Nothing Beats A Warm Soup On A Cold Night

Roasted Garlic & Butternut Soup

about 3/4 cup light cream or half & half
1 teaspoon cumin
Fresh ground black pepper and salt to taste

2 - 3 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 unpeeled head of garlic, sliced across the top to expose the cloves
1 medium leek, washed and chopped, including best-looking top green leaves
1 large Spanish onion, peeled and cut into 8 chunks
Chopped flat leaf parsley
1 1/2 lbs butternut squash (after baking there should be about 2 cups of mashed squash)
Homemade garlic croutons (optional)

Directions:

For this recipe, you'll need an oven or toaster oven and roasting pan or tray, frying pan and lid, blender or food processor, and a large heavy saucepan with lid.

1. Preheat oven or toaster oven to 300 degrees F.

2. Split, quarter and seed butternut squash, and arrange on roasting tray together with cut chunks of onion and head of garlic. Drizzle with a little olive oil and roast 1 hour or until all is golden and tender, including garlic.

3. Clean and chop leek, including top green leaves. Saute in a little oil in frying pan for 5 minutes. Then add 2 cups of chicken broth, turn the heat down and simmer with lid on until tender, about 12 to 15 minutes.

4. When the butternut squash is cooked, scrape the flesh from the skin and place in a food processor along with the onion, cumin and some pepper. Squeeze the garlic cloves -- which should be soft and buttery -- from their skins and add to food processor.

5. Add some of the remaining chicken broth and process to a puree. Gradually add the leek and liquid from pan. Process until all is smooth, adding more of the chicken broth as needed.

6. Place the mixture in the saucepan and gently heat. Add the rest of the broth as needed for the desired consistency. Add the cream, reserving 2 tablespoons for swirling as a garnish when served. Check the seasoning and add salt and pepper as needed.

Recipe and photo courtesy of iVillage member canarybird

Potato Soup

1 lb cut into 1.3 cm cubes (about 8 ) (454 g into 1.3 cubes) small red potatoes, peeled
1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt
2 cups (500 mL) water
1/4 cup (50 mL) CRISCO® All-Vegetable Shortening
3/4 cup (175 mL) chopped celery
1/2 cup (125 mL) chopped onions
2 (2) medium carrots, finely chopped
3 tbsp (45 mL) Robin Hood ® All Purpose Flour
3 cups (750 mL) milk
1/4 tsp (1 mL) white pepper
1/8 tsp (0.5 mL) dried thyme leaves

1. Place potatoes in 2-quart (2L) saucepan. Add salt and enough water to cover potatoes. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Drain.

2. In large skillet melt shortening. Add celery, onions and carrots. Cook and stir over medium heat until tender. Stir in flour. Add to potatoes in saucepan. Stir in milk, salt, white pepper and thyme.

3. Cook and stir over medium heat until bubbly. Continue to cook and stir for 1 minute or until thickened. Remove from heat. Serve.

Recipe and photo

Borsch - Famous Russian Beet Soup

In Russia soups are served as the first course at lunch or dinner.

The typical Russian soups are
borsch (beet soup),
schi (soup with cabbage),
rassolnik (soup with pickled cucumbers),
okroshka (cold kvass soup)
solyanka (soup with vegetables and pickled cucumbers) and
ukha (fish soup)

A great choice of soups in Russian cuisine is explained by the habit to have a soup at least once a day.
Soups can be made on meat, fish, mushroom, vegetables, milk or even kvas stocks.

Borsch is the most famous and popular Russian soup. But no one calls it soup in Russia, it's 'Borsch'. The main ingredients are red beets, cabbage, potatoes and meat or chicken broths. Some people make 'vegetarian' borsch without any meat, only with vegetables.
Borsch has a very reach and delicious taste.

Try to make Borsch at home!

Here is our Borsch recipe:

1lb - beef (or chicken)
3 - red beets
0.5lb - cabbage
1 - carrot
4 - potatoes
salt and pepper, to taste
Put beef into a large saucepan and cover with 3 liters cold water. Bring to a boil and reduce heat. Remove the grease froth from the broth surface with a spoon. Cut cabbage, potatoes and carrot. Add chopped vegetables into the cooking pot. Cut red beets. When all vegetables are cooked add red beets at the very end. Add salt and black pepper. Cook for 5 minutes. Borsch is served with sour cream.

Beet Soup

INGREDIENTS
3 1/2 cups diced zucchini
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 cup diced carrots
1/2 cup diced onion
1/2 cup margarine
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 3/4 cups milk
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 1/4 cups water
2 cubes chicken bouillon
1/2 cup dry white wine (optional)
1/2 cup sour cream
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DIRECTIONS
In a large stock pot saute zucchini, celery, carrots and onion in margarine, until done (approximately 20 minutes).
In a small mixing bowl combine flour and milk. Mix until smooth and then add to stock pot.
Cook soup until thickened and then puree in a blender or food processor until smooth and creamy.
Pour pureed soup back into stock pot and add cream of mushroom soup, water, bouillon cubes and sour cream. If desired also add white wine. Simmer until heated through and then serve.

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