Saturday, November 26, 2011

No Soup For You!

I have been absent entirely too long.  I started a facebook page for my blog and I confess that I would much rather post recipes and pictures there instead of here.  Although I've been a little lazy at that as well.  I must admit that I've been having a rough go of it.  I just have not been trying that hard to stay with Paleo and I can certain feel the inflammation back in my joints and see the pounds back on the scale.  I know what the problem is...my own nature.  I'm one of those that starts a bunch of projects and as soon as the new wears off then it all collects dust.  So, I have to try real hard to keep myself from becoming one of my abandoned projects.  I thought I better get back to blogging as one way of getting the train headed in the right direction.  So tonight I'm going to post some soup recipes although I don't have pictures.  I'll try to get a picture of each one before they're gone and add it at a later date.  Now, I like to puree my soups but you could leave them chunky if you like. 

Zucchini-Chipotle Soup

6 zucchini, cut into large chunks
2 onions, diced
3-4 garlic cloves, diced
1 quart chicken stock
2 cans fire roasted tomatoes
1T mexican oregano
2t cumin
2 chipotle peppers with adobo sauce
2 oz. sherry

1. Heat some lard in a pot and add the onions.  When they become soft add the garlic and cook for a couple minutes.
2.  Add the cumin and oregano cooking for about a minute.
3.  Add the sherry to deglaze the pot and let cook for a minute.
4.  Add the zucchini, chicken stock, tomatoes, and chipotles. (If you do not have enough liquid to adequately cover the zucchini then add more stock or water until you do.)
5.  Simmer until the zucchini are soft.  Puree if you want.



Cauliflower Bacon Soup

1 large head of cauliflower, broke into florets
1 onion, diced
2 garlic, diced
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 oz white wine
1-2 t of Bell's Seasoning
1 quart of chicken stock
1 apple, diced
1T butter
nutmeg
4 strips of bacon

1.  Cook the bacon in a large pot or dutch oven.  Remove when done and reserve for later.  If you had fatty bacon remove some of the grease but keep enough to cook the veggies in step 2.
2.  Add the onion, garlic, bell pepper and celery to the bacon grease and cook until it begins to soften.  Add the wine and cook for a minute.
3.  Add the Bell's seasoning (I got this in New Orleans but I'm sure it's available nationwide, it's a blend rosemary, oregano, sage, ginger, and marjoram).
4. Add the cauliflower and chicken stock.  Bring to a simmer.
5.  Add the butter to a skillet and melt.  Add the apple and cook until it's soft. Grate some nutmeg over the apples.  Cook for another minute or two..
6.  When the cauliflower is soft, remove from the heat and add to a blender.  Add the apple and the four strips of bacon and puree.