Rustic and Hearty Tuscan-style Soup

When damp, chilly weather arrives we crave warming soup at my house, and this one is right up there among the top favorites. I've shared this one before and I understand it's similar to, (or a copycat version of) Toscana soup as served at the Olive Garden restaurant. I can't vouch for that as I've never had it there.
Even though I enjoy soup at any time of year,  I only make this particular recipe when the temperatures are cool ~ it's very hearty and filling, almost like a stew.




As you can see, the ingredient list is simple; no exotic items and surprisingly, for such a flavorful outcome, you don't need to add extra seasoning except for some salt and freshly ground black pepper.
I always increase the amount of veggies in the recipe as I prefer this soup chunky, and we all know they are good for us. :)

 

You can have this on your table within about 30 minutes. It's wonderful eaten straight after cooking it, and as with most soups it is fabulous reheated the next day. When reheating I usually add more of the greens just to liven up the color a bit.



It won't win any prizes for beauty, but for what it lacks in visual appeal it more than compensates in satisfying flavor.  I hope you'll give this one a try, it has to be among my top favorite 5 soups --- maybe in the top 3.
You can get the printable copy of the recipe over on my recipe site.

I'm so happy you came by to visit, have a lovely day!
~ mari  

Spinach Salad with Roasted Butternut Squash, Bacon, Walnuts and Maple Vinaigrette

The usual late summer/early fall weather is upon us ~ very warm days, and cool evenings.

Butternut Squash is plentiful in the market, but it's not quite chilly enough for soups or heavier meals. Instead of a hot meal I put together this healthful (if you don't take into account the bacon) salad for dinner recently.

You can serve the salad at room temperature, but I really like it best when the squash and dressing are still warm. With each bite you'll get a taste of creamy ( roasted squash), crunchy (toasted walnuts) and crispy (salty- smoky bacon), and the sweet-tangy maple dressing brings the spinach and other ingredients together beautifully.

It's very good when accompanied with warm cornbread or toasted and buttered sourdough slices.

There are many Maple Viniagrette dressing recipes out there, but I make mine a little differently than most ~ I reduce the maple syrup by about half (in a small pan, stovetop over medium heat) before whisking it with Sherry Vinegar (you can also use apple cider vinegar, but it is generally a bit stronger so beware and adjust amount to suit your taste.) Then just whisk in a small amount of Dijon mustard, some olive or grapeseed oil and salt and pepper then taste for seasonings. When making vinaigrettes I usually use quite a bit less oil than most recipes call for, just a personal preference.

If you would like a printable copy of the recipe, you can find it on my recipe blog by clicking HERE.

This is my entry for Tuesday Twister ~ Click Logo to find out more.

Enjoy~ and thank you for stopping by, friends!

Cream of Spinach Soup

Although the calendar indicates we're well into the first week of May, I was dismayed by weather warnings that overnight temperatures were predicted to fall to 32 degrees a day ago. Not a good thing for the young plants and emerging seedlings in the vegetable beds.

Before sunset we were out scurrying to cover the beds to protect the new plants from the freeze.

It was well past dinnertime when we finished the task and we were famished.

I needed to get something on the table quickly using ingredients on hand. This soup came to mind, it is one I used to enjoy at a restaurant located in my hometown in northern California. I have fond memories of that wonderful restaurant; we ate there often for lunch or dinner and our son worked there during his high school years. The place was owned and operated by a young German man and his wife and was known for the incredibly delicious soups they served. A different one was offered each day; diners were offered a choice of soup or salad with each entree. Even back then, homemade soup from scratch was a rarity while dining out so I usually chose the soup.

Over the years I was inspired to duplicate most of them at home and my family loves them. This is one of my favorites.

I'm glad to have them in my recipe repertoire as it fit the requirements of the evening ~ Quick, easy and most importantly I had everything I needed to make it:

A bag of fresh baby spinach, milk, and couple of staples I always have on hand (onion, chicken stock, butter, flour and some simple seasonings, the cream is optional) and we were enjoying a satisfying dinner within 20 minutes.

Usually I puree the spinach but I skipped that step this time, that final step is just a matter of personal preference. For a more elegant presentation I puree ~ but elegance was far from my mind this night... we were HUNGRY! :D

When I skip the cream in the recipe (as I did this time) I like to garnish each serving with a half a teaspoon of butter for a little extra richness.

Once you make this you'll probably be able to make it without looking at the recipe again. Try substituting any cooked vegetable for the spinach for a change ~ (lightly sauteed mushrooms with a little thyme and sherry is a fabulous variation.)

If you would like a printable copy of the recipe, you can find it on my recipe blog (click)

Thanks for stopping by today!

xo ~m.

P.S. The plants and seedling survived with no damage from the freeze. Whew!

Steak House Style Creamed Spinach

If you like creamed spinach you know how good it tastes, trying to make it LOOK appealing is something else entirely..... :)

And if you don't like it, you'll probably want to skip this post entirely..... :p

This version is my favorite, it's very similar to the kind served at Ruth Chris' Steak House; perfect with grilled steaks, roast chicken, or roasted meats. But it's also vegetarian friendly.

Like many cooks I usually add a little fresh nutmeg to most cooked spinach dishes and this one is no exception. But I also add minced shallot, a bay leaf and one whole clove to lend an interesting nuance to the usually plain tasting dish.

I like to serve it in individual au gratin dishes for neater serving on the plate. Sometimes I sprinkle with finely grated Parmesan and place under the broiler.

The broiled cheese finish firms it up a bit for those who may be squeamish about the texture of plain creamed spinach.

If you would like a printable copy of the recipe, please click HERE.

If you're still with me... thank you for stopping by today!