Happy Souptacular, Everyone

Oh, this Souptacular warmed my heart. I adore soup but since neither of my boys will eat it, I'm out of practice. There's some hope; the little one tried some of my carrot ginger soup from the Co-Op this week and loved it ("dewishes!"); that would make three of us who'd eat it so maybe I'll keep at it.

My favorite soup recently was one I had at Amada: it was a pumpkin based one served over queso fresco. Heaven. (Hmm. "Recently" might have been last year, come to think of it. Yikes.)

It is perhaps not fair to steal my friend Shelley's soup recipe, but it needs to be shared (though it is a cold soup), so here it is in case she does not participate herself:

CHILLED CARROT-GINGER SOUP
1 lb. sliced carrots
1 c. chopped onion
1 c. chopped celery
1 tsp. ginger, chopped
5 c. chicken broth
2-3 tbsp. lime juice
2 tbsp. butter
In 2 tablespoon butter put carrots, onions, ginger and celery. Saute about 5 minutes until soft. Add 5 cups broth, bring to boil, then simmer for 20 minutes. Blend in food processor until creamy. Add lime juice and chill.

Want the same kind of thing, but way easier, and hot for the season?

Squash Soup w/Apples & Walnuts
1 tsp butter
3/4 C sliced leeks
1.5 tsp minced garlic
1.5 cups peeled, cored, & diced apples
1 can (14 oz) lowfat butternut squash soup (such as Amy's Organic)
1/4 C chopped candied walnuts

Melt butter in large pot over moderate heat. Saute leeks until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic; saute about 1 minute. Add apples, raise heat to high, and stir until apples begin to caramelize, about 5 minutes. Add soup, bring to simmer and cover partially. Cook until apples are tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Return to pot and reheat to serving temperature. Season w/salt. Sprinkle with walnuts.

When I'm sick, the only thing I want is what my mother used to make for me Campbell's beef broth with Minute Rice cooked in it. And saltines on the side.

And again, I have to link to two other friends' recipes, both from here. One is the winter soup in the post; the other is from Lilian in the comments, where she describes the steps for the "rustic" potato leek from Deborah Madison's amazing vegetarian cookbook.

And if I can get cousin Richard to share his amazing mulligatawny recipe, I'll repost.

Soup's on!