Autumn, Time for Soup!

As the days get shorter (light wise) and the temperatures begin to fall, I can't help but think of my stock pot - full of soup. Yes indeed, hearty, healthy, bold soup full of things like chorizo, black beans, mirepoix, broth and love.

Yes I said it....love. Because a really good soup has a secret ingredient - LOVE. Think about it - does the local canned soup taste as good as that big stock pot that has simmered for hours on your cook top? Doubt it. Are the veggies as flavorful, the broth as rich and the spices...well present?

A homemade soup can be "by the book" and still have love. But a soup that has been created - whether by a culinary wizard, or a lack of ingredients, often yields some thing mouth watering at the end.

For example....I needed to make dinner. With not a whole lot in the fridge. I had 2 chicken breasts and a piece of chorizo in the fridge. I had some celery, carrots and an onion. One can of beef broth. Some spices and a jar of sun dried tomatoes, plus some leftover tomato paste from an earlier recipe. So I made soup. Sauteeing the onions and veggies.....letting them sweat out a bit. Then the chorizo got added for flavor......god does that smell good! The chicken went in last, cubed, with chopped tomatoes (sun dried), some cumin, oregano and salt and pepper. A little tomato paste for color, broth to thin it all out and a splash of red wine...because c'mon...everything tastes better with a little red wine!

Simmer for ~ 1 hour. Added a can of fava beans I found in the pantry....for fiber you know - all the rage these days as we are all getting a little older and need to watch our heart health and um, "other" things. This was one healthy, delicious, hearty soup. Or is it stew? Stoup to borrow a phrase from Rachel Ray.

My husband chose to spice it up a bit, but I loved the flavors of the cumin and rosemary from the sundried tomatoes (oil packed).

So look in the refrigerator and pantry - what kind of soup is waiting for you?

Feeling stuck? Give me a list, and I can help you create your own hot bowl of love...though I may steal the recipe!

Home Plate Advantage Personal Chef - From Comfort food to Gourmet - Soup made your way!