Harvest Cream Soup is from the Pampered Chef Stoneware Inspirations Cookbook.  This was one of the first Pampered Chef recipes I've tried, and it turned out really well.  Anything that's made with roasted root vegetables is usually a winner in my book.  I roasted the veggies on the weekend when I had time, just like I do with my Butternut Squash Soup.  The soup comes together quickly once the veggies are done.  I made a few modifications to the original recipe, so here is what I did.  This made 4 servings.  

Ingredients: 
1 butternut squash 
1 white onion 
1 pound carrots 
olive oil 
1/2 t garlic powder
2 cups (or more) broth 
1 12-oz can evaporated skim milk 
1 T grated fresh ginger
sour cream (optional) 

Peel butternut squash with either a knife or a peeler, whichever is easier for you.  Cut in half lengthwise, scoop out seeds, then cut into chunks.  Peel carrots & cut the carrots and onions into chunks.  Place veggies on a baking sheet (or stoneware if you have it!), and roast at 450 degrees for about 45 minutes, or until veggies are nice & soft.

Combine all ingredients except sour cream in food processor or blender.  You may have to do this in batches depending on the size of your food processor.  I used about 2 cups of broth, but you can use more if you like your soup thinner.  Pour blended soup in to a saucepan, cook until nice & hot.  Top with sour cream, if you like.   

When it's cold & windy outside, there is nothing like a classic bowl of chicken noodle soup to help take away the chill.  My sister & I both add corn to our chicken noodle; we remember eating it that way as kids.  This recipe makes about 4 hearty servings.  

I am a big advocate of free range chicken, so I make sure to buy organic free range chicken and broth.  I used 1 box of low-sodium broth & 1 box of regular sodium broth- this seemed to be the right amount of saltiness.  If you use 2 boxes of low-sodium you may need to add salt to taste.  
Ingredients:  
2 cartons (8 cups) chicken broth 
1 large boneless skinless chicken breast 
4 stalks of celery, chopped  
8 or 10 baby carrots, chopped
2 big handfuls of frozen corn 
1/2 package of wide egg noodles (I use Smart Taste brand) 
pepper to taste 

Heat a little olive oil in a large soup pot, then sautee the celery & carrots until they start to get tender.  Add corn & cook for a minute to take the chill off.  Pour in both cartons of broth & bring to a boil.  Add the chicken breast, then cover the pot & simmer for about 15 minutes until the chicken is cooked.  Remove the chicken and add the noodles.  While the noodles are cooking, shred the chicken & add back to the pot, then season with pepper.  Once the noodles are tender, the soup is done!

When I saw this recipe- "Meatiest Vegetarian Chili"- I knew I had to try it.  I love chili, and wanted a no-meat version that tasted like chili, not vegetable soup.  This seemed to fit the bill.  

I took one of the reviewer's recommendations & used soy sausage instead of regular tofu.  I also used a combo of black & pink beans, and cut the recipe in half since I'm only feeding a family of two.

Pictured here with avocado, sour cream, & cheese.     

It's a family tradition that on the day we decorate our Christmas tree, we also have chili for dinner and watch National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation.  Here is the recipe for the chili I made this year, it turned out great!  Served with a big piece of cornbread made with Trader Joe's cornbread mix.  I picked up the mix when I was visiting my sister in SC- why don't we have a Trader Joe's in Harrisburg?  




Ingredients:
1 lb grass-fed beef                 1 T hot sauce 
1 onion, chopped                   salt & pepper to taste 
2 cloves garlic, chopped         1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
3 T chili powder                     2 T tomato paste 
1 t cumin                              12 oz bottle beer (I used Yuengling Octoberfest)
1 T cocoa powder                  2 cans of beans (I used pinto & cannellini) 
2 bay leaves

Cook onion, garlic, & beef in some canola oil until beef is brown & onion is tender.  Add spices & cook for a minute to incorporate.  Deglaze the pot with the beer, then add tomatoes, paste, beans, & bay leaves.  Simmer on low for about an hour.  Add more hot sauce to taste if it's not spicy enough for you, and make sure to remove bay leaves before serving.  Top with sour cream, cheese, or your other favorite toppings.  

Whenever I'm making something like this soup that requires 2 steps, I like to do the roasting on the weekend when I have more time.  It then becomes easy to make a homemade soup quickly during the workweek.  Here is my version of this soup, based on the recipe from the Cook This, Not That cookbook.  Depending how hungry Matt & I are, this makes 3-4 servings.   





Step One:  Roast the Squash   
Cut a large butternut squash in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds, drizzle with oil, salt & pepper, place on a baking sheet.  Roast at 350 degrees for at least an hour, turning halfway.  It should be very soft when done. Scoop out the flesh & store in the fridge if you're doing the roasting ahead of time like I do.  

Step Two:  Make the Soup
Ingredients:  
roasted butternut squash 
onion, roughly chopped
apple, cored, peeled, roughly chopped
chicken broth, at least 2 cups  
1 T grated fresh ginger
salt, pepper, nutmeg  
sour cream (optional) 

In a large soup pot, saute onion & apple in a little olive oil until soft.  Add in ginger and cook for about a minute until incorporated.  Dump the mixture in your food processor or blender, adding squash and a bit of broth.  Blend well, scraping down the sides occasionally until you have a uniform mixture.  Add broth as needed if it's not blending well,  I have to do this step in 2 batches since it won't all fit in my food processor.  Put blended soup back in the soup pot, adding broth until it reaches your desired consistency.  I like this soup nice and thick, so I usually end up using about 2 cups of broth total.  Add salt, pepper, & a pinch of nutmeg to taste.  Once the soup is hot, it's done!  Top with sour cream if desired.