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Hearty Tuscan Kale Soup

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I went out to the gardens the other morning to see them-after they’d been put to bed a few weeks ago. This is always a  bittersweet moment for me each year. They were nicely raked and  everything all carefully harvested (which is to me the sad part).  That is, almost everything harvested, because I did spy something that suddenly gladdened my heart. …….a vibrant green patch of kale in the farthest corner. This means that one of the healthiest of green vegetables will be available to us all winter long. No need to rush and gather it  before the frost because the frost simply sweetens it and makes it more  flavorful.
I grew up on kale when it was not so widely recognized and used as it is today. Just during this past year kale has rapidly increased in popularity as awareness of its nutritional value has been discovered. One of the richest sources of vitamin C, it is a perfect  winter food.
I love it simply sautéed in fresh garlic and olive oil and  simmered till soft and tender the old Mediterranean way, but it also  makes a marvelous hearty Tuscan soup for a cold weather meal when served with good crusty bread.
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Hearty Tuscan Kale Soup
SERVINGS
CHANGE SERVING SIZE
COOK TIME
40minutes
PREP TIME
READY IN

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Warm oil in a pot over medium heat.
  2. Saute sausage until browned, about 10 minutes; set aside.
  3. Add onion and celery; saute until beginning to brown, about 10 minutes.
  4. Add garlic and red pepper. Saute 1 minute.
  5. Pour in broth, raise heat to high and bring just to a boil, scraping up brown bits.
  6. Return sausage to pot; stir in tomatoes and beans. Bring back to a boil.
  7. Reduce heat to low, then simmer for 15 minutes.
  8. Season soup with salt and pepper. Stir in kale, cook until wilted, about 1 minute.
  9. Stir in parsley and top with Parmesan, if desired.

Tuscan Tomato, Bread And Herb Soup

1
I went out to the gardens the other morning to see them-after they’d been put to bed a few weeks ago. This is always a  bittersweet moment for me each year. They were nicely raked and  everything all carefully harvested (which is to me the sad part).  That is, almost everything harvested, because I did spy something that suddenly gladdened my heart. …….a vibrant green patch of kale in the farthest corner. This means that one of the healthiest of green vegetables will be available to us all winter long. No need to rush and gather it  before the frost because the frost simply sweetens it and makes it more  flavorful.
I grew up on kale when it was not so widely recognized and used as it is today. Just during this past year kale has rapidly increased in popularity as awareness of its nutritional value has been discovered. One of the richest sources of vitamin C, it is a perfect  winter food.
I love it simply sautéed in fresh garlic and olive oil and  simmered till soft and tender the old Mediterranean way, but it also  makes a marvelous hearty Tuscan soup for a cold weather meal when served with good crusty bread.
Hearty Tuscan Kale Soup
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Votes: 1
Rating: 4
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Tuscan Tomato, Bread And Herb Soup
SERVINGS
CHANGE SERVING SIZE
COOK TIME
36mins.
PREP TIME
READY IN

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Warm oil in a pot over medium heat.
  2. Saute sausage until browned, about 10 minutes; set aside.
  3. Add onion and celery; saute until beginning to brown, about 10 minutes.
  4. Add garlic and red pepper.
  5. Saute 1 minute.
  6. Pour in broth, raise heat to high and bring just to a boil, scraping up brown bits.
  7. Return sausage to pot; stir in tomatoes and beans. Bring back to a boil.
  8. Reduce heat to low, then simmer for 15 minutes.
  9. Season soup with salt and pepper.
  10. Stir in kale, cook until wilted, about 1 minute.
  11. Stir in parsley and top with Parmesan, if desired.

Mushroom Beef Barley Soup

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The kitchen was really busy last night. Eight of us were buzzing around cooking for an upcoming party. Really great energy. As much as I think I am a person who prefers to be alone, I love the energy of being in the kitchen with a crowd of people. Don’t get me wrong — there is something  to cooking alone — being there in the quiet, creating something delicious for someone else to enjoy. It ministers to my spirit, and I sometimes get great ideas and thoughts about other projects. But a group that is working well together, chaotic as it might be, also ministers to the whole group in a way that can’t be duplicated. In the middle of this I was putting together my favorite Beef Mushroom Barley soup for guests and a retreat group the next day. What could be better on a cold rainy day! My brother in law just came through and tasted the soup. He said it needed some red wine, so I added a splash. He was so right!

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Mushroom Beef Barley Soup
SERVINGS
6servings
CHANGE SERVING SIZE
servings
COOK TIME
8-10mins.
PREP TIME
READY IN

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Pour boiling water over dried mushrooms to cover, set aside.
  2. In a large soup pot, saute beef in 1 Tablespoon oil until browned, 5 to 7 minutes, remove from pan.
  3. In the same pot, with the other Tablespoon of oil, cook your carrots, onions, leeks, celery and baby bella mushrooms until just browned, about 8 to 10 minutes.
  4. Stir in barley and thyme and cook for another minute.
  5. Add the beef broth.
  6. Drain dried mushrooms in a sieve, and add that liquid also to the pot.
  7. Chop the mushrooms until fine, and add those.
  8. Toss in the bay leaves.
  9. Simmer until meat is tender and barley cooked (about an hour for the beef tenders, and longer for the stew meat).
  10. A little while before serving pour in the wine, and heat again.
  11. Add kosher salt and ground pepper to taste. This can be made 2 or 3 days in advance — it will taste even better if made ahead.

Butternut Squash Soup

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Every Saturday we gather as a community to work for the morning, caring for the Community buildings and grounds — cleaning the church, cooking in the kitchen, mowing, raking, working on various building and maintenance projects. It’s a good time of fellowship and work. These past two Saturdays we had all-day affairs which we called Oktoberfest —  winterizing gardens, pruning, transplanting, and harvesting the last of the vegetables and fruit. The first Saturday was a classic Autumn day, just the way I like it — a little cool, but sun-shiny — that special sparkle that comes in October with the change in the angle of the sun. We all came together to eat lunch and dinner in our refectory. I planned the meals to reflect Oktoberfest traditions; roast pork with apple and onions, German potato salad, braised red cabbage, but I also wanted to include something not so traditional — butternut squash soup, which speaks more to me about autumn than anything else. We made the soup in the big tilting skillet since it was for 250  — using many pounds of squash, onions, and apples and I must say it was delicious! I’ve reduced it down here so that you can enjoy it, too.

Butternut Squash Soup

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Rating: 5
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Butternut Squash Soup
SERVINGS
6servings
CHANGE SERVING SIZE
servings
COOK TIME
30-40mins.
PREP TIME
READY IN

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Melt butter in a large stock pot, add onions and thyme, and sauté until onions are tender. Stir occasionally.
  2. Add squash, apples, and stock to pot.
  3. Cook over low heat until squash and apples are very tender, about 30 to 40 minutes.
  4. Puree in a blender or food processor until smooth, adding apple cider, and enough stock to make the soup slightly thick.
  5. Pour soup back into pot, reheat, and add salt and pepper to taste.