RECIPES: Soups of the Day

Toscana Soup

12 links spicy pork sausage, sliced

1 tbs vegetable oil

3/4 cup diced onion

1 1/4 tsp minced garlic

2 tablespoons chicken soup base

4 cups water

2 potatoes, halved and sliced

2 cups sliced kale

1/3 cup heavy cream

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Place sausage links on a baking sheet and bake 25 minutes, or until cooked through. Slice into 1/2 inch slices.

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Saute onions until translucent; add garlic and cook 1 minute.

Stir in broth, water and potatoes; simmer 15 minutes.

Reduce heat to low and add sausage, kale and cream; simmer until heated through and serve.

-- Ken Miller

Mulligatawny Soup

1/2 cup chopped onion

2 stalks celery, chopped

1 carrot, diced

1/4 cup butter

1 1/2 tbs all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp curry powder

4 cups chicken broth

1/2 apple, cored and chopped

1/4 cup white rice

1 skinless, boneless chicken breast half - cut into cubes

salt to taste

ground black pepper to taste

1 pinch dried thyme

1/2 cup heavy cream, heated

Saute onions, celery, carrot, and butter in a large soup pot. Add flour and curry, and cook 5 more minutes. Add chicken stock, mix well, and bring to a boil. Simmer about 1/2 hour.

Add apple, rice, chicken, salt, pepper, and thyme. Simmer 15-20 minutes, or until rice is done.

When serving, add hot cream.

-- Lise Pitrello

Hungarian Mushroom Soup

4 tbs unsalted butter

2 cups chopped onions

1 lb. fresh mushrooms, sliced

2 tsp dried dill weed

1 tbn paprika

1 tbn soy sauce

2 cups chicken broth

1 cup milk

3 tbs all-purpose flour

1 tsp salt

ground black pepper to taste

2 tsp lemon juice

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Saute the onions in the butter for 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and saute for 5 more minutes. Stir in the dill, paprika, soy sauce and broth. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes.

In a separate small bowl, whisk the milk and flour together. Pour this into the soup and stir well to blend. Cover and simmer for 15 more minutes, stirring occasionally.

Finally, stir in the salt, ground black pepper, lemon juice, parsley and sour cream. Mix together and allow to heat through over low heat, about 3 to 5 minutes. Do not boil. Serve immediately.

-- Melanie Hamm

Sunset Soup

1 butternut squash - peeled, seeded, and chopped

3 carrots, peeled and chopped

2 sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped

1 green apple - cored, peeled, and chopped

1/2 onion, chopped

1/4 cup olive oil

2 cups vegetable broth

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp ground turmeric

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

salt and ground black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Place butternut squash, carrots, sweet potatoes, apple, and onion on a baking sheet. Drizzle olive oil over vegetable mixture.

Bake in the preheated oven until golden and soft, about 45 minutes. Blend vegetable mixture in a blender or food processor until smooth; transfer to a large saucepan.

Pour vegetable broth into pureed vegetables and season with coriander, turmeric, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Cook soup over low heat until heated through, 10 to 15 minutes.

Note: For variety, add cinnamon or 1/2 cup half-and-half cream. Or make it a curried soup with cumin, curry powder, and chili to taste. Or for a more European flavor, season with paprika. Endless possibilities.

-- Carrie Nix

Wedding Soup

1 (4 lbs.) whole chicken

1 large onion

6 stalks celery with leaves, chopped

9 carrots, sliced

1 sweet potato, cubed

1/2 medium head cabbage, coarsely chopped

2 (14.5 oz.) cans chicken broth

2 (6 oz.) cans roasted garlic tomato paste

1 1/2 lbs. lean ground beef

2 eggs

1/2 cup dry bread crumbs

1/2 cup grated Romano cheese

1 (16 oz.) package acini di pepe pasta

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese for topping

In a large stockpot, place the chicken, whole onion and cans of broth. Add enough water to cover the chicken. Bring to a boil and cook until the chicken is falling off of the bones.

Remove the chicken from the pot and separate the meat from the bones. Tear chicken into bite sized pieces and return them to the soup pot. Remove the onion from the broth, chop and return to the pot. Add the celery, carrots, sweet potato and cabbage. Stir in the tomato paste.

In a medium bowl, combine the ground beef, eggs, bread crumbs and Romano cheese. Mix well with your hands then form into walnut sized balls. Add the balls to the soup. Continue to cook the soup for an additional hour, or until vegetables are tender.

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain. Serve the soup over pasta and top each bowl with a generous pinch of grated Parmesan cheese.

-- Sallie Hayes