Two Soups - Potato & Corn and Three Bean

We tried out two new soups this weekend - a Potato/Corn and a Three Bean. Both were really good, but I made enough to feed a family of 10. I never know what you can freeze and what you can't. We'll see if we can't eat these up in the next day or so.

First up was the potato&corn soup. The boys and I probably blended it too much. I think it would have been better with more potato chunks. But it was good and I would make it again, especially in the dead of winter. It would really hit the spot. I got this recipe from a neighbor at a potluck a couple of years back.

Potato & Corn Soup
2 Tbsp olive oil
5 cups chicken broth
1/2 small yellow onion, finely diced
5 large baking potatoes
2 cups frozen corn
1 1/2 cups half-n-half (you could probably use milk)
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional: dollop of sour cream, bacon crumbles, and Tobasco

Heat the olive oil and onion in a soup pot, cooking until the onions are softened. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil. Add peeled and diced potatoes. Cook on low heat for 20 minutes. Puree soup with a hand blender. Add corn and half-n-half. Add several dashes of Tabasco (optional), and salt and pepper to taste. Cook on low until heated through - about 15 minutes. Garnish with sour cream and bacon.


My favorite soup appliance.




Delicious!



Next up is a yummy crockpot soup - another recipe from a potluck - this time at church. Recipes that people bring to church are always the best. David really liked this one although the kids didn't try it. They're not big beef eaters.

Three Bean Soup
1 large can of baked beans (we used Bush's Country Style)
2 cans of white beans (I used cannelini and pinto)
1 lb ground beef, browned and drained
10 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/2 c brown sugar
1/2 c vinegar
2 Tbsp molasses or maple syrup

Put everything into the crockpot - beans should not be drained. Cook for 4 hours+, stirring occasionally.

I made rice to go with this and David ate his soup over rice, gumbo-style. I think it's great by itself and with some crusty bread. The vinegar gives this a nice kick and the bacon gives it a smoky flavor. It doesn't really need any additional spices, although I'm sure it wouldn't hurt.

mmmmmmm....


Enjoy!

Italian Wedding Soup

A few years ago on a flight from Mexico City to Toronto I sat in first class and ate Italian Wedding Soup for the first time. It was delicious, and of all places on a plane! I have ordered it a few times since out at different restaurants, and it never disappoints. We decided to give it a try at home earlier this week.

Because my food photos never do the dish justice, I pulled this one off the Internet.

Italian Wedding soup includes green vegetables and meatballs, usually with small pasta. "Wedding Soup" is a mistranslation of the Italian name for the soup "Minestra Maritata" or married soup - meaning the greens and meat go well together. My friend Judy who has lived and traveled extensively in Italy said she rarely sees this soup on restaurant menus. It's actually more common in the midwest of the United States.

Thomas helped me make the meatballs. This was his first time and wasn't so sure about the texture and cold wet feeling at first. He did a good job though.


He also had never chopped onion and his eyes were bothering him. Instead of giving up on the task, he ran out to the garage and got safety glasses to protect his eyes. Pretty smart.


Since Brennan doesn't eat much meat, I made a different soup for him. But he enjoyed cooking the Italian Wedding Soup.


Again, my photos never do it justice. You can see the greens and a meatball hiding under the Parmesan. It really was delicious. Even better the second night when it was starchier. David loved it. I'd definitely make it again.


Italian Wedding Soup
Meatballs:
1 lb. ground chicken breast
2/3 c bread crumbs
1/3 c water
1/4 c grated Parmesan
1/4 c chopped parsley
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 tsp salt
pepper to taste
3 Tbsp olive oil

Soup:
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 small yellow onion, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 lb spinach or escarole
8 c chicken broth
1 c small pasta (I used orzo)

For the meatballs, put the bread crumbs and water into a large bowl to rehydrate the bread crumbs. Add the other ingredients except for the olive oil and mix well. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan. Form small meatballs and cook in the saucepan, turning often, until browned and cooked through. Place on a platter.

Add the onion, celery, and carrot to the saucepan, stirring until tender - about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and red pepper. Stir in the spinach or escarole until just wilted. At this point I transferred the vegetables to a soup pot. Add the chicken broth and simmer. Add the chicken meatballs, cover and cook 5 minutes. Add the pasta and cook until al dente - another 10 minutes or so on simmer. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Shave large shards of Parmesan to garnish.

Enjoy!