You may recall that I used a bunch of pie pumpkins in my Thanksgiving table setting and on my kitchen island fall display. Soon after Thanksgiving, I roasted those pumpkins and froze the flesh – with the knowledge that I’d be making pumpkin soup for Christmas.

This recipe serves eight, so you will only need 2 small pumpkins, but since I had five to work with, I more than doubled the recipe.

For the garnish I used THESE sweet and spicy pepitas, but toasted pepitas (readily found at Trader Joe’s) work just as well.

Pumpkin and Chipotle Soup

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, peeled diced
1 garlic clove, peeled and minced
1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon ground cumin
5 cups fresh (*recipe below) or canned pumpkin puree
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup half-and-half
1/2 cup toasted pumpkin seeds (pepitas)

Heat a large pot over medium heat. When hot, add oil and then sauté the onion and garlic until soft and translucent. Add the chipotles and cumin. Stir to combine.

Add pumpkin puree, broth, and half-and-half. Simmer until heated through. Transfer, in batches, to a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. Return to the pot.

Cover and let simmer for 20 to 30 minutes. Ladle into bowls and serve with pepitas sprinkled on top.

Serves 8

Oh, and check out the beautiful individual covered pomegranate soup tureens I received from my darling family on Christmas morning! We used them for our soup later that afternoon! LOVE them! An extra big bowl of thanks to my sweet Marissa for all the trouble she went to gathering them from various bay area Williams-Sonoma stores, after she found out that they were sold-out online! xoxoox

* Roasted Pumpkin

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Cut each squash in half.  Scrape out seeds and strings with a large spoon and discard. Coat flesh with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Lay halves cut side down on a large rimmed baking sheet. Roast, turning halfway through, until golden brown on both sides, about 30 minutes.

Use a large spoon to scrape out all the flesh and then discard the skins.  May be frozen for up to 4 months.

It is officially Christmas time in the Hopkins’ home. Connor drove home from Flagstaff on Wednesday afternoon, Marissa flew in from San Francisco yesterday afternoon, and Dave’s mom, Pat, flew in from Illinois last night. The gang’s all here, time to celebrate! Nothing like a nice hot bowl of soup to get the party started, well that and a glass of wine…

When you taste this creamy, thick, and rich soup you will swear that is it loaded with cream and fat… but no, the only fat comes from 2 tablespoons olive oil and that is divided by 12 servings, so nearly fat-free!

And the color, oh it is lovely – thanks to the last second addition of a bunch of spinach leaves. Check out this photo of the soup with and without the addition of spinach, just to show you the lovely transformation the spinach makes to the end result.

Healthy? Oh this soup is plenty healthy… cauliflower, broccoli, potatoes, and spinach – on my! Plus it uses the usually discarded broccoli stalks. I almost never discard broccoli stalks, they are flavor-packed and delicious! For instance, when I stir-fry, I use a vegetable peeler on the tough outer part of the stalk and then slice them up and throw them in the wok. No need to peel the stalks for the soup, they will get plenty tender during the simmering stage.

Creamy Broccoli–Cauliflower Soup Sans the Cream

1 large head cauliflower
1 large bunch broccoli, with stems
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, peeled and diced
1 pound potatoes, peeled and cubed
Salt and freshly ground pepper
4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
8 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 large bunch fresh spinach, washed well and stems cut off
1 teaspoon smoked paprika plus more for garnish

Trim the stalk and stems from the cauliflower and discard.  Then either slice remaining head into chunks or separate into florets, set aside.

Trim the stalk and stems from the broccoli and then slice the stalk and stems into 1/2-inch pieces and set aside.  Separate the rest of the broccoli into florets and set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a large pot, add the sliced broccoli stems, diced onion, and cubed potatoes; toss to coat with oil. Season with salt and pepper; cover the pot and sweat the vegetables for 20 minutes, stirring every 6 minutes or so, to prevent the vegetables from sticking to the pot.

Add the garlic, sliced cauliflower, broccoli florets, and 8 cups of stock to the pot, stir to combine and bring to a boil. Reduce to a low simmer and cook until all vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes. Turn off heat; add spinach leaves and push down into hot liquid, just to wilt.

In batches, puree the mixture in a blender and return to the pot. Stir in 1 teaspoon smoked paprika. Taste and then season with additional salt and pepper, as needed.

Ladle into soup bowls and garnish each with a light sprinkle of smoked paprika.

Serves 12

It’s been raining for the last few days, so the weather is perfect for a steaming bowl of soup. But you already know how much I love soup, so really it doesn’t need to be raining to be the perfect day for me!

As I was working on the computer yesterday, I took a break to check in on  Facebook, and right there on my wall, I saw this post from Chelsea’s Kitchen (yes, the same same Chelsea’s Kitchen that serves THIS amazing Brussels Sprout Salad).

“Chelsea’s Kitchen is the perfect place on a rainy day to get some good ‘ole comfort food. Try our potato fennel soup with crispy shallots and parsley!  It’s amazing!”

Mind you, I had no intention of driving the 9 miles, in the rain, to eat a bowl of soup and to lunch all by myself.  But… I did have a fennel bulb, potatoes, and shallots in my own kitchen.  Although I don’t know if this soup is anything like the one served at CK… I can assure you, it too is amazing!

Potato and Fennel Soup with Crispy Shallots

2 tablespoons plus 1/4 cup olive oil, divided
1 large fennel bulb, trimmed and diced, fronds reserved
1 large onion, peeled and diced
1 pound potatoes, peeled, chopped
Salt and freshly ground pepper
4 cups chicken broth
1 cup milk or half-and-half
1 teaspoon fennel seeds, lightly crushed
1 teaspoon dried tarragon or 1 tablespoon fresh tarragon
2 shallots, peeled and thinly sliced

Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add fennel, onions, and potatoes; season with salt and pepper. Sauté until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Cover pot and sweat for 5 minutes. Remove lid and add broth, bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until vegetables are very tender, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring milk, fennel seeds, and tarragon bring to a simmer in heavy small saucepan. Reduce heat to a low simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat; cover and let stand 20 minutes so that flavors blend.

As soup continues to simmer; heat the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil in a small skillet over medium high heat.  When hot, add half of the shallots and cook, stirring frequently, until golden. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the shallots to paper towels to drain, repeat with remaining shallots.  (Cool and save the shallot-oil, use it the next time you sauté vegetables – yum.)

Puree soup in two batches in a blender until smooth. Return soup to same pot. Place a fine mesh strainer over the pot and add the milk mixture Stir to blend. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Ladle soup into bowls. Garnish with reserved fennel fronds and serve.

Serves 8

If this soup doesn’t scream “AUTUMN” to you, I don’t know what does! You can find the pre-cut butternut squash at Costco and Trader Joe’s. Pictured below is one whole fresh butternut and a 2-pound package from Costco.

Roasted Butternut and Apple Bisque with Fall Spiced Crème Fraîche

1  1/2 pounds Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and quartered
4  1/2 pounds butternut squash, each cut lengthwise in half and seeded or 4 pounds pre-cut butternut squash cubes
1 large yellow onion, peeled and cut into quarters
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
8 cups chicken broth

Spiced Crème Fraîche
1 cup chilled crème fraîche
1/8 teaspoon each; ground allspice, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg
Fresh chives or thyme leaves for garnish

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with foil.

Divide apples, squash, (cut side up) and onions between the baking sheets and drizzle with olive oil. Toss onions and apples to coat with oil.  If using the precut squash, just toss the squash cubes with the apples and onions on the baking sheets.

In a small bowl; mix brown sugar, cinnamon, cardamom, salt, and pepper.  Sprinkle spice mixture over vegetables.  Place in preheated oven and roast 1 hour or until very tender and golden, rotating pans 30 minutes into the roasting time. Remove from oven.

If using the whole fresh squash, when the halves are cool enough to handle, use a large spoon to scoop out the flesh from squash halves and transfer to a medium bowl.

In blender on low speed, blend half of the roasted squash, onions, and apples with about 3 cups of the chicken broth until smooth. Pour the mixture into a large pot. Repeat 2 more times with the remaining vegetables, apples, and broth and add to the pot.

Heat to simmer over medium heat. Reduce heat to low; cover pot and simmer 5 minutes.

Spiced Crème Fraîche:  Place the crème fraîche in a small bowl and mix in the spices.

To serve, ladle soup into bowls. Dollop with crème fraîche. Garnish with chives or thyme and a few grinds of black pepper and serve.

Serves 10 to 12

I found this lovely orange kuri squash at the Phoenix Public Market in downtown Phoenix. It was almost too pretty to use, but I finally caved and made it into an equally lovely soup. Any winter squash will work just as well; butternut, pumpkin, acorn, whatever you find or have on hand.

Fall Spiced Orange Kuri Squash & Apple Soup

1 large orange or red kuri squash
Olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups chicken broth
2 cups apple juice
1 tablespoon honey or agave nectar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4  teaspoon ground ginger
1/4  teaspoon ground allspice
1/4  teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Cilantro leaves, for garnish

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Cut the squash in half use a spoon to pull out the seeds and strings. Cut each half into 4 or 5 chunks.

Rub the flesh with olive oil to coat lightly. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.

Roast the squash flesh-side down until soft, about 45 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let set until cool enough to handle. Scoop out the flesh with a spoon. Discard the peel. You should have about 3 cups of squash.

Place the squash into the bowl of a food processor, puree until smooth.

In a large pot, combine the pureed squash, broth, apple juice, honey, and spices. Whisk to combine.

Gently simmer soup for about 10-15 minutes, until slightly reduced but not too thick. Season to taste with salt. Keep warm over low heat. If soup becomes too thick, thin with additional apple juice.

Ladle into soup bowls and garnish with sprigs of cilantro.

Serves 4 to 6

Chayote squash is a member of the gourd family Cucurbitaceae, along with melons, cucumbers and squash. Chayote is a good source of amino acids and vitamin C. The pear-shaped green fruit has a thin skin and a flattened pit (seed) that can be eaten, but is generally discarded. Chayote may be eaten raw, but is usually cooked as a side dish. You’ll find it in the produce section sold individually in little plastic sleeves or wrapped in tissue paper, which helps protect the thin skin from being pierced or blemished.

Now that you know all about chayote, it’s time to tell you about the coyote. But first, a little history.

Our backyard is enclosed with 6-foot tall solid block wall. Inside that wall live quail, bunnies, ground squirrels, and (gasp) roof rats. I can live with the cute quail and bunnies, even though the quail are stupid and bad parents and they tick me off and the bunnies eat my flowers. I used to think the squirrels were cute until one snuck into my house.  Well, he didn’t actually sneak in, he walked right in through the open door. It was two years ago, and I’m still not over it. Here is what I posted on Facebook that day – October 26, 2009

Here is a picture of my yard squirrel, taken back when I used to like him, before he ventured into my bedroom when my dear husband left the bathroom door open!! Now I have renamed the picture from “Cute Squirrel” to “Squirrel Stew Candidate”!

Yeah, that’s right, Dave has this problem with opening the doors when the weather is nice (fine, I do that too) and then not closing the doors when he leaves the room – or leaves the house (I do NOT do that)! On that particular day, two years ago, I had not ventured into our bedroom/bath since I got out of bed. It was about 11:00 and it was time for me to get ready for a lunch date with my dad. He would be arriving at 11:30 to pick me up to celebrate my birthday, so I walked into the bedroom and came face to face with that squirrel, standing on his hind feet just as he is in the picture – staring me down! I calmly turned and closed the double doors leading into the bedroom, he swiftly ran under my bed. I don’t know what it looks like under your bed, but under mine… a bunch of junk… boxes of junk! So after much ado, I was able to get him out from under the bed, using a broom. He ran into the bathroom as I ran following with the broom…into the separate shower/tub/toilet area he went. I closed the door, trapping him in there. Now What?!?

By now I am sweating (and cursing) up a storm! I am at a loss. How am I going to get the rodent back outside? Yes, he is no longer a cute squirrel to me, he is a filthy, and for all I know, rabid rodent.  There is no door that separates the bedroom from the sink area of the bathroom, and the door leading into the back yard is next to one of the sinks. So now I’m building a barricade to keep the squirrel from venturing back into the bedroom… a fast- smart-tree-climbing-squirrel barricade… yeah, sure no problem! Whatever! I am going to kill my husband! That is all I can think of – Kill. Husband. Mind you, this is the day before my birthday and my dad is on his way to pick me up for lunch… this is supposed to be a happy time, not a homicidal insane time. Kill rodent… then Kill Husband!

Long story short, turns out I am a darn good squirrel-barricade builder… or just a lucky Irish gal, because I opened that door and said squirrel ran directly out the door into the backyard, right as the front doorbell was ringing. Happy Birthday, to sweaty, insane, homicidal me!

Of course, the thing I am most worried about isn’t even the squirrels getting into my house, it is the roof rats. If I EVER find a roof rat IN my house, I will move out – that very day! I am not kidding. I could not handle it. We pay big bucks to have ugly traps all over our yard and on our roof to keep them at bay, but I am a paranoid freak when it comes to roof rats, they make me sick. I lose sleep over them, I would sell this house and move away, if one rat even set a disgusting foot into my home!

OK, finally, back to the coyote. Yep partners, we have coyotes in these parts. I see them all the time; in the street, on the nearby golf course, in our very neighborhood. While we were dog-sitting Bubo last month, I wouldn’t let him be outside alone, because I was afraid a coyote would get him. One bite and that little brat would have been history. Dave and my dad thought I was a paranoid freak about the coyotes getting the little pooch. Hey, we have a six-foot wall around our yard. Whatever!!!  It’s my sister’s dog and I’m not going to take a chance.

So… guess what Dave sees on our back porch this very morning – right out the kitchen window – you guessed it – a coyote!!! And “Mr. Leave the Doors Open and Leave the House” – “Mr. Leave the 3-pound Dog ALL Alone in the Backyard” – “Mr. Why are YOU Such A Paranoid Freakazoid?” …   he actually admits to me that he sees a coyote on our back porch. His mistake! I mean, after he left the bathroom door open and went off to work,  just this past Friday – (yes, he did!) – he totally deserves this public bashing… at least he’s still breathing and walking this earth… for now!

Friends, Family, Neighbors – I will confess right now… if you ever find Dave beaten with a broom and a “for sale” sign in my front yard, and me moved out … you can bet a roof rat got into our house through an open door! And this very post will be the cornerstone of my defense.

Chayote Squash and Corn Soup

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, peeled and minced
1 chayote squash, peeled and diced
3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups frozen corn, thawed
1 yellow bell pepper; roasted, peeled, cored, and diced
1 tablespoon Better Than Bouillon base
12-ounce can evaporated milk
1/2 cup fat-free half and half
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro

Heat a large pot over medium heat, add oil and swirl to coat. Add the onion, squash, and garlic and season with salt and pepper; sauté until onion is soft and translucent.

Stir in the corn, roasted peppers, and chicken base until the base “melts” into the mixture. Add the evaporated milk and the half and half, bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer on low for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, until squash is tender.

Use a slotted spool or a spider to lift out about half of the solids, along with one ladle of the liquid and place in the bowl of a food processor or blender, puree until smooth. Return puree to the pot and heat for 5 minutes over the lowest heat.

Ladle into serving bowls, garnish with cilantro and serve.

Serves 4

P.S. Have you ever seen the words “paranoid freak” used so many times in one story?!? :-)

I’ve been on a blue cheese kick recently. Maybe there is a nutrient in it that my body is short on.  Let’s see, it is a good source of protein, calcium, and phosphorus. No, that’s probably not the reason. It is also high in sodium and is very high in saturated fat… hmmm – that doesn’t sound good. This recipe redeems the blue cheese a little bit with its main ingredient, cauliflower. Cauliflower is low in fat, high in dietary fiber, folate, and vitamin C.  Leave off the bacon garnish and use vegetable broth, and you’ve got yourself a delicious good-evil, yin-yang, angel-devil vegetarian soup.

Cauliflower-Gorgonzola Soup

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large red onion, peeled and chopped
4 thyme sprigs
2 bay leaves
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 head cauliflower, leaves removed, then cut into 2-inch pieces
4 cups vegetable or chicken broth
1/3 cup sour cream
1 cup tripe cream blue cheese
Cooked and crumbled bacon for garnish, if desired

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions, thyme sprigs, and bay leaves and sauté until the onions are soft and translucent. Season well with salt and pepper.

Add the cauliflower and sauté, stirring often for another 5 minutes. Pour in the broth, stir and bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat for about 25 to 30 minutes or until the cauliflower is very soft.

Pick out the bay leaves and thyme stems and discard. Add the sour cream and stir to combine.

Pour the mixture into a blender or food processor and blend the soup until it is very smooth.

Return the soup to the pot and stir in the blue cheese, reheat gently. Taste and season with more salt and pepper, if needed.

Ladle into bowls and serve topped with crumbled bacon, if desired.

Serves 6

There is no better time to make fresh tomato soup than right now, the height of tomato season.

So even if you’re not growing tomatoes in your own garden, get out to your local farmer’s market and pick up some ripe locally grown tomatoes and throw together this soup, enjoy hot, cold, or at room temperature.

Summer Thyme Tomato Soup

3 tablespoons olive oil
4 cups peeled and minced onions
1 1/2 cups peeled and thinly sliced carrots
3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 bay leaf
4 pounds ripe tomatoes, halved, seeded, chopped (about 6 or 7 cups)
4 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup fresh thyme leaves, plus more sprigs for garnish
2 cups croutons

Heat the olive oil in heavy large pot over medium heat.  Add onions, carrots, garlic, and bay leaf.  Cover; cook until carrots are tender, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes.

Add tomatoes. Cover; cook until tomatoes release their juices, about 10 minutes. Uncover; cook until the mixture reduces slightly, stirring often, about 15 minutes.

Add broth and thyme leaves. Partially cover pot and simmer until mixture is reduced to 6 cups, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes longer.

Discard bay leaf.  Puree half of the soup in blender.  Return to pot and stir to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Divide soup between 8 soup bowls. Top with croutons. Garnish with thyme sprigs.

Serves 8

On the last day of classes each week, I ask the kids, “What was your favorite thing you ate this week, excluding desserts?” (I have to say, “excluding desserts” or all ten of the kids would rattle off one of 8 desserts we had made, trust me, I know – I was a kid once too and I’ve made the mistake before!) Six of the ten kids from last week said that the potato and bacon soup was their favorite dish.

Darn it, if I would have known that before, those six kids would have automatically been my teacher’s pets, because as you know… I Love Soup!

We made a couple other soups too, and I’ll post those in the coming days, plus a few more of the pastas, cupcakes, and sweets – stay tuned…

Potato and Bacon Soup

8 strips of bacon, diced
2 medium onions, peeled and diced
3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1/2 cup flour
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
8 cups chicken broth
5 large russet potatoes; peeled and cubed
2  1/2 cups half-and-half
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1  1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley

In a large pot, cook bacon until crisp.  Drain, reserving 1 tablespoon drippings.  Set bacon aside.

In the same pot, saute the onion and garlic in the 1 tablespoon drippings until onions are translucent.  Stir in flour, salt, basil, and pepper; mix well and cook over medium heat for 2 minutes.  Gradually whisk in the broth.  Bring to boil and whisk for 2 minutes.

Reduce heat and add the potatoes, half-and-half, and hot pepper sauce, simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.  Once potatoes are tender, transfer half of the mixture to a blender and puree until smooth.  Return to pot and stir to combine.  Season to taste with additional salt and pepper.

Ladle into soup bowls, and garnish with cheddar cheese, parsley, and reserved bacon.

Serves 10

In addition to the wonderful duck skin I brought home from Les Gourmettes after the last class of the season, I also was privileged to receive 3 lobster shells.  I used them to make 4 cups of lobster stock, 2 cups of which I have used to make luxurious Lobster Risotto.  I happened to also have a frozen lobster tail in my freezer, so I’ve cooked the tail, used the meat for the risotto, and used that shell to make lobster oil, which is drizzled on top of the finished dish… truly outstanding!

In the next week, I plan to take the remaining 2 cups lobster stock and make another dish, maybe lobster bisque…. I’ll decide upon that later and share with you what transpires.  In the meantime, here is the recipe for the lobster stock… tomorrow the oil and risotto will be posted.

Lobster Stock

2 tablespoons canola oil
3 lobster cavities broken into medium pieces
1 carrot, peeled and diced
2 large shallots, peeled and minced
3-4 fresh sprigs of thyme
1 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/4  cup brandy
7-8  cups of cold water (or enough to completely cover the lobster shells in the pot)

In an large heavy pot heat oil over moderate heat until hot but not smoking and brown lobster shells and heads, mashing with a wooden spoon to help break up, about 8 to 10 minutes.

Stir in carrot, shallot, and thyme and cook, stirring often, another 5 minutes.

Meanwhile whisk the tomato paste into the wine. Stir the tomato paste-wine mixture and the brandy into the pot and simmer until most of liquid is evaporated.

Add the water and simmer until liquid is reduced to 4 or 5 cups, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Pour stock through a fine sieve into an 8-cup Pyrex measuring cup or a heatproof bowl.

Rinse out the pot and return the stock leaving it on low heat and give it 10 more minutes for scum to float to the top, then skim it away. At this point you could let it simmer and reduce to concentrate the flavors, if desired.

Stock may be made 3 days ahead and cooled, uncovered, before being chilled, covered. Stock keeps, frozen, 3 months.

Makes 4 to 5 cups

Before I get into the recipes for soup shooters and grilled cheese bites, I want to say Happy Anniversary to David, my husband of 26 years. xoxo  And I want to tell you the story of the cute shooter glasses I found.

I was in Pier 1 Imports about a month ago and saw a great display they have up with an wide and wonderful assortment of mini glasses for a “Tasting Party”. They have mini cordials, mini parfait, mini trifle, mini wine, and mini martini glasses. I was immediately in love with the whole concept and had to hold myself back from buying at least one set of each. Part of what prevented that happening, was the price. Most of the sets were $29.95 each. That would not have been a “mini” amount to spend! So I resisted and just purchased one 24-piece set of the mini parfaits to use as soup shooters.

Once I got home, I looked more closely and saw that the 24-piece set was actually only 12 glasses and included 12 mini spoons. Darn it! That meant I’d just spent $2.50 per glass. But this mistake lead me on the hunt for comparable mini shooters at a reasonable price.

Off to Target I went, and sure enough, there they were, the exact same shooter glasses made by Libby with the same pictures on the boxes. So Libby had made these for Pier 1 and had privately labeled the boxes for them.  The Target variety was a 16-piece set with 8 glasses and 8 spoons for $15.29. That came out to $1.99 per glass. Still a bit high, especially since I didn’t want or need the spoons at all. But I purchased a few sets anyhow, thinking I couldn’t do better than that.  But low and behold, while doing the last minute perishable food shopping at Fry’s (the “big fancy Fry’s on Tatum and Shea) just the day before the party, there they were…. 6-piece sets of shooter glasses, different packaging but also made by Libby, and without any spoons for only $7.99 a box… or $1.33 each!  Hallelujah… I bought all they had and was proud of my determination and tenacity at finding the best retail buy!

These soup and sandwiches, the last of the recipes from my dad’s 80th birthday party menu, pay homage to the 1930’s soup kitchens and bread lines. This is generally how it went;  First, the “customers” might be “asked” to listen to a sermon for 10-20 minutes before being served any food. Once the speech was over, they got back in a shorter line and, cafeteria style, were served a cup or bowl of soup or stew. They then sat down at community tables where hunks of stale bread awaited them on large plates. Sometimes coffee was served. Most described the soup as tasteless, thin, watery, lukewarm, and rarely with any vegetables. Some recall cheese sandwiches or oatmeal being served as well.

Tomato “Soup Kitchen” Shooters

4 tablespoons of olive oil, divided
1 medium onion, peeled and diced
1 stalk celery, diced
1 small carrot,  peeled and diced
3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
Two 14.5-ounce or one 28-ounce can diced tomatoes packed in juice
1 tablespoon of brown sugar
3 slices of large sandwich bread (crusts removed and cut into 1-inch pieces)
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons brandy

Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in large pot over medium-high heat.

Add onion, celery, and carrot and sauté for 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and stir in the garlic. Continue to sauté, stirring frequently, until the onion is translucent, about 3 more minutes.

Stir in the tomatoes and their juices, bring to a simmer.  Stir in brown sugar and bread; bring soup to a boil, stirring occasionally, until the bread is completely saturated and starts to break down, about 5 minutes.

Stir in the basil and cream then transfer half of the soup to a blender.  Add one tablespoon oil and process until soup is smooth and creamy. Transfer to large bowl and repeat with remaining soup and oil.

Return both batches of the soup to the pot and stir in the brandy. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve at room temperature, or reheat and serve hot, or chill and serve cold.

Makes about 4 1/2 cups = about 25 shooters

Unfortunately, in the rush of getting the food onto the buffet, I wasn’t able to get any pictures of these cute little bites being made, just a shot of them on the table with the shooters.  I didn’t create these two tasty combinations on my own. Instead, while watching Oprah back in October, I wrote down these two combos one afternoon when she had Martha Stewart on. You can go to this link to check out all of the ideas they featured that day.

“Bread Line” Grilled Cheese Bites

Thin rye bread slices, crusts trimmed off
Thin sourdough bread slices, crusts trimmed off
Salted butter, at room temperature
Gruyere cheese, thinly sliced
Granny Smith apple, cored and thinly sliced
Fresh sage leaves
Whole-grain Dijon mustard
Sharp cheddar cheese, thinly sliced
Thinly sliced ripe tomatoes
Thinly sliced ripe avocado
Freshly ground black pepper
Lay the rye and sourdough bread slices out on a work surface.  Spread half of each type of bread with softened butter.

On the slices of rye bread that are left unbuttered, layer with Gruyere cheese, apple slices, sage leaves, and a second slice of Gruyere. Top each with the buttered rye slices, butter side up.

On the slices of sourdough bread that are left unbuttered, spread first with a thinly layer of mustard and then layer with cheddar cheese, tomato, and avocado and sprinkle each with pepper, finish with and a second slice of cheddar. Top each with the buttered sourdough slices, butter side up.

Place a couple of large skillets over medium heat.  Place the sandwiches in the skillets, buttered side down. Spread all the sandwich tops, while in the skillet, with the softened butter. Cook until bread is golden and cheese is melted, about 5 minutes per side.

Serve hot or at room temperature.

I helped arrange the food buffet at a dear friend’s funeral on Saturday.  On such a sad and heartbreaking day, it is so joyous to see the best in people shinning through. Everyone wanted to help, be involved, and just be there for the family. One of the lovely neighbors brought a large spiral ham for the buffet. There was quite a bit of ham left, so I cut it off the bone, packaged it up for the family, and quietly snuck the ham bone into my stack of platters and chaffing dishes to bring home. On Sunday I made ham bone soup that I’ve packaged up, froze, and will bring back to my friends to enjoy once all the leftovers run out… which won’t be for quite a while!

One family member is gluten-free, so I separated and packaged a special batch for her before I added the macaroni.  This recipe is a bit of a departure from the standard ham and bean soup. It’s also substantially quicker with the assistance of canned beans.

Quick Ham Bone Soup

1 ham bone with some meat still clinging to the bone
28-ounce can diced tomatoes with juices
14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes with juices
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1  1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into bite-size cubes
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon celery salt
15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
15-ounce can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups frozen corn kernels
2 cups small macaroni
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Place ham bone in large pot and cover with water. Bring to boil and cook over low heat for 1 hour. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, sweet potatoes, oregano, and celery salt and simmer for 20 minutes.

Remove about half of the sweet potatoes and place in a blender or food processor along with a couple ladlefuls of the liquid. Puree until smooth and return to the pot.

Add black and kidney beans and simmer 10 minutes.  Stir in corn and bring to a boil.  Add the  macaroni, reduce heat and simmer until pasta is tender, about 6 minutes.  Remove pot from heat and carefully remove ham bone.  Carve off any ham clinging to the bone, dice ham and return to pot.  Discard ham bone.  Taste soup and season with freshly ground black pepper, as needed.

Serves a crowd

This is meal #2, using the idea of “Cook Once – Eat All Week”. Yesterday we cooked a prime rib and used two of the ribs for dinner, refrigerated the rest for more meals. Today that meal is a hearty and filling soup.

In other news…. the summer cooking classes for kids are now posted here on the site. Check out the “Classes” page to the left and use the “Registration” page to sign up for classes, if you are so inclined.

Prime Rib Soup

4 cups water
2 cups beef broth
4 beefy ribs, cut from leftover prime rib roast
1/4 cup barley
10 baby carrots
2 garlic cloves, peeled and left whole
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons beef bouillon, such as Better Than Bouillon beef base
2 potatoes, peeled and diced
1 onion, peeled and diced
1 cup egg noodles
1 cup frozen mixed vegetables

Place water, broth, beef, barley, carrots, and garlic in a large pot and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 90 minutes.

Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.  Remove bones, meat and carrots.  Shred the meat and set aside.  Discard the carrots, bones, and any fat.  (You may refrigerate the broth to allow any remaining fat to harden, as this makes it easier to remove.)

Return the shredded beef to the de-fatted broth.  Place the pot over high heat and bring to a boil.  Add  the salt, pepper, bouillon, potatoes, and onion.  Cover pot and reduce heat; simmer for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the noodles and vegetables. Continue to simmer, uncovered, for about 7 minutes, or until the noodles are tender, stirring occasionally.

Serves 6 to 8