Its winter and in Nashville that might mean cold weather, and again it might not!
This year it is cold and often gray and that makes me want soup. It also seems like the thing to do as we are all home and the smells of onion, garlic and celery as you begin a pot of soup are good for the soul.
January is a time when most folks are thinking of losing a pound or two, developing healthier habits and so I am offering you a few tried and true recipes than I enjoy making and eating…sharing too!
Susi’s Mushroom Soup
-4 tablespoons butter
-1 tablespoon oil
-2 onions diced
-4 cloves garlic minced
-1 1/2 pounds fresh brown mushrooms sliced 4 teaspoons chopped thyme divided
-1/2 cup of any dry red or white wine
-6 tablespoons all-purpose or gluten free flour
-4 cups low sodium chicken broth or stock 1-2 teaspoons salt adjust to taste
-1/2-1 teaspoons black cracked pepper adjust to taste
-2 beef bouillon cubes, crumbled
-Chopped fresh parsley and thyme to serve
Heat butter and oil in a large pot over medium-high heat until melted. Sauté onion for 2 to 3 minutes until softened. Cook garlic until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Add mushrooms and 2 teaspoons thyme, cook for 5 minutes. Pour in wine and allow to cook for 3 minutes.
Sprinkle mushrooms with flour, mix well and cook for 2 minutes. Add stock, mix again and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low-medium heat, season with salt, pepper and crumbled bouillon cubes.
Cover and allow to simmer for 10-15 minutes, while occasionally stirring, until thickened.
Reduce heat to low, stir in cream or half and half. Allow to gently simmer (do not boil). Adjust salt and pepper to your taste.
Mix in parsley and remaining thyme. Serve warm.
Hearty White Bean Soup
-3 or 4 tbsp olive or other suitable oil
– 3 or 4 stalks of celery, chopped
-1 Vidalia onion, chopped
-2 or 3 chopped carrots
-3 or 4 cloves of garlic, minced
-a few sprigs of rosemary
-2 cups chicken or vegetable broth, unsalted
-3 cans of white beans, rinsed
In a Dutch oven or other suitable soup pot, sauté the celerycarrot and onion till vegetables are softening and onion is translucent. You can add other things like chili’s or bell peppers if you like. Add the garlic and cook another minute or too on low. Do not let the garlic burn.
Add the chicken broth and this can be adjusted as needed after the beans are added.
Add the rinsed beans and stir all this lovely goodness together.
Bring to a boil and then turn down and let simmer. Season with salt and pepper as needed. Add chopped thyme.
This soup is fast, easy, delicious and even better the next day.
Anderson’s Cornbraid
Heat oven to 400° before you begin! Pour 1-2 tbsp corn oil into cast iron skillet and place into oven. This step is critical. When you pour the batter into the hot skillet, the cornbread develops that lovely crust that makes is so great!
-2 c. cornmeal
-pinch of salt
-1 tsp baking powder
-1 tsp baking soda
-1 c. buttermilk (if you don’t have buttermilk you can put a tbsp. of vinegar into regular or oat milk to curdle the milk. Lemon juice will work as well.
-1/3 cup vegetable or canola oil
-2 eggs, beaten
-1 can of creamed corn
-1 jar of roasted bell peppers chopped
-1 Vidalia onion coarsely chopped
Mix all the dry ingredients. Pour in the wet ingredients and mix only till all
ingredients are wet. Pour into the hot skillet and put into the oven for 30-45 minutes.
Check at 30 minutes. Top will start to brown and knife inserted into the center will come out clean. Put REAL butter on top and melt it on the bread. This is the real deal.
