Soups, soups and more soups!

Before I start on my sharing some the recipes for new soups I came across...isn't this log cabin gorgeous. I particularly love that stone fireplace! It makes me want to find the comfiest chair and just park in front of it to watch the dancing flames. I really enjoy warm & toasty - and the crackle & pop are and added bonus.

I really hate to point this out but can you believe it's OCTOBER tomorrow? Yikes, where is the year going?? I guess we are on the downward slide to Christmas now!

And since it is October, I wanted to shape some nice soup recipes I found. I didn't want to turn today's entry into a chapter of a book though so just for today, I am sharing links only. Take what you like and leave the rest.

The first soup that I found interesting this week was a Glass Noodle Soup With Peas and Watercress. Check this out:

http://fullbellysisters.blogspot.ca/2012/01/glass-noodle-soup-with-watercress-and.html

The second soup that caught my attention was a Tomato, Spinach and Lentil Soup. It sounded so satisfying to me. If you want to check it out, here is your link:

http://aggieskitchen.com/2011/02/15/spinach-tomato- and-lentil-soup/

The soup that I thought...now this I need to remember thrilled me because it is very fast, and could be made when you are totally starving - before you chow down on something less healthy. I like "Cheats Versions"!!! I need a few things like that in my little bag of tricks because sometimes I just can't wait for Larry to get home before I have my supper. Check it out:

http://thenutritionguruandthechef.wordpress.com/2012/07/01/beetroot-lentil-and-parmesan-soup/

Lest you think I have gotten completely healthy & boring, I have links for a couple more soups for you. This one speaks to me for a night when I am craving a comfort meal - a Fully Loaded Cheesy Baked Potato Chowder:

http://www.chindeep.com/2012/09/26/fully-loaded-cheesy-baked-potato-chowder/

A little more healthy, is a Healthified Broccoli Cheddar Soup:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/healthified-broccoli-cheddar-soup-recipe/index.html

This soup would be perfect to use up some leftover ham when you have cooked one for an occasion. Talk about a powerhouse of protein! Here's a Moroccan Ham, Lentil and Chickpea Stew:

http://sumptuousspoonfuls.wordpress.com/2011/12/29/moroccan-ham-lentil-and-chickpea-stew/

I love seafood in my soups and found several new recipes I plan to try. It's so hard to choose what to make first, a Sausage and Shrimp Corn Chowder:

http://www.hoteatsandcoolreads.com/2012/09/shrimp-and-sausage-corn-chowder-recipe.html

or should it be the New England Clam Chowder in an Herbed Bread Bowl?

http://www.chindeep.com/2012/01/19/new-england-clam-chowder-in-herbed-potato-bread-bowls/

There's always a nice Lentil Sausage Soup, that could fill the tummy without too much effort:

http://onceamomalwaysacook.blogspot.ca/2011/10/lentil-sausage-soup.html

And if you are a lover of all things squash, maybe the Squash and Bean Soup will hit the spot:

http://www.livingsimplyglutenfree.com/2012/09/autumn-delicata-squash-soup.html

But if sweet is your goal, how about a nice Butternut Squash and Pear Soup:

http://fullbellysisters.blogspot.ca/2011/11/butternut-squash- pear-soup-real.html

And if you are a French Onion Soup Lover the way I am, this variation on a theme is so right up my alley:

http://fullbellysisters.blogspot.ca/2011/03/caramelized-onion-and-mushroom-soup.html


In case all things soup is not where you are at, here are the links for a couple of sweet treats that I put into my recipe box for future reference:

http://www.plainchicken.com/2011/11/pecan-bars-football-friday.html

Or if you like a little chocolate with your pecans, then maybe this one is for you:

http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/fudgy-pecan-pie-bars/4de6516d-0890-43b1-bc12-d09f88df8a8d


Talk about a lazy way to do today's entry huh? I just saw so many soups this week and I plan to try them all this winter.

My friend, George, asked me to send him some Pecan Bars for Christmas. I think since he lives in Creston, maybe I will just send the recipe to his wife, Barb. I am sure Canada Post would turn my Pecan Bars into crumbs if I tried to mail them!

I promise, tomorrow I will write about anything EXCEPT soup! LOL

Not a lot to say today...

I have a few pictures to share, with comments of course, but I really don't have anything earth shaking to share so I want to keep today brief.

Check out this kitchen... isn't it gorgeous? Look at all those windows! And so much room!! It won't happen but were I ever to build a kitchen, this would be very nice with a full room walk-in pantry with shelving for my canned goods etc and all the big pots and appliances. One can dream, right?

Twisted thing that I am, I saw this picture the other day and laughed right out loud - so abnormal for me. It probably helped that I am really, really not a lover of cats.

Ever been on a hay ride? I haven't but I always thought it would be something fun to do at this time of year. Now where would I actually go on my hay ride, I don't know. It's just one of those things that I have always thought might be fun.

I am not quite sure why this appeals to me so much, but it does. Some things just draw you right in and hold your attention. That's how I feel about this:

I spoke to Dad this afternoon after he had been to Auntie Noel's service. He said it was very well attended and that people were asking after me. Dad said he didn't recognize most of the grandchildren or the great grandchildren. I told him that I wouldn't know them to see them either. I wished he and Susan a nice trip, they are off to Florida and won't be back until the end of the Thanksgiving weekend, so we probably won't see them again since we leave on the 13th.

Pondering...

Today's picture seemed like a good one to me. I love to sit by the water, preferably an ocean but anywhere I can listen to the water lap up onto the shore is a soothing spot.

Have you been following the "Tiny House" movement in the USA? There are some absolutely adorable ones. Check out this one in Nantucket.

My girlfriend, Sharron, and I talk about the fact that we'll all end up in a one room situation eventually. Wouldn't it be nice if we could have something cute like this though?

But how is that going to fit with my love of porches? gardens? the great outdoors?

I am so not ready to downsize but they are cute, aren't they? I would still want all my creature comforts though so when I saw this stone cottage, even though it's pretty, all I could think about was how bitterly cold it would be! I really, really hate to be cold!! Extreme heat isn't delightful either but cold makes me shiver and ache right to the very core of my being. I have always been this way...how did I end up spending most of my life for 15 years in an ice rink? I wonder if that's at the root of why I hate to be cold so much?

So, are you all ready for the little ghosts and goblins? I saw a picture on Facebook this morning that it's only 33 more days now. We'll be in California but on the 27th we'll be going out to the Living Desert to check out all things spooky at "Howl O Ween". We've never gone to anything, other than the little train in Stanley Park, for Halloween so this will be fun...cold but fun. The temperature sure drops like a stone at night in the desert!

I will have to make sure I have a nice soup or at least some tea all ready to heat up when we get back to the villa! When we go to California in the fall, we really need a mish-mash of clothing to deal with the wild temperature swing...5 days of stuff for cold and wet weather as we drive down, 4 days of hot weather clothing plus sweaters & coats, flip flops, runners and boots. No wonder I need a BIG suitcase, even though we have a washer and dryer!

Speaking of tea...I think it's time!

I am all over the map again... sorry!

I saw this photo and thought to myself that someone did and awesome job of picking their perennials! I am absolutely addicted to color these days!

And that love of color extends into all the fall range of colors as well. I know, BORING but I am going to make you suffer through a few more fall scenes:

And just in case you thought I've exhausted my supply of fall pictures...no such luck! I will continue to sprinkle them through my posts until we see white stuff or we hit December, whichever comes first. You do know though that as soon as American Thanksgiving occurs, all best are off on the Christmas pictures though! LOL

For a gal that really doesn't celebrate the Christmas season in a traditional fashion, I sure do love pretty Christmas pictures & my Christmas movies so don't you fret, I have already started to collect my JPEGs. :-D

In anticipation of something more immediate, Thanksgiving, I found this recipe that could be substituted for that spinach dip that we have all been doing to death for I don't know how many years!

Warm Bacon Cheese Spread

Ingredients

1 loaf round sourdough bread (any kind will do)
1 - 8 oz cream cheese
1 /2 cups or 12 oz. sour cream
1 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup green onion, chopped finely
2 cups sharp shredded/grated cheddar cheese
12 oz. bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled

Method

In a mixer, blend the cream cheese on low until softened. Add sour cream and Worcestershire sauce, mix well. Next add bacon and onion and mix well. Cut the top and hollow out bread bowl (leave 1/4" minimum around the edges for support). Cut the top and inside bread into bread hunks for dipping if you want or discard. Spoon cheese mixture into bread bowl and wrap entirely in aluminum foil. Bake 325 for one hour or more until thoroughly heated. Serve with bread hunks, crackers, fresh veggies, whatever you want.

It's not exactly healthy but I thought it made for an interesting switch-up if you happen to be needing to take a little something to a dinner. Might as well enjoy it before the bacon shortage hits in 2013!

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I saw this recipe and I think it definitely needs to become a part of our Thanksgiving weekend. It is calling to me & I am going to really have a struggle waiting that long!!!

Lima Bean Soup Recipe for Crockpot

Total Prep & Cook Time: 6 - 8 hrs soaking, 15 min prep, 4 - 6 hrs crockpot

Yield: 4 large servings

You'll need a 4 - 6 qt crockpot or slow cooker

Nutrition Data, 301 g Serving: 278 cal, 46g carb, 5g fat, 200mg sodium, 8g sugars,
16g fiber, 17g protein

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups dry baby lima beans
2 lg carrots, peeled and diced
2 thin slices fresh ginger root, peeled
2 celery sticks, chopped in 1/4 inch slices
1 small cauliflower, cut in large pieces
2 bay leaves
1 tsp thyme leaves
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp ground cumin
pinch cayenne or to taste
1/2 tsp salt
Fresh ground pepper to taste
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley

Cooking Tips:

Long soaking makes lima beans become buttery soft in the crockpot. If that's too long, add boiling water to the beans and do a quick soak of 2 hours.

It might seem at the beginning of cooking that there isn't enough water in the recipe. But the vegetables will release water in cooking, and the soup may be just right after six hours. If it seems too thick, add a small amount of water toward the end of cooking.

Variations: Blend 1 - 1 1/2 cups of the soup, then stir it back in for a creamy soup base. Adding a veggie flavor cube or using vegetable stock gives it a different taste.

Directions:

1. Soak the lima beans in 6 cups cold water, overnight or 8 hours - if it's hot in your house, put them in the fridge
2. Drain and rinse the beans
3. Preheat the crockpot on high
4. Add the soaked lima beans to a saucepan, with enough water to just cover the
beans. Bring them to a boil and skim any foam. Add to crockpot.
5. Prep the veggies and add to the crockpot. Add more water to just barely cover the
veggies
6. Add the bay leaves, ginger slices, and thyme
7. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 4 - 6 hours
8. Heat the oil on low in a small frying pan
9. Add the cumin, coriander, turmeric & cayenne. Heat gently for a few minutes
10. Using a rubber spatula, transfer spices and oil to the crockpot
11. Add 1/4 cup minced parsley, salt and pepper to taste
12. Stir gently, cover and cook for another 15 minutes
13. Remove the ginger slices and bay leaves when serving

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But enough about food!

I heard from Tania earlier this week questioning me as to when I am free before I leave on vacation. Like Dad, she hasn't picked either a day or time that she wants to get together...or at least she hasn't mentioned it to me. She suggested perhaps Noel's funeral but she may not go. OK, whatever. I'll either see you there or catch you next time. I used to make arrangements with her only to have them postponed over, and over, and over. No more. Either make a firm date or don't, it isn't life changing for me either way.

Dad needs stuff signed before I leave town too, so we have book a little time time to take care of that. Think we can set that up more than an hour in advance? Huh!

What is it about my family that they can't set a date and time and just stick with it? Do they never manage to make a medical, dental, accounting or legal appointments? Sure they do! Is it just me they like to jerk around? I dunno but I am no going to make myself available when it's not convenient any longer. It is one of the many reasons that I do not try to see them over Christmas anymore. I may not be flexible but it's not just my life it affects...last minute everything drives me nuts!

I caught a beautiful picture on the Leavenworth, WA Facebook feed and honestly...we've been there in summer and we really enjoyed it. I have thought about going for the Christmas tree lighting, and maybe we'll go one day but I have to admit, I had never thought about autumn. I bet it would be beautiful! Maybe I should consider it for a future road trip?

I have been seriously bitten...

by the fall comfort food bug, that is! Isn't it amazing how that happens? One minute it's all things salads and raw then in the blink of an eye, it's all about warm, spicy, comforting and filling. The fact that I made the transition back to healthy cooking may be contributing to my massive and instant shift. Somehow when I am hungry, my tummy is rumbling, I am not thinking about rabbit food. Next summer when it's hot I will love it but not when it's cool in the evenings.

I am a big lover of breakfast for supper so this Pumpkin Baked Oatmeal struck a chord with me. Can you imagine how good the house would smell for Larry to come home to? We could add a couple of poached eggs to the plate & it would be a nicely balanced meal.

Crunchy-Top Pumpkin Baked Oatmeal (Muffins optional)

2 eggs
1/4 cup maple syrup (can substitute honey)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (see note)
1/4 cup melted butter (can also use coconut or canola oil)
1/2 cup 100% pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
1 small apple, grated (I leave skin on)
1 1/4 cups milk
3 cups old-fashioned oats
1/4 – 1/3 cup brown sugar

1. Butter 2-quart baking dish or muffin tins.

2. In large bowl, mix together all ingredients except oats and brown sugar. Add oats and mix until thoroughly combined.

3. Place mixture in baking dish or muffin tins. (If using muffin tins, fill until almost level with top of cup.) Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight or at least 4 hours.

4. In the morning, set on counter while your preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake for 27-30 minutes for a 8-inch square pan or 9-inch pie, about 20 minutes for a muffin pan. Remove from oven, sprinkle the brown sugar evenly over top of oatmeal and broil for one minute, watching closely, or until sugar melts and begins to caramelize.

5. Serve warm with milk, fruit and/or nuts, if desired. Great leftover. Freezes well.

Notes:

Pumpkin pie spice is a combination of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and allspice. If you do not have the pumpkin pie spice, use any combination of these that you like, or simply use cinnamon.

I am a BIG, no make that HUGE lover of pumpkin! Are you?

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I absolutely have to make a soup on Sunday night. I don't feel sick but homemade chicken soup is niggling away at me daily. I found this version and the white kidney beans just spoke to me. I have a chicken soup with ginger but this time I think I'll go for something a little more bland. So this is what I am making for Sunday dinner.

Tuscan Chicken Soup - 4 servings - Prep: 15 min. Cook: 20 min.

Ingredients

1 small onion, chopped
1 small carrot, sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) chicken broth
1 cup water
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 can (15 ounces) white kidney or cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
2/3 cup uncooked small spiral pasta
3 cups thinly sliced fresh escarole or spinach
2 cups shredded cooked chicken

Directions

In a large saucepan, saute onion and carrot in oil until onion is tender. Add the broth, water, salt and pepper; bring to a boil. Stir in beans and pasta; return to a boil.

Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until pasta and vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally. Add escarole and chicken; heat through.

Nutrition Facts: 1 cup equals 329 calories, 10 g fat (2 g saturated fat), 67 mg cholesterol, 1,542 mg sodium, 30 g carbohydrate, 6 g fiber, 28 g protein.

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I love stuffed peppers but I am basically lazy & hate to fiddle around stuffing them but then I don't like making cabbage rolls either. This recipe had my name on it...just huck and chuck it all in a pot - is so much more my style!

Stuffed Pepper Soup (MODIFIED)

2 pounds ground beef *(1 1/2 lb.)
2 quarts water (*2 cups)
1 can (28 ounces) tomato sauce( *1 -8 oz.)
1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained *( 1-28 oz.crushed tomatoes)
2 cups cooked long grain rice( *1 1/4 cup long grain rice)
2 cups chopped green peppers(*I used green, orange, red and yellow)
1/4 cup packed brown sugar(*2 T)Note: If you would like it sweeter add 4 T
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons beef bouillon granules( *1- 14 oz. beef broth)
1 teaspoon pepper

In a Dutch oven, cook beef over medium heat un4l no longer pink; drain. S4r in the remaining ingredients; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 30-40 minutes or un4l peppers and rice are tender. *If soup is too thick add more water to thin.

* the asterisk is my recipe

I think this will be Saturday night's supper! Mmmmmm!

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For our Thanksgiving, I am thinking that I will pick up a small ham, a mess of fresh veggies for steaming and I'll make this for my side dish:

Mushroom and Brown Rice Casserole

2 tsp olive oil
8 oz pkg white mushrooms, sliced
8 oz pkg Cremini mushrooms, sliced
1 large onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 c. cooked brown rice, at room temperature
2 eggs
1 c. small curd cottage cheese
1/2 c. sour cream
1/3 c. Parmesan cheese, divided
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350 F. Lightly grease a 2 quart baking dish. In a large skillet over medium heat saute the mushrooms, onion, salt & pepper in the olive oil, sirring occasionally, for about 5-7 minutes. Stir in garlic, and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Remove from heat.

Add the rice to the skillet and stir to combine.

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, cottage cheese, sour cream, salt & papper until smooth. Add to the rice mixture and stir gently until well blended.

Sprinkle most of the Parmesan over the top, reserving a little for the finishing.

Cover the dish with foil & bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for 20-30 minutes more, until the top is lightly browned. Top with remaining Parmesan.


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See what I mean about the cooking bug biting me HARD?!

Been thinking about the weirdest things!

Do you remember doing this as a kid? I sure do!! I wonder exactly what it is that drives that unconditional love and acceptance of ourselves from our bodies & souls?

I also remember as a teenager thinking the following to myself and I was just brazen enough that if you had asked me, I would have said so!

Is it the search for acceptance or the verbal and emotional battering we take along the journey of life that toughens us up, makes us withdraw and lose the complete joy of awakening to a new day?

I am finding that I am drawn to the simple and serene in a very big way lately. Pictures like the following one are soothing but who am I kidding...me without my internet? LOL

This last week has felt like one big sunset on a part of my life and it's hard to let it go. I know that God never closes one door without opening a window but that doesn't fill up that hole that I feel in my heart.

I also know that one of my favorite AA sayings that I had drilled into me by my sponsor, Terrie, is "fake it 'til you make it". I guess for the next little while while I heal, that's exactly what I need to do. I will try to stay focused on the following, just for today.

It feels like fall... :-(

Ha ha ha! What a whiner I am!! It's less than 3 weeks and we are heading for California. Maybe I'll save the flip flop thing for a later date. :-D

I saw these pictures and thought I hate when people just go on and on and on about their most recent pet project. I went back on my healthy eating plan but I promise I won't give you a blow by blow on my weight loss. I will probably share how I am feeling though...both physically and emotionally. I have 175 pounds to loose...and the very thought that this is almost two small people had me feeling rather daunted yesterday. I refused to stay there though!

I want to accomplish this goal before I turn 60...there's my carrot. I can do it! You may need to remind me once in a while though, ok? Now that I am no longer on the emotional roller coaster associated with the office, I know I can stay the course. I am planning to allow myself a "treat" day every 8 weeks when I can have one thing that's not in the usual meal plans IF there is something that is nagging at me. If there's nothing nagging, so be it, I can wait for the next treat date. I am extremely lucky though. Almost everything homemade can fit into my meal plan. It's just about juggling what I eat, how much I eat of a given thing and how much I exercise. I am so glad I have started this journey... and I am so fortunate that I love all the fruits, veggies, fish & seafood.

I've found a website (Skinny Ms.) that I really love and find all kinds of healthy slow cooker meals on. Big, big lover of slow cooker meals! I found this recipe and think I am going to make it this coming weekend...I can have leftovers all week!

Slow Cooker Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal

Ingredients

1/2 cup old fashioned (not quick cooking) oats
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
pinch salt
2 cups water
Enough water to fill Slow Cooker about 1/4 of the way full
1/2 small apple, chopped
sweetener of choice, to taste (I used two packets of Equal)

Directions

In a small heat-proof bowl (that can hold at least two cups of water), stir together oats, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt. The apples can also be added in here. I chose to keep mine out to stir in after cooking, but this is up to you. Pour two cups water over oats.

Fill Slow Cooker about 1/4 to 1/2 of the way full with water (this will depend on the size of your Slow Cooker). Add the heatproof bowl with the oat mixture to the Slow Cooker. The bowl with the oats/cinnamon/vanilla has water in it, and also sits in the slow cooker surrounded by water. The water level should rise almost to the top of the bowl.

Turn Slow Cooker on low for 7-8 hours overnight. Using a large spoon, remove bowl from Slow Cooker (it will be very hot!). Stir in chopped apple and sweetener of choice. Devour!

1 serving| Calories 199| Fat 3g| Sodium 165 mg | Carbohydrate 39.2 | Fiber 7.1 g| Sugars 9.3g | Protein 5 g

I also saw this Apple Harvest Cake and thought... if we skip the icing, it would make a nice healthy breakfast material or even a bedtime snack if you keep the portion size relatively small. I can switch up the nuts I use and the fruit I use and have an endless number of varieties.

Recipe: Apple Harvest Cake

3 cups of almond meal...make in a Cuisinart & then sift
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup grated carrot
1 cup grated zucchini
1 cup unpeeled, chopped (1/4 inch)apple
1/4 cup light olive oil
1/4 cup honey
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
3 eggs

Directions

Preheat oven to 350.

In a medium bowl combine almond meal, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, carrots, zucchini and apple.

In a small bowl, combine olive oil, honey, vanilla and eggs. Mix well.

Add the wet ingredients to the almond mixture.

Cut a piece of parchment paper to fit your 9 inch cake pan. This will allow the cake to come out of the pan much easier.

Spray the sides of the cake pan with Pam.

Add your mixture to the cake pan and bake for 45 minutes.

Remove & cool for 10 minutes before removing cake to a wire rack to cool completely.


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I guess I am still in a rather reflective kind of mood. I saw this photo and remembered going out to the water pump to wash off the garden produce at my grandmothers and draw myself some water that I would drink from a ladle. Happy memories are those!

And once I had my mind thinking of my Grandmother, I spotted this photo and it made me think of the days when they had the village and a few individual homes in Glade. Simple really does appeal to me.

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To close for today on a bit of a funny note, I resemble this!

A bit of a mish-mash of things...

I guess all the reflection caused by a couple of relatives passing on has left me a little scattered. I saw this and thought, hmmm. I could work on this. I don't think I am mean, but perhaps I could give a little more warmth and understanding.

I feel rather quiet these days and a little withdrawn. Maybe I should start my kindness by allowing myself the time to grieve. Good has come from loss though in that I have now connected with a lot of relatives that either I had never met or had not seen in a donkey's age. Perhaps I need to reflect a little on the following:

This next picture spoke to me...why I don't know. It's something about the reflection of the change of color in the water. I know it's weird but I regularly find that I don't see as clearly when something is staring me right in the face. Sometimes, things only become meaningful when reflected through the people around me.

With the fall and holiday season almost upon us, I am sure we'll all be making a shift in our cooking and baking. I was just thinking that I need to make a nice homemade chunky apple sauce with some apple pie spice. I am a big lover of all things pumpkin too so I know I will use the following frequently. Handy little pic's aren't they?

Have a good day everyone, I'll try to be a little more chipper tomorrow!

Moving slowly today...

I had thought about buying apples in Keremeous and they were $8 for 20 lbs. I should have done it but I was sore, tired and I just wanted to get home. Now I regret not stopping for the 10-15 minutes it would have taken.

I can think of a dozen things that I could have made with those apples. The fact that I am totally exhausted & can't seem to get my vim back in my step isn't keeping me from bashing myself about the head. Where do we learn to be so hard on ourselves? For a gal that seldom drives, 2 six hour driving days with only 36 hours between the drives is a lot!

Facebook just bombarded me yesterday with all kinds of messages, pictures and whatnot about the first day of fall. See me crying? I hate fall and winter! The cold weather kicks my fibromyalgia into high gear and I ache. I guess that's why all things warm and cozy appeal to me...soft cushy quilts, tummy warming soup and gallons upon gallons of tea.

If you like the look of the soup above, and I sure do, here is the recipe:

White Bean and Roasted Mushroom Soup

Makes about 8 servings

Ingredients

16 oz. mushrooms, halved or quartered
2 large sweet onions, quartered
3 garlic cloves, slightly crushed
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1 1/2 teaspoon pepper, divided
8-10 fresh sage leaves*
8-10 stems + 1 tablespoon leaves fresh thyme*, divided
48 oz. chicken broth (vegetable broth can be substituted for a vegetarian version)
3 - 15 oz. cans white beans, not drained (I prefer cannellini beans)
Additional salt and pepper for seasoning

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 450°F.

2. Toss mushrooms, garlic and onion in olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. (You may want to keep mushrooms separate on baking sheet for roasting, because you'll have to separate later. So, separate now, or later.) Spread on baking sheet. Add sage leaves and stems of thyme. Roast in 450° F oven for 10 minutes, toss and roast for additional 15 minutes.

3. While vegetables are roasting, add broth, beans, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves to a large stock pot over medium heat and simmer.

4. When vegetables are done roasting, let cool slightly. Separate mushrooms from other roasted vegetables (if not already separated).

5. Retrieve 2 cups of the white beans, and 1 cup of broth from the stock pot, add to a blender along with the roasted onions, garlic and herbs. Cover and blend until smooth.

6. Add pureed bean mixture back to stock pot, whisking in until smooth. Add roasted mushrooms to soup. Salt and pepper to taste.

7. Warm over low heat until ready to serve.?

*Dried herbs may be substituted for fresh. The rule of thumb is one part dried, to three parts fresh.

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Doesn't this sound totally yummy???

I always feel a little blue in the fall. It's sad to see all the plants dying and the leaves falling. It's a lot like death and I feel like I have had quite enough of that in the last little while. We've lost Uncle Bill, Aunt Lucille and now Auntie Noel. Tania mentioned to me that Dad is a little touchy right now because he is now the eldest surviving sibling.

I saw this little message & felt like it was a bit of a gift... to help me turn my day around: