Keeping With The Times

living, learning, and keeping with the times

Mushroom Soup with Wild Rice

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You should put this mushroom soup with wild rice on your menu for the upcoming week—it’s hearty, flavourful, and filling, and I’m willing to guess it will become a family favourite.

It calls for cremini mushrooms, but I also used a portobello. I think you could throw in any kind of mushroom and it would be delicious.

For the rice, I recommend using this Wild Blend from Lundberg… I found it at Costco (yay!) so I now have supply that will last all winter.

Soup puts the heart at ease, calms down the violence of hunger, eliminates the tension of the day, and awakens and refines the appetite
Auguste Escoffier

Please put this mushroom soup with wild rice on your menu for the upcoming week—it's hearty, flavourful, and filling!Use fresh herbs, if you can find them …
Mushroom Wild Rice Soup

Mushroom Soup with Wild Rice

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Mushroom Soup with Wild Rice
 
Ingredients
  • 4 cups water
  • 1 sprig fresh thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 garlic clove peeled (whole)
  • 4 garlic cloves peeled (minced)
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp pepper
  • 1 cup wild rice (Lundberg Wild Blend is my preferred rice for this)
  • 4 Tbsp butter
  • 1 pound cremini mushrooms,trimmed and sliced into 1/4 inch pieces
  • 1 onion, chopped fine
  • 1 teaspoon tomato paste
  • 2/3 cup sherry
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup cornstarch
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
Instructions
  1. Bring water, thyme, bay leaf, garlic clove, 3/4 tsp salt to a boil in saucepan over high heat. Add rice and return to boil.
  2. Cook until rice is tender, 35 to 45 minutes.
  3. Remove from heat, and drain (reserve liquid)
  4. Discard thyme, bay leaf, and garlic.
  5. Melt butter in Dutch oven over high heat. Add mushrooms, onion, minced garlic, tomato paste, 3/4 tsp salt, and 1 tsp pepper.
  6. Cook, stirring occasionally until vegetables are browned.
  7. Add sherry, scraping up browned bits and cook until reduced.
  8. Add reserved liquid from rice, broth and soy sauce. Bring to a boil.
  9. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered about 20 minutes.
  10. Whisk cornstarch and 1/4 cup water in a bowl. Stir slowly into soup, return to simmer and cook about 2 minutes.
  11. Remove pot from heat, stir in rice and cream.
  12. Let sit for 10 minutes.

Enjoy!

Mushroom Wild Rice Soup, Please put this mushroom soup with wild rice on your menu for the upcoming week—it's hearty, flavourful, and filling, and I'm willing to guess it will become a family favourite.

The Freshest Turkey Soup Ever

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Today I have a few tips on how to serve up the freshest turkey soup ever! It’s an explosion of flavour and is definitely not your grandmothers turkey soup ;)

This year I’m re-evaluating how I shop, cook, and serve meals to the hubs and myself, and one of my goals is to eat fresher—certainly that can’t be too hard?!

To make myself accountable, I plan to share my cooking adventures in a new category I’m calling “Cooking for Two”. No earth-shattering title here … I’m simply looking for ways to cook for two in more manageable and inspired ways.

So lets start with turkey soup shall we? and that is because my daughter gifted us with a turkey carcass at Christmas ;)

Turkey soup is something I associate with large families and lots of mouths to feed. I also associate it with tired veggies and unidentifiable starches … but wait … I have a solution!! It takes a bit of preparation, but it’s worth it.

First of all, I’m sure everyone knows how to make stock (am I right?) You basically:

  • throw the bones in a large stock pot
  • fill it 3/4 of the way to the top with water
  • to add flavour, add a few chunks of onions, carrots, celery tops, and parsley, etc. (to be discarded when stock is strained)
  • place pot on stove
  • turn burner on high
  • bring to a boil
  • reduce heat
  • and let simmer for a couple hours
  • strain and place stock in fridge, let cool completely, skim off fat
  • divide stock into as many large containers as necessary and store in fridge

Meanwhile, using your hands, pick meat off bones. Shred slightly and store in plastic container in refrigerator.

Turkey Soup

Tips on how to serve the freshest turkey soup ever!

After making the stock, shredding the meat, and putting it all back in the fridge, spend an hour or two washing and preparing enough fresh vegetables to last 3 or 4 days. Place each vegetable in small plastic containers. Try:

  • carrots (sliced, diced, julienned … you decide)
  • celery (chopped small)
  • bean sprouts (washed)
  • broccoli (in chunks)
  • green onions (sliced)
  • small sugar peas
  • cauliflower (in chunks)
  • etc. etc. etc.

Turkey Soup

Pre-cook and store in plastic containers your starches of choice. Try:

  • wild rice
  • couscous
  • quinoa
  • etc.

When you come home after a busy day and are ready to have a beautiful and fresh bowl of turkey soup (for two) simply place 1/4 to 1/2 cup rice or other starch in each bowl:
Turkey Soup

In a medium pot:

  • place about 4 cups of prepared stock and bring to a boil
  • add 1 or 2 chicken bouillon cubes for flavour (to your taste … check package directions)
  • add celery and let boil for 1 more minute
  • add bean sprouts, and let cook for another minute
  • turn off heat and add as much shredded turkey meat and chopped veggies as you like
  • let sit for a few minutes, then pour over rice
  • garnish with fresh green onions, or parsley … whatever suits your fancy

Have your choice of these condiments on the table for people to add as desired:

  • soy sauce
  • grated ginger
  • grated lemon zest, etc. etc.

Now you have a delicious bowl of turkey soup minus tough turkey meat, mushy vegetables and exploded rice.

Brilliant! Why has it taken me so many years to figure this out? It’s a real winner winner!

I ended up serving this several times during the week and each meal was a completely different experience. Maybe we’re easy to please, but we didn’t get tired of it.Turkey Soup

SO fresh!

Turkey soup at our house will never be the same.

Recipe Roundup: Soup

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Soup puts the heart at ease, calms down the violence of hunger, eliminates the tension of the day, and awakens and refines the appetite.
Auguste Escoffier

As the weather turns cooler, I can’t think of anything I enjoy more than a hot bowl of soup for dinner, so I put together four of our family favourites.

Try one or two, and see if it doesn’t cure what ails you ;)

Squash Soup with Roasted Root Vegetables

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Despite our weather being almost summer-like there’s enough crispness in the air that I was inspired to make this delicious Roasted Squash Soup.

I served this soup in my pretty Anthropologie bowls, took a few shots, then posted on IG … and oh.my.goodness. they regrammed this photo @anthropologie …seriously.true.story.

All I can say is Big Magic.

Squash Soup, Keeping With the Times, A delicious combination of squash, golden beets, tomatoes, onions, and garlic in a cream sauce. Pinterest

An enormous thank you to @anthropologie for publishing my photo in their IG feed! I’m flabbergasted …

 

OK now … back to earth … “Squash Soup with Roasted Vegetables” that’s the short name … it’s really Roasted Squash, Golden Beet, Tomato, Onion, and Garlic Soup … in a cream sauce … slurp!

It was inspired by the huge bowl of squashes and pumpkins I have sitting on my table … and the overabundance of other root vegetables I have lurking in my refrigerator. I wish I’d added carrots … they would have blended in beautifully. Next time …

Squash Soup, Keeping With the Times, A delicious combination of squash, golden beets, tomatoes, onions, and garlic in a cream sauce.
Squash Soup, Keeping With the Times, A delicious combination of squash, golden beets, tomatoes, onions, and garlic in a cream sauce.
Truthfully, it didn’t start out as soup, it started out as a Winter Vegetable Stew, but there was just too much to eat, so I had to get creative.

So, here’s the how-to for this simple, hearty, and delicious soup!

Tip: I will now keep cooked quinoa on hand at all times, ready to throw into anything and everything because according to Quinoa 365:

  • it’s a great source of protein
  • it contains all eight essential amino acids
  • is ideal for those with gluten intolerance
  • it helps to build muscle, promote weight loss and stabilize blood sugar

 

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Roasted Squash Soup
Recipe type: Soup
 
Ingredients
  • 1 large winter squash, cut into slices (peel after roasting)
  • 2 - 3 small golden beets, washed, with ends removed (peel after roasting)
  • 1 large onion, peeled and cut into quarters
  • 2 - 3 cloves garlic, peeled and diced
  • 3 Tbsp olive oil, or butter
  • 3 Tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • 1 container (about 3 cups) chicken stock
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 2 cups cooked quinoa (according to package directions)
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
  2. Place all vegetables in a large roaster, mix well
  3. Add olive oil (or butter), tomato paste, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper and mix again
  4. Roast for 45 minutes to 1 hour until vegetables are soft
  5. Remove from oven and let cool
  6. Peel squash and beets
  7. Process vegetables in batches in food processor until smooth, adding a splash of chicken stock with each batch
  8. Place each batch in a large pot on the stove as you go
  9. Add remaining chicken stock to the pot, heat until bubbling
  10. Reduce heat and cook for about 15 minutes
  11. Add cream and heat until warmed through, not boiling
  12. To serve, pour soup into bowls. Add about 1/4 cup quinoa to the middle of each bowl but don't stir. Alternatively, you could simply serve the quinoa on the side and let people add their own. You could also substitute lentils, or barley, or ... well anything!

Enjoy!

Oh, and this would go lovely with my Rosemary Thyme Shortbread

Squash Beet Soup, Keeping With the Times, A delicious combination of squash, golden beets, tomatoes, onions, and garlic in a cream sauce. #autumn #soup #squash #beets

Vichyssoise, Summer in a Cup

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It’s funny how things go. I was at HomeSense the other day, and came across these gorgeous soup cups. The first thing that popped into my mind was Vichyssoise … I have to make Vichyssoise.

Have you ever tried Vichyssoise? It’s an amazing delicacy. Cool, creamy, and so easy to make.

Apparently there is some controversy as to whether it originated in France or the United States. I didn’t know that… I thought it was French.

Oh well, no matter the origin, it is a must-try. Summer in a cup.

Vichyssoise

 

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Vichyssoise, Summer in a Cup
 
Ingredients
  • 5 leeks, sliced (white part only)
  • 2 small onions, chopped
  • 1 1/4 Tbsp butter
  • 7 medium potatoes
  • 5 cups chicken broth
  • 1 2/3 tsp salt
  • 5 cups rich milk
  • 1 1/4 cups whipping cream
  • chives for garnish
Instructions
  1. In a saucepan, saute leeks and onions in butter until soft, but not brown.
  2. Peel and slice potatoes thinly (3 cups).
  3. Add potatoes, broth, and salt to the saucepan and cook until soft (35-40 minutes).
  4. Blend in blender, return to heat, add milk, stir constantly and bring just to the boiling point.
  5. Cool, and blend again.
  6. Add cream and chill 2 - 3 hours.
  7. Serve in well chilled bowls, garnish with chives.

Roasted Sugar Pumpkin Soup

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This year when I decorated my Autumn Mantel, I used several sugar pumpkins in my display. I also used them for my Thanksgiving Tablescape  (in Canada, Thanksgiving was October 8th).

When I bought the pumpkins, I thought (but didn’t really believe) that after Thanksgiving, I would cook them up and use them for soup and baking. But will wonders never cease! I have roasted them all, made soup, and frozen the remaining puree for use on a cold winter day.

Pumpkin-Soup

Pumpkin-Soup

Did you know that sugar pumpkins are the best choice for cooking and baking? They are smaller and denser than a regular field pumpkin that you might carve for Jack-O-Lanterns. Field pumpkins are generally watery and stringy.

I cut them into 1″ cubes, put them on a pan, and roasted them for 45 minutes, stirring several times. Roasting gives them a rich, sweet flavour. Then I peeled the skin off using a small paring knife. I found it too hard to peel them raw – I cut my thumb and my pointy finger before I got the message…

These are real antique candle holders given to me by my mother-in-law. She has given me so many wonderful treasures… Funny, though. I didn’t know what they were until I saw some ‘fake’ ones at our local gift shop. They had set little candles in them and a light bulb went off in my head… I’m slow that way… Anyway, now I appreciate them a thousand times more.

Pumpkin-Soup2

 

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Roasted Sugar Pumpkin Soup
 
Ingredients
  • 3 cups roasted, pureed sugar pumpkin (I used my food processor)
  • 1 Tbsp butter
  • 1 cup minced onions
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 2 cups half & half cream
  • 1 Tsp brown sugar
  • Dash of nutmeg
  • Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. In a large pot, saute onions in butter until translucent.
  2. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil. Lower heat and stir in pumpkin puree and brown sugar. Pour into a blender and puree. Return mixture to saucepan. Stir in the half and half.
  3. Add salt and pepper to taste. Throw in the nutmeg - I use about 1/4 tsp.
  4. Reheat but do not boil. Serve at once.

 

Hamburger soup

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This is a family staple at our house. It’s hearty, tasty, and very easy to make. I usually start it right after lunch and let it simmer until dinner. And since today we have over 20cm of fresh snow and it’s -19C . . . brrrrr . . . this soup is a good thing to have on hand!

hamburger soup

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Hamburger soup
 
Ingredients
  • 1 1/2 lbs ground beef
  • 1 onion, chopped fine
  • 1 28 oz can tomatoes
  • 2 cups water
  • 3 cans consomme
  • 1 can tomato soup
  • 4 carrots, chopped
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 3 sticks celery, chopped
  • parsley
  • 1/2 tsp thyme
  • pepper to taste
  • 8 Tbsp barley
Instructions
  1. Brown meat and onions. Drain well.
  2. Combine all ingredients in large pot, simmer covered at least 2 hours, or all day!

 

*Recipe from The Best of Bridge