Soup's On: Creamy Broccoli Soup

Day 249

No, you are not going crazy! This is my second post in one week, already topping the one per month I've averaged thus far in 2011. I haven't done too great a job keeping up my Domestic Diaries... There is no time like the present to turn that around.

In honor of St. Patrick's Day there is a corned beef brisket in the slow cooker that I'll serve alongside some potatoes and sautéed spinach (I can't get on board with cabbage) this evening. But last night, we got our green on a little early with this hearty, healthy soup from the February 2011 issue of Real Simple.

Don't let the name fool you - there is no cream in this soup. It's actually a very few simple ingredients - fresh broccoli, an onion, vegetable broth and one potato (that's where the soup gets its texture). You can choose your own accoutrements for topping off the soup. I used the shaved white cheddar on top, as recommended, but rather than serve with bagel chips I made some garlic-infused olive oil-brushed crostini on whole wheat ciabatta. So good! Really any excuse to make some crostini is fine by me, and my local grocer carries the most delicious whole wheat ciabatta that cuts down on some of my carb guilt.

This super easy soup earned rave reviews from Hubby, shockingly enough. I didn't think it would be hearty enough for him, but he said he would definitely want it again. I think the cheese adds a very necessary component to the dish so I wouldn't skip it, even if you are trying to be uber-healthy. It's not that much, but it goes a long way. I would also recommend adding more salt that what's called for, but that's a personal preference so just season as you cook and you'll end up with what's right for you.

My Grade: B

Hubby's Grade: A

Recipe: http://bit.ly/gXceO2

Big Game Food: Sausage, Peppers & Onions Stoup

Day 180

Stoup: noun \ stüp \ thicker than a soup, but not as thick as a stew

In the meantime, I realize it's been awhile since I wrote about the best foods to enjoy at home while watching the big game. Okay, okay... It's been awhile since I wrote about anything. Touché.

If you have a sports enthusiast in your family who is even half the fan Hubby is, you probably know the NFL playoffs start tomorrow. Our New England Patriots have the week off, but that doesn't mean the TV won't be turned to NFL RedZone for several... long... hours... I'm sure it will.

That said, you know I love a reason to cook up warm, hearty comfort food, and this recipe will help you win the title of Kitchen MVP.

The minute I saw Rachael Ray describe this stoup as a ballpark sausage-peppers-onions-in-a-bowl (the kind you get outside Fenway -- yep, she gave our hometown ballpark a nice shout-out), I could not wait to give it a try. I made the stoup as directed, with one exception: I upped the sausage to two pounds. Hey, if you're making something like this, why not really go for it? (I even managed to find the perfect hot sausage without those pesky caraway seeds. I can't stand those things. Blech!)

It... Was... Amazing. Seriously. So good. You really need to let the sausage get nice and browned before adding the vegetables. And the best part was deglazing the pan after everything had caramelized, bringing all that flavor back to life in the broth. The picture I'm showing you doesn't show the cheese topping, but don't fret -- I added it. It, too, was delicious.

My Grade: A

Hubby's Grade: A

Recipe: http://bit.ly/fDNik4

Meatless Monday: Classic Tortilla Soup

Day 92

One of the things I love most about fall is that the cooler temps mean it's time to bring back soup! We have a few standbys we love, which I'll share with you another time, but it's always nice to try something new. Last week, I made a Classic Tortilla Soup recipe from Marcela Valladolid, host of Food Network's "Mexican Made Easy."

Okay, okay... if you really want to be a stickler then technically this recipe calls for six cups of chicken broth so it's not 100% meat-free, but you could just as easily use vegetable broth if you prefer that option. I had some chicken broth in the pantry so that's the direction I went.

Almost immediately upon placing the veggies in the skillet for roasting and blackening, the house smelled unbelievably warm and delicious. They took a little longer than the recipe stated, but I'm guessing that's because I have an electric cook-top (I know, BOO!) and the burner size doesn't exactly match up with the size of my skillet so I'm constantly pushing all the veggies to the center for their time on the heat. But they eventually came along and were ready for the blender.

I made one crucial mistake in blending the ingredients together - I completely forgot to add the two corn tortillas into the mix. I did go back later and ladle some of the soup from the pan back into the blender with the tortillas, and then back into the soup, but I'm afraid I was a little rushed and anxious so I didn't get them broken down and pureed as much as I'd have liked to thicken up the soup.

The toppings were my favorite part. Who doesn't love fresh avocado, queso fresco and homemade fried tortilla strips. I mean, really. The only suggested ingredient we didn't use were the chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. I had some in the pantry, but wanted to keep the dish a little milder and more refreshing with more avocado and sour cream.

This would be a great party dish. You could set up a little soup station/bar with the crock of soup followed by the toppings in individual bowls, allowing each guest to build their own bowl of deliciousness. If you try it, let me know what you think!

My Grade: B+ (only because of the corn tortillas/blender fiasco; the flavor was still amazing)

Hubby's Grade: A

Recipe: http://bit.ly/di6mko