Despite the fact that I threw up in my mouth a little bit yesterday and I've already had to trash a completely wonderful cup of coffee this morning, I am inexplicably looking forward to lunch today. That is because I am headed to my very favorite soup place. Will it be Smoky Split Pea? Southwestern Corn Chowder? Tomato Bisque? This is my major decision of the day, and quite frankly probably all I can handle in my current mental state.I love soup. I could eat it and salad every day. OK, and maybe pasta. But I do really love soup. It amazes me that people don't make homemade soup more often, because it really couldn't be easier. Even if you use canned or boxed broth, it's still a million times better than prefab soup. In pretty much constant rotation in our house is chicken noodle (made with a rotisserie chicken or that "Just Chicken" stuff you can buy at Trader Joe's), split pea with big chunks of turkey bacon and carrots, minestrone (made a different way every time), and a new favorite -- escarole and meatball (otherwise known as Italian Wedding).
Because I'm an HTML dunce and don't know how to hide part of my post, I'll post one of my favorite easy soup recipes in the comments for anyone who'd like to get souped up this weekend.
Happy Friday!
Because I'm an HTML dunce and don't know how to hide part of my post, I'll post one of my favorite easy soup recipes in the comments for anyone who'd like to get souped up this weekend.
Happy Friday!
7 comments:
Easy Split Pea Soup
1 bag green or yellow split peas (you can use less if you like a less-chunky soup)
2 32 oz. boxes chicken broth
4-6 slices turkey bacon (depending on how bacony you like things), diced
1 large yellow onion, chopped
4-5 large carrots, peeled and cut lengthwise and then crosswise (to make little half-moon shaped chunks)
2 ribs celery, cut crosswise
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp dried thyme
1-2 T olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a large soup pot or dutch oven. Add turkey bacon and cook until slightly browned (about 5 minutes). Add onion and garlic and cook 2-3 minutes. Add carrots and celery and cook 5 minutes, or until carrots just start to soften.
While veggies are cooking, rinse split peas in a very fine colander. Discard any funny-looking peas. Once veggies are ready, add peas to pot (it's fine if they're wet from the rinsing). Add thyme and combine ingredients in pot.
Add chicken broth plus 2 cups water. Bring soup to a boil, and then down to a simmer. Let simmer for 2 hours, or until peas have more or less disintegrated. Stir occasionally. If soup is too thick, add a bit more water. Add salt and pepper to taste.
This soup is excellent freezer material.
I am a soup girl myself - I love it & love making it. I had soup everyday this week! Your recipe sounds yummy - will def. try it!
Here's this week's soup recipe:
Trader Joe's 17 Bean & Barley
with my own tweaks - it was YUM-O!
Soak beans over night in a large pot of water. Drain & Rinse.
1 box chicken broth (32oz)
1 onion chopped
a few ribs of celery chopped
A few carrots - chopped
1 tsp basil
3-4 garlic cloves - chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp italian seasoning
1 can of diced tomatoes
a few oz. diced pancetta (turkey bacon would work too)
salt & pepper to taste
pecorino romano to top
In a stockpot, heat olive oil, add in garlic, onion, carrot and celery. Sautee. While this is happening, brown pancetta either in the mixture or in a separate pan. Add beans, broth and herbs/spices. Simmer covered aprox 1 hour or until tender. Check liquid level and add more broth as needed. Top with s&p and cheese. Enjoy!
There is also a bean & escarole soup recipe on my blog from Zen on 1/16/09
Wow - I hit the jackpot. Two fantastic-sounding soup recipes; thanks to you both!
Oh, in case it is not obvious - the TJs 17 bean and barley is a bag of dried beans that I picked up last time I was there. My recipe is similar to the one on the bag...
Thanks for the recipe, Emily! I love how they have that diced pancetta at TJ's -- I'm assuming that's what you use for this recipe but if you haven't tried it I heartily recommend it!
(I also must confess that I semi-plaigiarized my soup recipe from the TJ's bag of split peas.)
OMG, loving the recipes!!!! I too am a soup fan! Gonna be whipping some up very soon! Thanks ladies! I am one of those that doesn't make it often at home...even though I know how easy it is. It's called lazy.
Oh, and, TJ's ROCKS!
Oh, I miss working in the city! At my old building there was a SF Soup Co. in the building next door and we would go EVERY DAY. Mmmm, and all the cornbread and breadsticks. Delicious!
Hope you enjoyed it!
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