Peanut Butter and Julie

Herbed Spring Pea Soup

This is one of those situations where the phrase "you can't judge a book by its cover" definitely applies.  I tried--boy did I try--to make this soup look as tempting and appetizing as a buttercream-topped cupcake, but in the end I just gave up.  I mean, these are peas that we're dealing with after all.  Pureed peas for that matter.  I doubt that even Patrick Demarchelier, despite his photographic prowess, would be able to accomplish such a task.  Certain recipes just don't lend themselves to cover-of-the-cookbook photos, and pea soup is one of them.

That being said, you're just going to have to trust me when I tell you that what this soup lacks in beauty, it 100% makes up for in healthy springtime deliciousness.  As the weather warms up, many people file their soup recipes as "un-usable" until late September.  That mindset doesn't work for me--I am a soup fanatic, and I always have at least one kind of homemade soup hanging out in the fridge.  Soup is filling, healthy, and it's the perfect light supper.  Preparing soup is also a great way to use up leftover vegetables and herbs.  Seeing as I live in the middle of the desert, where summertime temps reach 115 (and remain there for what seems like and eternity), I love to create soups that can be served hot or cold.  Although I make a mean gazpacho, I'm trying to expand my selection of spring and summer soups (say that ten times fast).  This was my first attempt at pea soup, and I have to say, I'm pretty darn pleased with myself.

I really would have loved to use fresh peas for this recipe, as I know that they would have taken this soup to the next level, but that's simply not an option here (don't get me started on another one of my Las Vegas produce selection rants.)  If you have the luxury of fresh spring peas, I hate you by all means, use them.  I have always loved sweet peas, but I have never tried them as a soup.  In my version, they are paired with a variety of herbs, sauteed onions, and a splash of white wine.  This recipe is low in both fat and calories, but the flavors are so satisfying that you won't feel deprived.  This is the perfect soup to mop up with some fresh artisanal bread.  After just one bite, this ugly ducking definitely turns into a swan!  Here are a few extra tips for making this healthy herb-alicious soup: 

• If you do not have an immersion blender, you can puree the soup by transferring it in batches to a regular blender.  I bought my immersion blender about 6 years ago for less than $20, and it is still going strong.  It makes my life so much easier when it comes to pureeing soups, sauces, and dressings, so I definitely recommend adding one to your kitchen equipment!
• I just opted for using dried herbs in this recipe, as that is what I happened to have in supply.  Feel free to improvise with fresh herbs too, about 3 tablespoons total.  Fresh tarragon, thyme,flat-leaf parsley, mint, or rosemary would all make excellent additions.
• Herbes de Provence is one of my favorite ingredients to add to a recipe--it's like getting 4 or 5 ingredients for the price of 1.  Although the herb combinations can vary, my jar is a mixture of fennel, lavender, thyme, and basil.  In the regular grocery store, Herbes de Provence can be expensive, but find it in a warehouse club or restaurant supply store, and it is MUCH cheaper!
• This soup is wonderful served cold or hot.
• If you want to make this vegetarian, just substitute vegetable stock for chicken broth. 

Herbed Spring Pea Soup

Serves 6

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 cups sliced sweet onions (such as Vidalia)

4 cloves garlic, minces

1 teaspoon Herbes de Provence

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)

1/4 cup dry white wine

32 ounces frozen petite peas

4 cups low-sodium chicken broth

Plain yogurt, optional

In large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat.  Add the onions and garlic and saute until tender, about 5 minutes.  Add the Herbes de Provence, salt, thyme, pepper, and crushed red pepper.  Continue to saute the mixture until the onions are golden, about 5 minutes more.

Add the wine to the sauce pan, and allow it to reduce and evaporate, stirring occasionally.  Add the peas and the chicken broth to the saucepan and bring the mixture to a boil.  Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 7 minutes, until the peas are tender.

Using and immersion blender, puree the mixture until it is completely smooth.  Return the mixture to a simmer, and thin it with additional broth if desired.  Season with salt and pepper and serve garnished with a dollop of yogurt, if desired. 

Thai Coconut Chicken Soup

I can't believe that 2008 is already coming to a close.  Ah, it seems like it was only yesterday that I was paying $4.52 for a gallon of gas.  Come to think of it, 2009 can't arrive soon enough!

For a change, I actually have plans for ringing in the New Year.  That's right.  I am venturing outside of the house and heading close to the Las Vegas Strip for dinner with a few friends (I'm not crazy enough to go directly on the Strip with 100,000 friends.) 

For as long as I can remember, New Year's Eve has been spent quietly at home.  I know, boring.  Eric often had to work, so I busied myself with projects, organizing, and watching a marathon of whatever show I was into that year.  Last year, I spent the evening submitting last minute entries into recipe contests that I had put off, two of which ended up winning me a trip to the Super Bowl and a trip to Napa.  Not exactly a waste of an evening, was it? 

I am almost always in bed by midnight, listening to the distant fireworks as I drift off to sleep.  I'll probably still be in bed by midnight tonight, even if I am going out.  Kind of dispels the notion that everyone in Las Vegas lives a crazy and wild lifestyle, doesn't it?

I really don't feel like I am missing out if I don't join the masses at midnight and then spend 2 hours fighting traffic to drive 8 miles home.  Go figure.  What I enjoy is getting up hangover-free on New Year's day and feeling like I have a fresh start to the next 365 days.  I get some things crossed off my to-do list, clean, and prepare a few healthy recipes that will feed us over the next few days.  This is one that I made today, which will serve as a delicious lunch tomorrow.

Thai food is really a cuisine that hits most of your senses (you really don't hear anything, which is why I say "most.")  The colors are vibrant and plentiful, the aromas are enticing, there are many different textures, and the taste, well, just try this soup.  This is a wonderfully easy soup to make if you want to start the New Year off on a healthy note.  Broth-based soups are nice and filling, and this one incorporates a bit of low-fat coconut milk, which adds a creamy texture.  The flavor is spicy, tangy, sweet, and salty, and there are plenty of veggies and lean protein as ingredients.  Besides, how often do you get to whip out that wok from the back of your cabinets and cook with it?  Here are my extra tips for preparing this healthy soup for the New Year:

• This soup is a great way to use up leftover roasted chicken or even turkey.  Instead of sauteing the chicken pieces with the shallots, simply add about 2 1/2 cups of shredded roasted chicken along with the coconut milk.
• If you cannot find a package that specifically says "pad Thai noodles," then just find some wide ride stick noodles in the Asian foods section of your grocery store.  You can also use glass noodles or soba noodles for this soup.
• This recipe reheats very well.  Keep it refrigerated, tightly covered, for up to three days.
• Instead of using sugar snap peas, you can use 8 ounces of trimmed snow pea pods.  I prefer sugar snaps for their added sweetness and texture.
• Warning: Asian fish sauce has a very pungent smell to it.  This does not translate to the recipe, and it really adds a nice distinct Thai flavor to dishes.  Keep the bottle refrigerated after opening.

Thai Coconut Chicken Soup

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

3 cups fresh baby spinach

8 ounces sugar snap peas, trimmed and halved crosswise

6 ounces pad Thai noodles

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces

2 large shallots, thinly sliced

2 teaspoons red curry paste

1 teaspoon curry powder

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

3 cloves garlic, minced

6 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1 (13.5 ounce) can light coconut milk

1/2 cup chopped scallions

2 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons fish sauce

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

Salt and pepper to taste

Lime wedges for serving (optional)

Bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a large saucepan.  Add the spinach and sugar snap peas to the saucepan and cook for 1 minute.  Drain the vegetables.  Cook the pad Thai noodles according to the package directions; drain and set aside. 

Heat the oil in a large deep skillet or wok.  Add the chicken and saute for 1 minute.  Add the shallots, curry paste, curry powder, turmeric, coriander, red pepper flakes, and garlic to the pan and saute for 1 minute more.  Add the chicken broth to the pan and bring the mixture to a boil.  Add the coconut milk to the pan; reduce the heat, and simmer for 5 minutes. 

Add the scallions, brown sugar, and fish sauce to the pan; simmer for 2 minutes.  Add the reserved spinach, sugar snap peas, and noodles to the pan and simmer to warm through.  Stir in the cilantro.  Serve the soup hot with lime wedges (optional.)

Fennel and Chicken Sausage Soup with Gruyere Croutons

It snowed in Las Vegas!  I'm talking real, actual flakes from the sky.  We usually are subjected, in true Vegas form, to the fake stuff, generated to create holiday scapes that often end up looking like they have been coated with Tide. 

This was by no means a blizzard.  The total accumulation might have been enough to build one very small snowman, that is if it had actually stuck around long enough.  Recent temperatures in the 70s ensured that the ground was much too warm to maintain that thin white coat.

Having grown up on the east coast, I always find the locals' reactions to rarities such as rain or snow to be quite humorous.  The radio and TV stations are abuzz with accident reports, as it seems that everyone has suddenly forgotten how to drive.  People start snapping photos of their backyard winter wonderlands and emailing them to all of their friends and relatives (see exhibit A, below from my husband's co-worker.)  Children begin to wonder what exactly constitutes a snow day.  And the grocery stores sell out of things like hot cocoa.

Despite the fact that the snowfall is already a distant memory, its brief visit was still enough to inspire me to turn on the "all Christmas carols, all the time" radio station and whip up some hearty, healthy, and comforting batches of soup in the kitchen.  The first one that I made was a very filling, but surprisingly healthy smooth fennel and chicken sausage combination.  Fennel has been a common ingredient in my kitchen this year.  While I don't necessarily care for its licorice-like taste when it is raw, I adore it roasted, sauteed, and caramelized.  The addition of healthy sausage and a crouton that has been topped with a bit of melted cheese really makes this soup a meal.  Here are some extra tips for making this hearty but healthy soup (see soup #2 next post):

• So that they don't go to waste, I like to save the fennel fronds (the wispy green ends) for seasoning things like roasted vegetables, frittatas, pilafs, etc.  You can also add some to the finished bowls of soup for garnish.  Store them in the refrigerator in zip-top bags.
• This soup can be refrigerated for up to 4 days in an air-tight container.
• I found great sundried-tomato and basil chicken sausage links at Trader Joe's, but if you cannot find chicken sausage, use turkey sausage instead.  You can also use regular sausage, but of course then the soup won't be as light!
• Instead of using Gruyere, which has a nutty flavor, for the croutons, try using smoked Gouda, Fontina, or goat cheese.

Fennel and Chicken Sausage Soup with Gruyere Croutons

Serves 6

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

3/4 pound herbed chicken sausage links

1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced

3 fennel bulbs, halved, cored, and thinly sliced

3 sprigs fresh thyme

6 cups chicken stock

1 medium zucchini, thinly sliced

Salt and pepper to taste

3/4 inch thick baguette slices

6 ounces Gruyere cheese, finely shredded

In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil.  Add the sausage links and cook them over medium heat until they are golden brown and just cooked through.  Transfer the sausage to a plate and set aside.

In the same saucepan, cook the onion over medium heat until softened, 4-5 minutes.  Add the fennel and thyme and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.  Add the stock and simmer over medium-low heat until the fennel is very tender, about 45 minutes.  Add the zucchini, cover, and simmer over medium heat until barely tender, about 3 minutes.  Discard the thyme sprigs.

Using an immersion blender, or working in two batches in a standard blender, puree the soup until smooth.  Return the soup to the saucepan (if using a standard blender.)  Thinly slice the sausage and add it to the soup.  Season with salt and pepper.

Preheat the oven to 500F degrees.  Arrange the baguette slices on a baking sheet and top them with half of the cheese.  Bake until the cheese melts.  Ladle the soup into bowls and top with the toasts.  Sprinkle the remaining cheese on the soup and serve. 

Thai Carrot and Ginger Soup

This is the second soup that I made during our Las Vegas "snow day."  I have been making variations of this healthy, nutrient-rich soup for years, usually changing it up depending on what I have in stock.  The coconut milk, lime, peanut butter, soy sauce, and sesame oil really provide a Thai flavor to this recipe, and the ginger and red pepper flakes add some spice and heat.  This soup would be a perfect light lunch to help counteract some of those heavy holiday meals!  Here are a few extra tips for making this easy, healthy soup:

• The finished soup can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
• Although the soup is probably best served piping hot during the winter, it also makes a lovely refreshing chilled meal during the summer.
• Crunchy or creamy peanut butter may be used for this recipe.
• If you don't like very much heat in your food, use only 1/2 teaspoon of the crushed red pepper as opposed to 1 teaspoon.
• For easy mincing (and grating) of fresh peeled ginger, store it in the freezer.

  Thai Carrot and Ginger Soup

  Serves 6

  Ingredients:

  1 tablespoon olive oil

  1 yellow onion, chopped

  5 large carrots, peeled and chopped

  1 tablespoon minced, peeled fresh ginger

  1 teaspoon crushed red pepper

  3 1/2 cups chicken broth

  3 tablespoons light soy sauce

  1 tablespoon lime juice

  2 tablespoons brown sugar

  1 heaping tablespoon peanut butter

  1 teaspoon dark sesame oil

  3/4 cup light coconut milk

  1/2 cup low-fat milk

  Salt and pepper to taste

  Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.  Add the onion and cook until softened, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes.  Add the carrots, ginger, and crushed red pepper to the saucepan and cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes.  Add the chicken broth and bring the mixture to a boil.  Reduce the heat and simmer until the carrots are very tender, about 15 minutes.  Stir in the soy sauce, lime juice, brown sugar, peanut butter, and sesame oil. Remove the saucepan from the heat.  

  Puree the soup until smooth, either using an immersion blender or un batches in a regular blender.  If using a regular blender, return the mixture to the saucepan, stir in the coconut milk and milk, and place the saucepan over medium-low heat to warm through.    Season with salt and pepper and serve. 

Potato-Leek Soup

When I was growing up, there were certain foods that I just decided I didn't care for, without even trying them.  This conclusion was generally reached through one of two extremely scientific methods:  that looks yucky and that sounds gross.  Twenty-something years later, equipped with a little more knowledge and a much more adventurous palate, I feel that I need to admit, once again, that mom was right (why is she always right?)  Yes mom, I should have tried it because I might have liked it. 

I might have liked mushrooms, which fell prey to looking unappetizing in their raw state.  Nowadays, I eat sauteed herbed shiitakes and grilled juicy portobellos with glee.  I might have enjoyed olives, which my dad ate out of the jar while I kept my distance.  Today, I sprinkle salty Kalamatas on my Greek salad and puree briny Nicoises in tapenade.  I also might have given leeks a chance, but you must agree with me that they do sound kind of gross, right? 

For cooking, I actually prefer a leek to its relative, the onion, partially because they don't make you cry when you chop them.  Dubbed "the gourmet's onion,"  leeks have a milder flavor than onions, and they are much more popular in Europe than in America.  One of my favorite recipes that uses leeks extensively is this creamy-tasting potato leek soup.  I say creamy-tasting because, unlike many other potato soups, this has no cream and only a little bit of half and half.  This is a great soup to keep in mind as the weather starts to cool and the days become shorter.  Here are some tips for this smooth and savory soup:

• To make this soup even lighter, substitute low-fat milk for the half and half and the whole milk.  It won't be quite as thick or rich tasting, but it will still be very filling and delicious.
• Yukon gold potatoes will give the soup a nice golden color, and they also have a less starchy, almost buttery flavor.  If you cannot find Yukon golds, then substitute russet potatoes or even red potatoes.
• This soup can be refrigerated for up to 5 days, tightly covered.  I do not recommend freezing this soup, as it tends to develop a grainy texture when defrosted.
• Be sure to clean the leeks thoroughly prior to chopping.  The best way to do this is to halve them lengthwise and then run them under cold water, separating the layers to get the dirt out.
• If you don't feel like fishing around the stockpot for the various rosemary sprigs, then tie them all together with some kitchen twine prior to adding them to the pot.

Potato-Leek Soup

Makes 8-10 servings

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons olive oil

4 tablespoons butter

4 stalks celery, diced

6 leeks, white parts only, thinly sliced

4 shallots, chopped

6 cloves garlic, minced

2 dried bay leaves

6 sprigs rosemary

Salt and coarse ground pepper

2 1/2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces

8 cups chicken stock

1 cup milk

1/2 cup half and half

Heat the olive oil and butter in a medium stockpot.  Add celery, leeks, shallots, and garlic; cook on medium-low heat until very soft, about 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add the bay leaves, rosemary, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper and stir to mix.

Add the potatoes and chicken stock, stir, and bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat.  Reduce to a simmer and them cook until the potatoes are very tender, about 40 minutes.  Remove the bay leaves and the rosemary sprigs.  Using an immersion blender, puree the soup until smooth (alternatively, transfer the mixture to a blender and puree in batches.)  Place the saucepan over medium-low heat,  and stir in the milk and half and half.  Season with salt and pepper and serve hot. 

Grilled Summer Vegetable Gazpacho

I'll admit it; I'm a bit of a magazine junkie, and the marketers have caught on to my addiction.  Like many people who are passionate about cooking, baking, and food in general, I started out subscribing to only a few: Bon Appetit and Martha Stewart.  Coincidentally, then came the offers for a year of Gourmet and Saveur at an unheard of cost.   I bit.  Cooking Light, Food and Wine, and various others all followed, so that at any given time, I have a stack of magazines several inches deep on my night stand. 

I don't look at these monthly publications as mere reading material, but as research and education (that's my story, and I'm sticking to it.) My general routine involves going through the magazine from start to finish and dog-earing any stories or recipes that I find appealing.  At the end of the month, I re-evaluate the recipes that I selected (I could have just been really hungry at the time,) to determine if they are something that I would truly prepare at some point.  Then, I either tear them out or print them from the magazine's web site, and I file them in my increasingly large archive.  Some poor recipes have been sitting in those files for years, untouched, like those articles of clothing that you haven't worn since college, but are convinced that you will need someday.  It's just hard to let go sometimes.

Every few weeks, I'll go through the recipes and select several that I want to use as inspiration for new dishes.  My most recent picks include a vegetable gazpacho made with grilled vegetables, courtesy of the creatively talented, occasional Food Network chef, Kerry Simon of Las Vegas and L.A.    I actually forgot about this recipe until last Friday, when Eric and I tried Chef Simon's new restaurant, Simon Kitchen, and the gazpacho was on the menu.  The soup was deliciously thick, fresh, and slightly smoky tasting, and I felt like I'd hit the jackpot, knowing that I had the recipe waiting for me in a folder at home.   I didn't waste much time putting a slightly changed version of it together, and let's just say that I am looking forward to dinner tonight!  Now if only I had Chef Simon's recipe for his Watermelon Margaritas and Chocolate Pizza....  Here are some tips for this chilled summer soup:

• If you cannot find the orange peppers, then just use two yellow peppers.  I do not recommend substituting green peppers, as they tend to have a slightly bitter taste to them.
• This is a fairly thick gazpacho, so if you want to thin out the texture, add extra tomato juice and an additional splash of orange juice.
• The gazpacho will keep, chilled and tightly covered, for up to 4 days.  The flavors start to blend and improve over time.
• The 1 teaspoon of crushed red pepper makes the gazpacho a bit spicy.  Feel free to reduce or increase the amount based on personal taste.
• For an easy method of removing the corn kernels from the cob, invert a small bowl inside a large bowl.   Stand the corn cob upright on the small bowl and cut the kernels off using a serrated knife.  The kernels should fall directly into the large bowl as opposed to all over the counter.

Grilled Vegetable Gazpacho

Serves 8-10

Ingredients:

4 large garlic cloves, unpeeled

2 large red bell peppers, cored and quartered

1 large yellow bell pepper, cored and quartered

1 large orange bell pepper, cored and quartered

2 zucchini, halved lengthwise

1 large red onion, slice 1/2-inch thick

2 ears of sweet corn, husked

2 tablespoons olive oil

Salt and pepper

2 teaspoons cumin

1 scant teaspoon crushed red pepper

2 cups tomato juice

1/2 cup fresh orange juice (not from concentrate)

3 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Diced cucumber, diced avocado, diced red onion, and charred corn kernels for garnish

Light a grill or heat a grill pan over medium-high heat.  Thread the garlic cloves onto a skewer.  Brush the garlic, peppers, zucchini, onion, and corn with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  Grill the vegetables, turning frequently, until lightly charred and crisp-tender, about 10 minutes.  Transfer the peppers to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let steam for about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, remove the garlic cloves from the skewers, peel them, and transfer them to a large bowl.  Using a serrated knife, cut the charred corn kernels into the bowl.  Peel the peppers and then add them to the bowl along with the zucchini, onion, cumin, crushed red pepper, tomato juice, orange juice, lemon juice, and vinegar.

Using an immersion blender, regular blender, or a food processor, puree the vegetable mixture.  Pour the gazpacho into a large bowl and season with salt and pepper.  Cover and refrigerate until chilled, about 2 hours.  Just before serving, stir the cilantro into the gazpacho.  Ladle into bowls and garnish with cucumber, avocado, onion, and corn kernels, if desired.

Spicy Black Bean, Chicken, and Chorizo Soup

I just returned from my National Cornbread Cook-off experience late last night.  Despite the fact that I did not bring home the $$$ or that beautiful Five-Star Range, which would have looked so lovely in my kitchen, I had an absolutely fantastic time and would not hesitate to return if I am ever fortunate enough to be invited for a second attempt.  The people of South Pittsburg, Tennessee could not have been more hospitable.  Some even seemed surprised that I would travel all those miles just to whip up my Savory Prosciutto Fontina Cornbread Pudding underneath a 200 square foot tent, surrounded mostly by folks who hadn't traveled more than a few hours by car to pay their $3 admission fee to experience all things cornbread.  Personally, I found the entire experience to be more than worth the time it took to travel across a few time zones and drive into an area of the country that I wouldn't have had a reason to visit otherwise.  The small-town pride, friendliness, and good manners expressed by all was so refreshing, especially coming from a place where you don't always feel like you can say "hello" to just anyone who you pass on the street, unless you know them.  The bluegrass band, the street dance, and the cornbread eating contest were all fun to experience---although I can do without ever watching another buttermilk chugging contest for as long as I live--YUCK! 

In the end, a nice lady from Florida won the contest with her Ancho Shrimp on Smoked Gouda Corncakes, and my new friend Teri won 2nd (yea!) with her Zesty Italian Sausage Skillet with Sundried Tomato Cornbread Crust.  3rd went to Uncle Earl from Tennessee for his Sausage Pepper Cheese Quiche, and he brought along about 50 of his closest friends to root him on, all wearing matching t-shirts.  Yes, clearly this was not your mother's cornbread (although mom, you do make really great cornbread).

Amazingly, during the festival, I did not have one bite of cornbread.  There were many varieties of other foods for sale--the big item seemed to be any kind of meat on a stick, and lots of it.  It was all pretty heavy, but delicious, typical fair food, such as funnel cakes, gyros, and ice cream.  Needless to say, by the time I arrived home last night, I was relieved to find some of the black bean and chicken soup that I had made for Eric before I left.  I wanted something satisfying and healthy that I didn't need to fuss over too much, and this soup fit the bill.  And no, I didn't dunk a piece of cornbread in it while I ate.  Here are a few extra tips for this spicy savory soup:

• To make this recipe lower in fat and calories, substitute spicy turkey sausage for the chorizo sausage.  It will still deliver on the flavor and texture.
• This soup will keep well for 3-4 days, tightly covered, in the refrigerator.  The flavors will even improve over time. 
• For garnish, try sprinkling the hot soup with a little bit of shredded sharp cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese, a dollop of sour cream, some minced fresh chives, and/or some crushed tortilla chips.
• Improvise by using different types of beans in this soup.  Garbanzo, kidney, and pinto would all work well.
• Instead of the jalapeno pepper, try substituting 1 chipotle chili in adobo, finely chopped, for a little extra spice and a smoky flavor.

Spicy Black Bean, Chicken, and Chorizo Soup

Serves 6

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 pound chorizo sausage, casings removed

2 cups chopped, peeled carrots

1 1/2 cups chopped onion

1 1/2 cups chopped celery

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced

2 bay leaves

6 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons dried thyme

5-6 cups chicken broth

3 (15-ounce) cans black beans, drained

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 3/4 inch cubes

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat.  Add the chorizo, carrots, onion, celery, jalapeno, and bay leaves.  Saute until the sausage is cooked through, breaking up the sausage with a spatula, about 10 minutes.  Add the garlic and thyme and saute for 2 minutes.  Add 5 cups of broth, bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat to medium, and simmer for 20 minutes.

Add the beans and the chicken to the soup and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes, adding more broth if desired.  Discard the bay leaves and season the soup with salt and pepper.  Serve.

Cheddar Corn Chowder

When it comes to eating, in many ways I am a creature of habit.  I eat three square meals a day, usually at about the same time every day (that six-small-meals-a-day diet trend just wouldn't work for me).  My husband Eric, on the other hand, will sometimes come home from work at 7p.m. and tell me that he is starving because he "forgot" to eat that day.  What???  How can one forget to eat?  Doesn't that pain in your stomach and feeling of faintness remind you?   Well, he usually makes up for it on those days by downing a family-sized dinner all by himself--to each his own I suppose.

Another thing that I tend to do is get "hooked" on certain foods for periods of time.  There have been times when I have eaten hummus every day for a month, or I'll make a huge batch of butternut squash soup and eat it for lunch and dinner every day until it's gone.  While I love to try new foods, I never tire of the ones that I already enjoy.  During the summer, I love to eat fresh sweet corn every day.  Growing up in New Jersey, we always had plenty of sweet Jersey corn from the farm stands, and while the selection we have here in Las Vegas is no comparison, it is still very good.

I was pleasantly surprised to find a large batch of fresh white corn, which looked fantastic for being out of season, at our grocery store this week, so of course I brought a dozen ears home to do "something" with.  If I don't eat the corn straight off the cob, I usually make either a fresh corn salad with red onion, herbs, and a vinaigrette, or I'll make a light corn chowder.  I don't care for the typically heavy chowders, which use large amounts of cream, butter, and cheese, because I don't think these ingredients are necessary to make a rich and hearty soup, and in the case of corn, they often mask the flavor of the star ingredient.  This healthier version uses milk (you can use low-fat) and chicken broth for the base, potatoes for thickening, wine and spices for seasoning, and it is topped with the cheese so that each person can have as little or as much as they like.  The end result is a filling and satisfying soup with a variety of flavors that complement each other. Here are some tips and techniques for the Cheddar Corn Chowder:

• The chowder can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to three days.
• An easy way to cut the corn off the cob, without the usual problem of having the kernels land all over your kitchen counter and floor, is demonstrated in the picture to the right.  Take a small bowl and invert in inside a large bowl.  Stand the corn cob on one end on top of the small bowl, holding the opposite end with one hand.  Cut the kernels off of the sides using a very sharp knife.  They will fall neatly into the larger bowl along with any excess juices.
• If you own an immersion blender or a stick blender, you can skip the step of pureeing the two cups of soup in a normal blender and then returning it to the pot.  Instead, pulse the entire batch of soup with your immersion blender, just until the soup is partially pureed and there are still pieces of potato and corn kernels visible.  This will have the same effect of thickening the soup while maintaining texture.
• Add shredded chicken to the soup to make a chicken corn chowder.
• For a lighter, lowfat soup, use nonfat milk and reduced fat cheese.

Cheddar Corn Chowder

Serves 6

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 yellow onion, finely chopped

1 large celery stalk, finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 cup white wine

3 Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces

3 cups chicken stock

1 cup milk

3 1/2 cups fresh corn kernels (5-6 ears)

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

Fresh ground pepper

2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.  Add the onion and cook until softened, about 4 minutes.  Add the celery and cook until tender, 4 minutes.  Add the coriander, cumin, and cayenne.  Raise the heat to medium-high and add the wine.  Cook until most of the liquid has evaporated, 2 to 3 minutes.  Add the potatoes, chicken stock, and the milk and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.

Add the corn and cook until tender, 5 to 6 minutes.  Remove from the heat. Transfer 2 cups of the soup to a blender and puree.  Return the puree to the pan and stir.  Rewarm the soup and season with the salt and pepper.  Pour the soup into bowls and top with the grated cheddar cheese. 

Mushroom Barley Soup with Turkey Parmesan Meatballs

If my mom is going to be out of town for several days, before she departs, she will typically spend an entire day in the kitchen, making stews, soups, and casseroles and putting them in the freezer with reheating directions for my dad, so that he won't starve while she is gone.  Actually, he wouldn't starve, but he would live on Kung Pao Chicken and pepperoni pizza, which to my mom, who cooks dinner every night, would just be unacceptable. 

I am going to be in New York for a cooking competition next week, and, having picked up a thing or two from my mom, I have started preparing a few items that Eric can easily reheat for dinner when he gets home from work.  Oh, who am I kidding?  He'll still order pizza on one night and have a huge bowl of cereal for dinner on the next night.  Well, at least it will make me feel better, knowing that there is a home-cooked dinner in the refrigerator for him as a last resort. 

I usually make a turkey meatball soup, which is similar to this recipe, but it uses orzo (rice shaped pasta) instead of barley.  I've been trying to incorporate more whole grains in my recipes, so last night I decided to add the barley, and because mushrooms and barley go so well together, I sauteed up some sliced mixed mushrooms to add to the soup.  The result was a comforting and filling one-pot meal, which came together, from start to finish, in about 40 minutes. Here are my tips for preparing this hearty, healthy, soup:

• Pearled barley cooks faster than regular barley because the outer hull has been removed.  Barley can usually be found in the organic or health foods section of your grocery store, and some stores, such as Whole Foods, offer it in the bulk foods section.  If you cannot find   barley, try substituting something like a short grain brown rice. 
• It is important to use a ground turkey that has at least 7% fat content.  Anything lower will be too dry.  You can also use a lean ground sirloin or ground chicken.
• You may replace the large sprig of fresh thyme with 1 teaspoon of dried thyme.
• Instead of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, you can use grated Pecorino Romano, which is a little bit saltier, but it also tends to be less expensive.
• For the mushrooms, I like to use a blend of a few of the following varietals: oyster, shiitake, chanterelle, portobello, crimini, and large white buttons.  If your store does not offer a large selection, then use a combination of the buttons and the meatier criminis (baby portobellos).

Mushroom Barley Soup with Turkey Parmesan Meatballs

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

5 cups beef stock or broth

1 cup water

2/3 cup pearled barley

1 large thyme sprig

Salt and pepper to taste

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 pound mixed wild mushrooms, stemmed and thinly sliced

1 large shallot, finely chopped

1 pound ground turkey

2 large eggs

1/4 cup dry bread crumbs

1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

3 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

In a large saucepan, combine the stock, water, barley, and thyme.  Season with salt and pepper and bring to a boil.  Cover and cook over low heat until the barley is almost tender, 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat.  Add the mushrooms and shallot, season well with salt and pepper, and cook until very tender and browned, 8 to 10 minutes.

In a medium bowl, combine the ground turkey, eggs, bread crumbs, cheese, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper.  Thoroughly combine the mixture, using your hands to mix, then roll it into 1-inch balls.

Add the meatballs and the mushrooms to the soup and simmer, covered, over medium heat until the meatballs are cooked through and the barley is tender, 8 to 10 minutes.  Discard the thyme and serve.

French Onion Soup

When my husband, Eric, and I go out to eat, I can pretty much predict what he is going to order after I spend a few minutes looking over the menu.  He has never met a Chicken Parmigiana that he didn't like, he loves a fresh Caprese salad, and, although he seldom eats dessert, Key Lime Pie is hard for him to resist.  Usually, if French Onion Soup is on the menu at a restaurant, Eric can be counted on to order this to start off his meal. 

Unfortunately, the last 3 times that Eric has ordered French Onion Soup have left him quite underwhelmed.  It was quite obvious that Jacques Pepin was not the surprise guest chef for the evening and that the restaurant's recipe for the soup didn't follow the traditional French method of preparation.  Each time, the onions were tough and still white in color, the broth was light, and the bread was practically dissolving in the liquid.  So, I decided that, rather than have him try the soup at a fourth restaurant, I would make Eric a true French Soupe a l'oignon at home.

The key to good French Onion Soup is the rich flavor of the base, a result of combining the broth with the slowly caramelized onions.  Caramelization occurs when the onions are cooked slowly and the melting sugars approach burning temperature and become brown.  The restaurants were obviously trying to take a shortcut with this process, which was reflected in the soups flavor (or lack thereof!).   The crouton, which tops the base, needs to be dry and crusty, so that it doesn't completely fall apart in the liquid.  The process for making this soup is very easy--it just requires some planning ahead.  I would be wary if this was offered up as one of Rachael's "30 Minute Meals"....  Here are some tips for making this French soup magnifique!:

• Braising something means to cook it slowly in moist heat, often in a covered pot or casserole with a variable amount of liquid, resulting in a particular flavor.  In the case of this recipe, the onions will be infused with the white wine and sherry.
• The onions and beef stock can be prepared one day in advance and then refrigerated, covered.  Combine the two in a large saucepan and reheat over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, before dividing into the 6 bowls.
• If you don't like Gruyere or if you can't find it, try using something like Emmenthaler, Swiss, Raclette, or Jarlsberg cheese instead.  The flavors will not be exactly the same (most of the cheeses that I listed are a bit nuttier than Gruyere), but the effect will be similar.
• When braising the onion and wine mixture, the result should be that the onions are a nice golden brown in color.  You might need to braise them a little bit longer than the 1 hour indicated, depending on your oven and how big the onions were.

French Onion Soup

Serves 6

Ingredients:

1 cup white wine

1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons sherry

6 tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon sugar

3 large yellow onions, thinly sliced

Salt and pepper, to taste

1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme

2 large bay leaves

2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

2 quarts beef stock

12 (1/2 inch thick) slices baguette

2 cloves garlic, smashed

6 cups grated Gruyere cheese

2 cups grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Preheat the oven to 425F degrees.  Combine the wine, 1/2 cup sherry, 4 tablespoons butter, sugar, onions, and salt and pepper in a 9X13 casserole dish and stir to mix.  Braise in the oven, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the onions just begin to brown, 40-45 minutes.  Remove the casserole from the oven and cover with foil.  Continue braising in the oven, stirring occasionally, until caramelized, about 1 hour more.  Keep covered and set aside.

Meanwhile, combine the thyme, bay leaves, parsley, and beef stock in a saucepan and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, partially covered, for 30 minutes.  Stir in the remaining 3 tablespoons of Sherry and cook for 5 minutes more.

While the broth simmers, spread the baguette slices with the remaining butter.  Toast the slices in a skillet over medium heat, turning once, until golden, 5 to 7 minutes.  Rub the slices on both sides with the cloves of garlic and set aside.  Discard the garlic.

Heat the broiler and place the oven rack about 6 inches from the heating element.  Arrange 6 heat-proof bowls on a foil-lined baking sheet.  Divide the onions and broth between the bowls and stir together.  Place 2 baguette slices in each bowl and top with 1 cup Gruyere and 1/3 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Broil until cheeses are browned and bubbly, 3-5 minutes.  Serve immediately.