Warm hearts with easy recipes

I’m a true Floridian and honestly, I struggle a little when the temperature drops below 50 degrees. One thing that gets me through is a hot, simmering pot of homemade soup on the stove. It’s just pure warmth and comfort to me! Plus, it comes together in one pot for easy cleaning.

Soup with friends

Over the holidays, friends hosted a soup party, and it was one of my favorite gatherings of the holiday season. We each had to bring a pot of soup to share AND we had to wear pajamas! It was so comfortable and fun! Wouldn’t life be so much easier if all parties were spent in pajamas?

We had small tasting glasses and one by one we went around and tried each soup. There was a wide range of different types – Thai inspired, meatless, light and bubbly, thick and creamy. They were all so delicious.

On the menu today

I’m sharing with you today three recipes for delicious comfort pots. Two of my favorites shared by friends on this warm evening and my delicious, creamy and hearty contribution. As is the case with all the recipes I share, each one uses easy-to-find ingredients and comes together quickly. I hope you enjoy them as much as we do.

Here’s what’s on the menu…

Butternut Squash Soup

The butternut squash was one of my favorites of the evening. It’s rich and creamy and super satisfying. I don’t know if you’ve ever peeled and cut a butternut squash, but it’s not an easy task. I highly recommend finding it already chopped in the produce section at Publix or Trader Joe’s.

Kari made this one and offered these cooking tips: “I like the onion and squash to be a little browned or caramelized around the edges. This seems to bring out the flavors. She also suggests getting squeeze tubes of ginger garlic paste to save time. They are sold in the produce section at Publix.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided

1 large yellow onion, chopped

1 medium apple, chopped

1 (3 pounds) butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cubed

½ teaspoon sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

3 cloves of garlic, chopped

1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage

½ tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary

1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

3 to 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth (or chicken bone broth)

A touch of cream or coconut milk

To serve:

Chopped parsley

Toasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds)

Crispy bread

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Add 1 tablespoon olive oil, chopped onion, apple and butternut squash, salt and several grinds of fresh pepper to a baking sheet. Roast for 30 minutes, stirring halfway through cooking.

Add the roasted vegetable and apple mixture to the casserole dish or large saucepan. Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil, the garlic, sage, rosemary and ginger, and the broth. Bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes.

Let cool slightly and pour the soup into a blender or blend it in the saucepan using a hand blender.

Blend until smooth. Add a touch of cream or coconut milk.

If your soup is too thick, add up to 1 cup more broth and stir. Season to taste and serve with parsley, sprinkles and crusty bread.

Creamy Sun-dried Tomato and Spinach Soup

This one was one of my husband’s favorites, although he leans toward dishes that include meat. Suzy made this one and shared this cook’s tip. “You can swap the cream or half-and-half for unsweetened coconut milk to make it vegan or if you just don’t eat dairy.” Either way, this one is super delicious, full of fiber and quick and easy.

Ingredients

1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, plus 2 tablespoons oil from jar

2 cups sliced ​​mushrooms

1 cup chopped onion

2 large cloves of garlic, minced

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 ½ tablespoons all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon of salt

½ teaspoon ground pepper

3 ½ cups low-sodium vegetable broth

½ cup heavy cream or half and half

4 cups coarsely chopped fresh spinach

1 can (15 ounces) cannellini beans, rinsed

1 tablespoon lemon juice, plus more to taste

Directions

Heat 2 tablespoons of the sun-dried tomato oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add mushrooms and onion; cook, stirring, until beginning to soften, about 3 minutes.

Add garlic and basil; cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add flour, salt and pepper; cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add broth and half-and-half; increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat to maintain a simmer and cook, stirring once or twice, until vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.

Stir in spinach, beans and sun-dried tomatoes; cook and stir until spinach is wilted, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice.

Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

I shared this a year ago and made a few changes along the way. It’s one of our all-time favorites and I often hear others say how much they love it too. My cook’s advice: I always keep a jar of chopped garlic in my refrigerator to save time. I also often use frozen chopped onion from Publix. A few less things I have to spend time preparing and cutting.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon of olive oil

1 tablespoon of butter

2-3 celery stalks, sliced ​​(about 1 cup)

2-3 sliced ​​carrots (about 1 cup)

1 small white onion, diced (about 1 cup)

1 tablespoon minced garlic (2-3 cloves)

2 bay leaves

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

6 cups reduced sodium chicken bone broth

2 cups cooked, shredded chicken (I use Publix Mojo Roaster)

1/2 cup half and half

1/2 cup skim milk

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 box Ben’s Original Long Grain Wild Rice (rice and seasoning packet)

Directions

In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and olive oil. Add carrots, celery and onion and cook until onions are translucent, stirring often.

Add garlic, bay leaves, thyme, oregano, salt and pepper. Cook and stir for 1 minute. Add chicken and chicken stock and bring to a boil, stirring often. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

Whisk half and half, milk and flour in a bowl. Stir into soup until well combined.

Stir in the wild rice and seasoning packet and simmer for another 20 minutes or until the rice is tender.

In Tallahassee, it might be soup time today, but it might not be tomorrow, so be sure to make them together and enjoy them soon!

Anna Jones is a dietitian. Visit her website at annajonesrd.com.

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Pleasant Pleasure: Try Soup Three Ways With These Easy Recipes