MINESTRONE SOUP... A SOUP THAT'S A MEAL!

Minestrone Soup... so full of flavor and very very filling.

It's a soup, but we eat it as a meal. It's that good!

Loaded with vegetables, beef, beans and pasta, StoneGable Minestrone Soup is one to make and keep extra in your freezer for those days you don't have time to cook but still want a great meal...

WINTER SOUP BUFFET

Last Sunday I put together a quick Soup Buffet after Church. Right before our small group arrived, I snapped a few pictures.

This table was not intended to be a blog post but I thought it would be fun to show you how I set up a easy to execute tablescape and luncheon... a real life... not edited for publication table...

TOMATO BASIL PARMESAN BISQUE~ Slow Cooker Soup

My garden is bursting with tomatoes... the Roma tomatoes are literally dripping off off the vine.  And I'm grateful for that... many of my veggies did not do well this year!

I'm saving the bulk of the Romas to freeze and make into sauce, but when I saw this fabulous recipe for a grown up tomato soup... some of those ripe summer tomatoes were destined for Tomato Basil Parmesan Soup.

This is a beautiful and flavorful soup!  Especially perfect with fresh garden tomatoes!

  

I made a double batch hoping to freeze some, but my family wanted to eat it for lunch the following day!

Because it is so easy, I'm making another slow cooker full tomorrow and THAT will go in the freezer!

I made a Gruyere herbed crouton to mimic tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches... my adult version!

The original recipe can be found on Today's Mama... I think I found this on Pinterest. I tweaked this recipe... less half and half... more basil and fresh tomatoes, and changed the cooking techniques.

STONEGABLE TOMATO BASIL PARMESAN BISQUE

28 oz. plum tomatoes or other garden tomatoes OR 2 14 oz. can of diced tomatoes

1 cup finely diced onion

1 cup finely diced celery

1 cup finely diced carrots

1 TBS butter

2 TBS olive oil

1 TBS fresh oregano

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1/4 cup fresh basil

2 tsp dried basil

4 cups chicken stock

1 bay leaf

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup flour

1~ 1 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated ( I use more)

1 cup half and half

1 cup whole milk

salt and pepper

Saute the onions, celery and carrots in 1 TBS butter and 2 TBS olive oil until translucent, about 5 minutes. Put the mixture in a slow cooker. Add tomatoes, oregano, basil, chicken stock and the bay leaf. Cook on low for 5-7 hours. Using a stick blender, emulsify the soup to the consistency you like. I like mine finely minced but not smooth.

At the end of the cooking time, turn the slow cooker on high.

Make a roux... Melt 1/2 cup butter in a large skillet. Add flour and whisk together. Cook for 3-4 minutes to get rid of the raw taste of the flour. Remove 1 cup the tomato soup and add to the mixture. Whisk. Add an additional 2 cups of tomato soup and whisk until smooth. Pour the roux mixture back into the soup and whisk. Add the Parmesan cheese and warmed half and half and milk. Whisk well and cook for 1/2 to 1 hours until the cheese has melted and the soup is thickened.

Garnish with extra basil and toasted crouton rounds

Printable Recipe

FOODIE FRIDAY

STONEGABLE LEEK AND POTATO SOUP

I may not be Irish, but I am celebrating St Patrick's Day... with soup! Luscious Leek And Potato Soup!

Unlike a hearty chunky potato soup, this one is quite elegant! It's ingredients marry together to form a deeply complex flavor, enhanced by it's smooth texture. So glorious!

Easy enough to make on a weeknight but oh so company worthy, this is a must-try...

I doubled the recipe and will use it for Sunday.

StoneGable Leek And Potato Soup


8 slices of thick bacon, cut into 2 inch pieces

3 -5 medium leeks, washed and sliced (only the white and very light green)

2 TBS butter

1 TBS bacon drippings

3 large baking potatoes, peeled and cut into small pieces

1 quart chicken stock

1 cup heavy cream

1 cup buttermilk

salt and pepper

chives, snipped for garnish

Put bacon in a large dutch oven over medium heat. Cook until crisp. Reserve bacon to drain on a paper towel.
Pour off all but 1 TBS of drippings. Add butter and melt over medium heat. Add leeks and cook for 6 minutes until leeks are soft. Reduce heat and cook an additional 20 minutes until leeks are golden and tender.

Increase the heat and add chicken stock to leeks. Cook for 15 minutes. Add potatoes and cook until soft, about 20 minutes.

Remove from heat. Using am immersion blender (or do this in batches in a blender), blend soup until smooth.

Add heavy cream and buttermilk. Reheat. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve garnished with reserved crumbled bacon and snipped chives.

Printable Recipe

STONEGABLE WAS FEATURED...

A big THANK YOU TO Lesli at Beautiful Coastal Design for featuring me on FIVE THING FRIDAY...Five Delectable Dishes I'd Love To Eat Next Week.

What a clever and so fun idea!!!! Go check out her beautiful and and wonderful dishes she chose!!!

I am participating in
FOODIE FRIDAY at Designs By Gollumn

StoneGable Loaded Baked Potato Soup

We are soup people here at StoneGable! 

What's more delicious than a cozy bowl of yummy hot soup on a blustery fall day? Not much ... especially if it is this delicious Loaded Baked Potato Soup.

It's sure to be a family favorite!