Vegetarian Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup

Was SO in the mood for this today (the soup AND the not really having to cook dinner):

16 oz split peas (rinsed)
4 medium carrots, peeled and diced
1 c white onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, smashed
1 bay leaf
1 Tbsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
6 c hot water

1. Layer ingredients in order listed above. Do not stir.
2. Cover and cook until peas are soft. High: 4-5 hrs or Low: 8-10 hrs.
3. Remove bay leaf & garlic (if it has held together) before serving.

Navy Bean, Tomato, and Spinach Soup

I know what you're thinking: Yuck. But trust me! This soup is heavenly! Dave and I have resolved to go half-time vegetarian. So this was a hit on our list of new menu items. Adapted from the Jan-Feb 2010 issue of Mothering Magazine:

Navy Bean, Tomato, and Spinach Soup

1 c dried navy beans (soaked overnight)
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced small
1 Portobello mushroom, gills removed, diced small (I used mini portobellos. Same diff.)
1 1/2 tsp fresh rosemary, minced
4 c vegetable stock, bean-cooking liquid, or mixture of both
1 16 oz can petite diced tomatoes
3 oz baby spinach, chopped rough
salt and fresh-ground pepper

Soak navy beans in 4 cups water, 6 hrs to overnight. Drain and rinse. Place beans in a 4-qt pot with bay leaf and over with 3 inches water. Bring to simmer, and cook until beans become tender to the bite but are not falling apart. Depending on age of beans, cooking time can range from 30-90 min. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt to beans and let cook about 5 min more to absorb. Set beans aside in their cooking liquid.

Heat olive oil in 4-qt soup pot over medium heat. When hot, add diced onion and mushroom. Cook 4-5 min, until vegetables soften around edges. Add garlic and rosemary. Cook 2 minutes more, adjusting heat as needed to avoid too much browing.

Combine any remaining bean-cooking liquid with veg stock to make 3 1/2 c. Add to pot tomatoes, cooked beans, and liquid. Bring to low simmer and cook about 15 min, or until well flavored. If soup seems too thick, add last 1/2 c of stock. Add spinach* and cook until just wilted. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

*I omitted the spinach, just because I don't like wilted spinach in my soup the next day.


Enjoy!

potato leek soup

Quinn and I are obsessed with this soup right now.

Potato Leek Soup

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
4 sliced of bacon--cut into pieces
1 diced onion
4 large leeks, cleaned and sliced (I have a hard time having the patience to really clean the leeks before I slice, so a lot of times I'll clean them, then slice them, then put them in a strainer and run them under water for quite a while to really get all of the grit out. To me this is easier.)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2-3 cups chicken stock/broth (the first time I made this I had stock on hand, the second time I only had broth. It was significantly better with the stock rather then the broth.)
2-3 cups beef stock/broth
1-2 cups of cream
4 russett potatoes

Directions

Heat oil in a pan that will hold the soup over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook to render the fat. Add the onion and leeks, saute for 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add butter. When melted, stir in flour to make a roux. Whisk in chicken and beef stock. Add potatoes. (I just sort of gauge how much stock to use here. Just enough to cover all the ingredients.) Bring to a simmer and cook until potatoes are tender. Right before serving I add in the cream and heat through.

Lentil Soup

A yummy, easy winter soup!

Adapted from that Italian lady on the Food Network:

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1 pound lentils, rinsed (approximately 1 1/4 cups)
• 8 cups low-salt chicken broth
• 4 to 6 fresh thyme sprigs
• 1 cup shredded Parmesan

Directions

Heat the oil in a heavy large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery. Add the garlic, salt, and pepper and saute until all the vegetables are tender, about 5 to 8 minutes. Add the tomatoes with their juices. Simmer until the juices evaporate a little and the tomatoes break down, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Add the lentils and mix to coat. Add the broth and stir. Add the thyme sprigs. Bring to a boil over high heat. Cover and simmer over low heat until the lentils are almost tender, about 30 minutes.

Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Ladle the soup into bowls. Sprinkle with the Parmesan, drizzle with olive oil, and serve.

Broccoli Cheese Soup-Connie's Recipe

This is Connie Allen's recipe, so you know it is gooood!

Broccoli Cheese Soup

2 sticks butter or margarine

1 cup flour

1 cup cream

3 cups milk

1 t sugar

2 cups shredded mild cheddar cheese

2 small cans cream of chicken soup

4-6 potatoes peeled and diced

1 onion chopped

1 or 2 bunches of fresh broccoli

1 lb. ham steak, cut in small cubes

Salt

Start boiling onion and potatoes in large soup pot using enough water to keep them covered. The onion will take the longest so put it in the boiling water while you’re dicing he potatoes. Cut broccoli into bite-sized pieces. You can use the stems if you peel the outer edge off first. Set broccoli aside.

In medium saucepan melt butter on medium heat. Whisk in flour till there are no lumps. Add milk, sugar, and cream and stir continuously until very thick. Stir in cheese and remove from heat. Stir in cream of chicken soup and set aside.

When onion and potatoes are soft, add the broccoli and ham to the pot and cook for 7 more minutes. Any longer and the broccoli will lose its bright green color. Now see how much water is left. If it’s more than one or two inches above the vegetables, then remove some of the water. Add the cream mixture to the pot of vegetables, stir, and remove from heat. Water may be added if the soup is too thick. Salt to taste and serve.