time to make this soup while asparagus is in season, but the cooler temperatures still invite a nice warm bowl of soup for dinner.  Check back here next year to see if I've finally figured out why I would bother with ramps, but in the meantime let's all just make this soup and be thankful spring provides a more accessible vegetable.

Spring Asparagus and Broccoli Soup
Adapted from Whole Foods

6 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 leek, white and light green portions sliced
2 large or 3 medium Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
1 bunch asparagus (~1 lb), ends snapped off and spears cut into 1 inch pieces
2 heads broccoli, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup cream
Cayenne pepper, to taste
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
Kosher salt, to taste
Chives, chopped, for garnish

Heat 1/2 cup broth in large pot over medium high heat until bubbling.  Reduce heat to medium and add chopped leek.  Cook, stirring often, until tender, about 5 minutes.  Add remaining broth and chopped potatoes and bring to a boil.  Stir in asparagus and broccoli and return to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium low and simmer until vegetables are tender, 15-20 minutes.  Puree using immersion blender or removing slightly cooled portions to a regular blender.  Stir in 1/2 cup cream and add lots of salt and pepper (including some Cayenne for kick) to taste.  Serve with chopped fresh chives.

Spicy Tomato and Red Pepper Soup

So I guess it had to happen eventually.  In my search for all wonderful spicy soup,s I managed to make one that was a tad too spicy.  Okay, maybe more than a tad.  Don't worry, I will fix my mistake in the recipe below, but let me warn you that if you are tempted to use the entire jalapeno instead of half (and are further tempted to be lazy and not get out all the seeds), you will probably regret it.

You will also regret it if you manage to drop one of the two pans of roasted vegetables.  Not only does this create a very large and steaming hot mess on your floor, but then you'll only have half the soup you were hoping to have!  Tragic!

The jalapeno and the roasted red pepper gives the soup a new dimension on tomato soup.  Don't get me wrong, I love "regular" tomato soup, but this one definitely has more complexity.  It only has a touch of cream too, so it ends up being quite healthy.  Not that I usually care about that sort of thing.  See Parmesan cheese topping, supra.

Tomato season is around the corner, especially if you live in California, so once you see some beauties show up at the market, give this recipe a run.  Since you are roasting the tomatoes you don't need to wait until you have the ripest tomatoes of full summer, but you want them to be decent and not mealy like the ones you get at Subway year round (ugh such a pet peve when you get gray tomatoes in the middle of summer).

Spicy Tomato and Red Pepper Soup
Adapted from Steamy Kitchen

5 large tomatoes, cut into 3/4 inch slices
1 onion, cut into 1/2 inch slices
1/2 jalapeno (cut in half lengthwise), seeds removed
2 red bell peppers, cut into quarters
Olive oil
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
Freshly ground black pepper
2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1/4 cup grated Parmesan (plus more for garnish)
2-4 tablespoons heavy cream

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Arrange vegetables on one or two large baking sheets, brush with olive oil and roast for twenty minutes until beginning to brown.

If using an immersion blender roughly chop the cooked vegetables and place them in a deep pot with the rest of the ingredients.  Blend until smooth and heat until warmed through.  Serve with plenty of Parmesan cheese on top and crusty bread.

If using a regular blender, roughly chop cooked vegetables and place in blender with all of the ingredients (if they fit in your blender).  Blend until smooth and then heat on the stove.

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork "Stew"

Half the fun of cooking at home is recreating something you know and love and the other half is cooking things you've never tried.  Because I'm not making chocolate croissants this week (the only thing in life I know and love right now) I will share a recipe for something you've probably never had.  It's not exactly something that comes on a menu.

Pulled pork in a spicy chipotle broth topped with cheese and lots and lots of tortilla chips.  A combination that probably only exists as a result of the slow cooker is one that you will never forget.  I ate a disgusting amount of this stuff when I made it.  The true sign of a great recipe, right?

So if you want to make another easy slow cooker recipe that requires zero pre-cooking and 100% dumping-ingredients-in-the-slow-cooker, this is the one to try next.  I'm serious about having lots of tortilla chips on hand though.  Required, not optional, people.

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork "Stew"
From Martha Stewart

1 medium onion, diced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 bay leaves
1 chipotle in adobo sauce, minced
1 tablespoon adobo sauce
1 can (28 oz.) crushed tomatoes
1 can (14 oz.) whole tomatoes in puree
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
2 3/4 pounds boneless pork shoulder, trimmed of fat and halved crosswise
Tortilla chips, for serving
Grated monterey jack or cheddar cheese, for serving

In slow cooker combine diced onion, dried oregano, bay leaves, minced chipotle, adobo sauce, crushed tomatoes, whole tomatoes (and puree), kosher salt, and ground pepper.  Add pork and toss with sauce.  Cover and cook on high for about 6 hours, being careful not to uncover the slow cooker while it is cooking.  The meat should shred easily with two forks.  Remove any gristle and using a large spoon strain off grease from the sauce.  Discard bay leaves and serve in large bowls with plenty of grated cheese and nachos.

Chipotle Butternut Squash Soup

I admit to having somewhat of an obsessive personality.  I'm not sure if I'm more obsessive than the next person, but I do know that when I get something in my head - be it a television show, a food, a puppy, or a band - it's my main focus.  I will watch every episode I can find of a new show I love; I'll listen to a new band's album day in and day out; I'll read everything I can get my hands on about raising a puppy; and I'll eat a food until I can't stand to taste it ever again.  Nowadays I'm obsessed with two ingredients: butternut squash and chipotles.  It's only natural that I would find a recipe that combines the two in an irresistible soup.

This soup is even spicier than the curry squash soup I made previously, which means I like it even more.  A little drizzle of sour cream (whisked with a splash of water) helps to cool the burn.  If you have some toasted seeds to throw on top, all the better.

It's a testament to this soup that I even made it on a 70 degree day.  I know bringing up 70 degree California weather isn't the nicest thing to do when the rest of the country is dealing with the usual below-freezing February temperatures, but we all have our faults.  

This girl, of course, has no faults.  Other than the nipping, and the chewing, and the occasional whining, of course.  She is a puppy after all.

Did you know if you want your puppy or dog to give you that quizzical head tilt that will melt your heart all you have to do is pant at them like you're a dog?  Works like a charm.  She gives you a look like "Chipotles again, Mom??"

Chipotle Butternut Squash Soup

Adapted from Simply Recipes

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, diced

1-2 chipotles canned in adobe, chopped (use two if you want it to be spicy)

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 large butternut squash, roasted (about 5 cups butternut squash)

4 cups chicken stock

1 teaspoon oregano

2 teaspoons kosher salt

2 tablespoons lime juice

1/2 cup cream

Sour cream thinned with water, for drizzling

Split a butternut squash in half from root to tip and scoop out the seeds.  Place in a large roasting pan cut-side down with 1/4 inch of water.  In a 400 degree oven, roast your butternut squash for 50 minutes, until the flesh is very soft.  Scoop out with a large spoon.  Either use it immediately or store in an airtight container in the fridge.

In a large dutch oven or pot heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium high heat.  Add chopped onion and cook until softened.  Add garlic, cumin, and chipotle and cook for an additional minute.  

Add chicken stock, butternut squash, oregano, and salt to the pot.  Bring to a boil and reduce the heat so that the soup simmers for 20 minutes.  Turn off the heat and use an immersion blender to puree the soup.  (Alternatively, work in batches to puree the soup in a blender making sure to vent the soup to avoid an explosion.)  

Add the lime juice and cream and heat for another couple of minutes.  Serve with a drizzle of thinned sour cream.

Green Chili

You can officially consider yourself a fan of spicy food when the checkout person at the grocery store stares in marvel at the amount of peppers you are purchasing.  "I think you are buying every kind of pepper we have!  Oh wait no, habaneros."  This made me want to go back and get a habanero to show him I can take it, but orange doesn't go well with green chili.  "What are you making?" he asked in astonishment.  I proudly responded that I was making green chili, and then I went home and made him proud.

This recipe calls for 6-8 of the big poblanos, and at least 4 jalapeños and serrano chiles.  This is serious business, folks.  A nice dollop of sour cream can cool down the spice a bit, but even without it, the chili isn't overpowering if you like spice.

The recipe came from a Texan who abhors beans in chili, so this just has meat and a nice spicy sauce.  The tomatillos were a new experience for me.  Surprisingly the outer sleeve leaves a sticky residue on the outside of the fruitable (fruit-vegetable thingie).  The seeds are held in much more firmly than tomatoes, and when you cook them down for an hour, the tomatillos completely disappear into the chili.  All that's left are their tell-tale seeds.  

There is a lot of pork in the recipe, and it is important to try to cut off the big pieces of fat from this fatty cut.  I mean it is pork butt afterall.  I'm surprised there is any meat at all.  If you don't cut off the big hunks of fat you will taste them in the meat, and not in a good way.  I'm sure this recipe could also be made with chicken or beef if you are so inclined.  

Like all good chilis, this one is even better the next day.  And if there are only two of you, I promise you will have leftovers - despite your best attempts to polish off this delicious green chili.  Also, keep in mind this recipe takes 3 hours total cooking time or so - don't start it at 6PM like I did!

Green Chili

From Homesick Texan

4 pounds boneless pork butt, cut into 1-inch cubes, trimmed of large pieces of fat

1 lb poblano peppers (6-8)

4-10 serrano peppers, stem removed and sliced into rounds

4-10 jalapeño peppers, stem removed and sliced into rounds

1 lb tomatillos (6-8), cut into 1/8ths

1 medium yellow onion, diced

6 cloves garlic, minced

6 tablespoons cumin, divided

2 tablespoons Mexican oregano, divided

2/3 cup cilantro, divided

2 cups chicken broth

1 cup dark beer

1/4 cup masa harina (found in a latin market or in the international aisle)

Salt to taste

Peanut or olive oil for frying

Roast the poblanos on a baking sheet in a 400 degree oven until blackened.  This will take 30 minutes or so, perhaps longer.  Make sure you wait until they are blackened or the skin will not come off.  Once blackened, place in a paper or ziplock bag for 20 minutes and then remove the skins.  Dice the peeled poblanos.

In a large soup pot cook the onions over medium heat in peanut oil or olive oil until tender, about 10 minutes.  Add in 6 minced cloves of garlic and cook for another minute.  Turn off the burner and let it sit.  

In a large pan or pot (I suggest a pot b/c of the spattering), brown your pieces of pork in peanut or olive oil.  Work in batches so the pieces brown and don't steam.  No need to fully cook the meat, just brown it.  When browned, throw the pieces into the soup pot with the onions. 

Once the pork is done, add 2 cups chicken broth and 1 cup beer to the soup pot.  Throw in the cut tomatillos, 3 tablespoons cumin, 1 tablespoon Mexican oregano, and half of your sliced jalapeños and serranos.  Heat the mixture until it boils and then reduce the heat to low and simmer for an hour (uncovered), stirring occasionally.

After an hour add 3 more tablespoons of cumin, 1 more tablespoon of Mexican oregano, 1/3 cup chopped cilantro, and salt to taste.  Cook for another 30 minutes on low, uncovered, stirring occasionally.

Use a ladle or spoon to remove the fat/grease from the top of the chili.  Then add your chopped poblanos, the second half of your jalapeños and serranos, and 1/3 cup cilantro.  Cook for another 30-45 minutes.  

Add 1/4 cup masa harina to a small bowl.  Add some of the chili liquid and mix until a thick paste forms.  Stir into the chili and mix until there are no lumps.  Cook for another 15 minutes and serve with sour cream and tortilla chips.   

Irish Stew

We interrupt this puppy blog to bring you a special announcement: Irish Stew is delicious.  Thank you.

Oh, okay.  Fiiiine.  I will write a real post.


I have heard from multiple people that after you've been cooking from your family, it isn't the cooking that wears you down, it's the meal planning.  After thousands and thousands of meals, it can get exhausting having to decide what everyone has for dinner.  The only solution I've heard of is having someone else make up the meal plan for the week for you so that you don't have to wrack your brain.  Plus, as an added bonus at least one of your wards will be happy with dinner.

Well, thankfully I haven't gotten to the point where I am sick of meal planning (or cooking for that matter).  In fact, John suggests things and at least half the time I say "Yes, honey, that would be nice" and make something else.  If I don't feel like cooking it or eating it, we are not likely to be having it.

Over Thanksgiving John mentioned a couple of times how much he liked Irish Stew, and that got me in the mood.  So the day we returned from Pennsylvania I scoured the web for Irish Stew recipes (there aren't many, honestly) and made us this warm treat.

I can't say what makes something "Irish stew" as opposed to beef stew, but this recipe includes a cup of Guinness, so I feel pretty confident I can call it an Irish stew.  I've been to the Guinness factory in Dublin, actually.  And drank a pint of Guinness on the top of the factory.  Oh wait, I just took a few sips and decided I didn't want to drink a beer as thick as a milkshake.

This soup is the definition of hearty.  And delicious.  I strongly recommend serving it with crusty bread on a cold evening.  This also happens to be one of those recipes that is even better the next day.  Gotta love those.  Now go out and make some Irish stew for your husband and pretend you did it to appease his wishes, when really you just had a craving.

Irish Stew
Adapted from Simply Recipes

1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/4 pounds beef stew meat (not lean, or else it will be tough)
6 garlic cloves, minced
6 cups beef broth
1 cup Guinness
1 cup red wine
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons butter
3 russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 large onion, chopped
2 cups peeled carrots cut into 1/2 inch pieces
Kosher salt
Black pepper

Heat olive oil in a large dutch oven over medium-high heat.  Add beef pieces (lightly salted) that are cut into 1/2 inch pieces to the pan.  Do not crowd so that the pieces can brown - work in batches if necessary.  Brown the pieces on all sides, this takes about 5 minutes.  Add garlic and cook for another minute.  Add in beef broth, Guinness, red wine, tomato paste, sugar, thyme, Worcestershire sauce, and bay leaves.  Stir mixture and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium low and simmer, covered, for an hour.  Stir occasionally.

While the mixture simmers melt butter in a large pot.  Add potatoes, onion, and carrots.  Saute until golden brown, about 20 minutes.  Turn off heat and wait until stew has simmered for an hour, then add vegetables to stew and simmer, uncovered, for 40 minutes, until everything is tender.  Discard bay leaves.  Skim fat off the top of the stew (tiling the pan helps) and discard.  Add salt and pepper to taste (mine needed a bit of salt at this point).

Curried Butternut Squash Soup

They say that a lot of people change as they age and sometimes those changes don't make a married couple more compatible than they once were.  Luckily for John, I am changing for the better in his eyes.  Yes, my dear readers, I am finally starting to really like spicy food.

I'm not into the it'll-make-you-sweat spicy food, yet.  But I have found myself adding a lot more spice than certain recipes call for to give it more of a kick.  I'm not adding spice to random foods, but when I want something to be spicy, like a curried butternut squash soup, then it darn well better give me a zing.  I grew up in a household where none of us liked spice.  We were eating mild salsas, avoiding Indian food, and staying away from jalapenos.  Now I carry multiple kinds of ground pepper in my pantry and have various kinds of hot sauce.  My how I've grown.

The curried butternut squash soup was so delicious that John and I saved the leftovers in our freezer for a rainy day.  Just knowing I have this creamy soup with a bite in my freezer makes me happy.  Eating it right now would make me happier, but it is only 10:43 AM, so I guess I'll wait.

Curried Butternut Squash Soup
Adapted quite a bit form Simply Recipes

1 medium-large butternut squash
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, diced
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
1 clove garlic
1 teaspoon cayene pepper
Pinch of ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon cumin
2-4 teaspoons curry powder
1/4 teaspoon mustard powder
3 cups chicken stock

1/2 cup cream

1 tablespoon kosher salt (to taste)

Pumpkin seeds for garnish

To cook butternut squash (can be done up to one day ahead; I suggest doing it while you cook dinner the night before you want to make the soup so that the soup comes together in no time): Cut the butternut squash in half from root to tip with a sharp knife (this will be a difficult task).  Scoop out the seeds and place cut-side down in a roasting pan with 1/4 inch of water and roast at 400 degrees for 55 minutes or so.  The flesh of the squash should be scooped out with no resistance.  Place in an airtight container in the fridge until you're ready to make the soup.

For the soup:
In a large dutch oven heat a tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat.  Add in one medium diced onion and cook until translucent.  Create an onion free spot in the pan and add in 1/4 cup butter.  Once butter is melted, add 1/4 cup flour and stir constantly (being careful not to bring in the onions) until it turns a light brown color.  Once the roux is finished cooking, stir it with the onions and add in 1 clove of minced garlic.  Quickly add in 1 teaspoon cayene pepper, a pinch of ground ginger, 1/2 teaspoon cumin, 2-4 teaspoons curry powder (depending on how much curry flavor you want), and 1/4 teaspoon mustard powder.  Stir to coat the onions with the spices.  Slowly pour in 3 cups of chicken stock, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen any browned bits as your pour.  Add in your cooked butternut squash (directions above) and stir until completely mixed.  Bring the soup to a simmer and then blend using your immersion blender or in batches in your blender (being careful to leave an air vent if you do, and work in small batches).  Once blended, simmer for a couple more minutes and taste for seasoning.  Add in kosher salt and more spice if needed.  Stir in 1/2 cup cream and cook for a couple of minutes more.  Serve with pumpkin seeds for garnish.

Corn Chowder

I've been accused of being hyperbolic, so I don't want to say it's tragic that corn is only available in the hot summer, but c'mon people, it is tragic.  How else are we supposed to enjoy corn chowder to the fullest?

I made this recipe right when corn started showing up at the markets in California on a Sunday that was a blessedly cool 70 degrees.  Today was a similar Sunday, but I didn't make any chowder since I had plenty of leftover Chicken Tikka Masala in the fridge.

I've never been a chowder kind of gal, but this soup is absolutely incredible.  The cream gives it a thick richness, the potatoes give it texture and body, and the corn gives it the perfect sweetness.  It may be lacking umami, but it's got everything else.

Here are your main non-corn ingredients.  Garlic.  Some Yukon golds.  An onion.  And a bunch of thyme (of which you only need 4 sprigs or so).

Start by chopping up one large onion.  It's amazing how many recipes start out this way.

Meanwhile, in a large dutch oven melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat.  Add in one tablespoon of olive oil and heat until warmed.

Add in the chopped onion and cook for 7 minutes.  Then add in 4 cloves of minced garlic and the leaves of 4 stems of thyme and cook for another minute or two.

Stir in 1/4 cup for flour and cook for an additional minute.

Pour in 4 cups of vegetable or chicken stock (I used chicken because that's the only stock I keep on hand - veggie schmeggie).  Bring to a boil.  Stir in 2 cups of cream and 2 dicked Yukon potatoes.  Bring to a boil and let it keep boiling for 7 minutes or so.  At this point the potatoes should be pretty well cooked.

While you're waiting for all the boiling to take place, this is a good time to shuck your 5 ears of corn.  When you shuck the ears, break off the stem if you can.  To remove the kernels, place the flat end of the corn in a large bowl and use a sharp knife to scrape the kernels into the bowl.

After the 7 minute boil, add in the corn kernels and cook for 10-12 minutes.  Stir in plenty of kosher salt and freshly ground pepper.  Meanwhile, cook 4 slices of bacon in a 400 degree oven for 10-12 minutes, until crispy.  Remove the bacon to a paper towel to drain.  Slice the bacon into small strips.

Use a hand/immersion blender to blend until smooth.  This isn't a required step, but I like my soups creamy and without lumps (other than the bacon).  You could also use a regular blender for this process, but you must allow the mixture to cool a bit before blending and you would have to work in shifts.

Add one last drizzle of olive oil to the soup before serving.

One night I used grated cheese and bacon to top this soup.  I'm crazy like that.  John and I were licking our bowls after eating this two nights in a row.  It is that good.  I have a stash stored away in the freezer too - perhaps I'll save it for when the weather actually is cold.  I don't think I'll be able to wait that long though.

Corn Chowder

Adapted from Tyler Florence

2 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 onion, diced

4 garlic cloves, minced or pressed

Leaves of 4 sprigs of fresh thyme

1/4 cup flour

4 cups chicken or vegetable stock

2 cups heavy cream

2 large Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced

Kernels of 5 ears of corn

Kosher salt

Freshly ground pepper

4 slices of bacon for garnish

In a large dutch oven heat 2 tablespoons of butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat.  Once hot, add in 1 diced onion.  Just before the onion is almost done cooking (about 7 minutes in), add in 4 cloves of minced garlic and the leaves of 4 sprigs of fresh thyme.  Cook another two minutes until everything has softened.  Add in 1/4 cup flour and toss to coat, cooking another minute.  Pour in 4 cups of chicken or vegetable stock and bring to a boil.  Pour in 2 cups of heavy cream and 2 peeled and diced Yukon potatoes. Bring to a hard boil and cook for 7 minutes until the potatoes are fully cooked and breaking down.  Add the kernels in from 5 ears of corn.  Season with lots of kosher salt and freshly ground pepper.  Cook for 10-12 minutes, until the corn is softened.  Meanwhile, cook 4 slices of bacon in the oven on a baking sheet at 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes - until crispy.  Remove to a paper towel to drain.   Use a hand/immersion blender and blend in the pot until the soup is smooth.  Chop the bacon into small slices.  Splash a small drizzle of olive oil into the soup and stir.  Serve the soup with a garnish of bacon (and shredded cheese if you're wild) on top.