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Soups

Winter Vegetable Soup

January 12, 2021

Oh my…. I’m not sure where to begin all this today.  Just when we think our world can’t get any more upside down, the unimaginable happens. These days I’m feeling like I’ve been mentally punched out and am laying in the middle of the boxing ring with coo coo birds flying above my head.   How are you holding up?  Hang in there if you can.  Please ask for help if you need it.  And keep your eyes peeled for those close to you who are in trouble.  That’s a tall order, and let’s remember to take care of ourselves too.  Long walks outside with plenty of fresh air help, and that’s how we start most days.  I will admit to a major freak out moment or two in the last week, and that gets me moving to the kitchen for some comfort food, and a hearty vegetable soup seems just right.  If I can’t heal the world, I’m surely going to try to do what I can for those I care about.  Every little bit helps, right?  With that in mind….

Here is one of my all-time favorite winter vegetable soups, and one to picture yourself eating while sitting in front of a roaring fire, while outside, Mother Nature is throwing everything she has at us.  It’s chock full of flavor with a big variety of vegetables, a ton of dried herbs for more flavor, and some beans for color, deep flavor, and protein. This guy doesn’t require much tending once all the ingredients are prepped and is happy just to bubble along on its own until ready.  Another plus is that you can pretty much make this recipe just the way you want to.  This recipe makes a soup that is so thick you can probably stand a fork up in it, because that’s what I like.  If you like a more brothy soup, just add more liquid. Would you like some different vegetables? – go for it.  If you want to add some additional protein like sausage or whatever, go on ahead.  Maybe you want to change up the herbs – also entirely up to you.  The goal here is to make vegetable soup this exactly how YOU want it to be.  This recipe makes a lot, but never fear – if you don’t eat it all up, it freezes beautifully for the next stormy day.

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Filed Under: Recipe Posts, Soups

Italian Wedding Soup

October 18, 2019

 

We have now officially entered the ‘comfort food and soup eating’ phase of Fall weather.  I had heard about Italian Wedding Soup but never tasted it, so thought this might be a nice route to take.  In my recipe snooping research phase, I learned that this soup is not served at Italian weddings, despite its name.  The term ‘wedding’ comes from the combining of the meatballs, greens, and pasta.  So now you know and with that knowledge in hand, we can get on with making this big bowl of comfort.  First there’s a rich and flavorful chicken broth that has onion, yellow peppers, carrots and celery added.  Simmer that for a while and then add meatballs (I use turkey but if you have a favorite recipe, feel free to substitute), and acini pasta.  Acini pasta are those teensy little round shapes, that fit perfectly on a spoon. It’s always nice to add your favorite cheese and some nice crusty bread to complete the picture.  A nice big glass of wine wouldn’t hurt either.  After all, this is comfort food so let’s get comfortable.

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Asparagus Soup with Asparagus Noodles & Creme Fraiche

February 21, 2019

I was so happy to see asparagus back in the supermarket a couple of weeks ago – and at record low prices.  And so, of course, in all of my delirium, I overbought. We had asparagus coming out of our ears and there was an urgent need to figure out what to do with it all, and here is the happy result.  This soup has tons of fresh asparagus, and I mean everywhere.  The soup itself is loaded, the asparagus tops are roasted and used for garnish, and some of the stalks are peeled into ‘noodles’ using a regular old vegetable peeler and tossed into the hot soup at the last minute. This is a game changer, adding some appreciated texture to this creamy concoction as well as an additional flavor boost.  Oh yeah – then we’ve got rich and creamy crème fraiche to drizzle over the whole thing. After all, we do need our calcium….

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Creamy Cauliflower Soup

November 1, 2018

Yes, I am still on my comfort food kick 🙂  And in the spirit of comfort food, Creamy Cauliflower is one of my favorites; creamy, cheesy and pretty much guilt free if you are into that food guilt stuff.  Every time I’m in the mood for macaroni and cheese I make Cauliflower soup and it usually satisfies that particular craving – I said usually.  One of the best things about this soup aside from how delicious it is, is that it has no cream, no half & half, and no full-fat milk (unless, of course, you want to put some in there in which case I say ‘Go For It’).  The other best part about it is that it’s only got a small handful of ingredients, which makes it quick, healthy, and scrape out the bowl delicious.  Come on along and let me tell you how to get this thing done…

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Potato, Corn & Roasted Poblano Soup with Poblano Drizzle

October 4, 2018

 

Like many, I was reluctant to admit that Fall was approaching, and fast. But when I tasted this particular soup at a restaurant near Hailey, Idaho a few weeks ago, I welcomed Fall with open arms.  I have taken it upon myself to attempt to recreate what I was able to steal from my husband that night (a precious few bites since he liked it as much as I did) and think this is pretty close.  Rich and creamy, and filled with potatoes and corn, then with the added deep and slightly spicy hit of roasted Poblano chilis.  I added an additional twist and made a sauce with more roasted Poblanos, balsamic vinegar, garlic and oil and generously drizzled it all over the top.  Here is most definitely a soup that you can make your own:  Want more potatoes?  Go for it. More corn? Add to your hearts content. More chilis?  I’m not stopping you.  From here on out, it’s all about you and what you like best.  I will admit being happy with a little trick in the recipe that allows you a rich and creamy texture with absolutely no cream required. Keep on reading for the recipe and see for yourself!

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Big Pasta & Cannellini Bean Soup with Pesto

April 4, 2018

Dick was down with a bad cold, and that usually means homemade soup in our household. Translation: he needs me to get out of his ‘territory’ so he can rest, so I end up puttering away in the kitchen, which to me is a win-win. On that particular day, the soup depended on what was available in the pantry and fridge, and this soup is the result. It’s hearty….super hearty, and one of those you can pack in a thermos for a special treat after a day of digging in a soon-to-be garden, an early spring hike, or any other activity that requires you to warm up from being out in the elements. Big hunks of colorful vegetables are the base, and then we load on a lot of healthful cannellini beans, a fair amount of carbs with big elbow macaroni, and enough crushed tomatoes and chicken broth to round everything out. We won’t forget to add big dollops of pesto to the top of our bowls for freshness, and let’s not skimp on the butter on those crackers – we earned it.

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Filed Under: Main Dishes, Recipe Posts, Soups

Slow Cooker Vegetarian Chili with Cinnamon, Cocoa & Espresso

February 1, 2018

Super Bowl Sunday is just a few days away, and that means I’d better figure out something to make with zero last minute effort in order to concentrate on all of those good commercials.  This vegetarian chili is full of flavor, thanks to three varieties of beans, sautéed onion and mini-peppers, and hold the phone…why in the world would anybody add some weird stuff like cinnamon, cocoa, and espresso to all that? Here’s the thing: all of those spices and other odd sounding things add a deep and savory flavor. And no…you won’t taste the cinnamon, the cocoa, or the espresso, but you will know something good is going on in there that you just can’t quite put your finger on. I sautéed the vegetables first, then threw everything else into the slow cooker, because as we’ve covered before, I am basically a lazy cook. Oh wait! I also added a bottle of a good Stout beer. Sound weird? The Stout has coffee and chocolate undertones, but also adds a subtle bitterness to the chili that ups the flavor meter to the ‘just right’ setting. Like most chilies, this is better the second day, so if you can throw it together the day before and reheat it, the flavors will get a chance to mellow and get to know each other, and that’s always a good thing. (PS: Thanks Nick, for the Stout suggestion – it was a great one xox.)

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Filed Under: Main Dishes, Recipe Posts, Soups

Hearty Chicken Noodle Soup

January 26, 2018

 

Got the blues? Cold outside? Feeling not quite yourself?   This is the soup for you. It’s what I make for my husband every time he’s down with a cold, and the one I pack up and deliver to friends who are under the weather or in need of some nutritional comfort. It can take hours or minutes, depending on your choice of broth options and chicken selected. Still tastes just right, whichever route you take. This is hearty soup, with big pieces of chicken and vegetables, plus a whole lot of, shall we say, generously sized noodles (I used regular lasagna noodles and cut them into strips when cooked) because to me, noodles are a food group all by themselves.   Another bonus: this soup can be gluten free – just substitute gluten free pasta for the regular noodles in this recipe and you are good to go.…

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French Onion Soup with Cheesy Ciabatta

January 11, 2018

Happy National Soup Month!  Not to be outdone, let’s get with the program and make some 🙂

This is my version of French Onion Soup (right alongside the five billion other versions out there) and falls into the ‘happy accident’ category of cooking. I set out to make some pizzas with grilled onions as part of the topping. Ever the lazy cook, I threw about four huge onions into a cast iron Dutch oven and figured I was good to go – not so much. The onions tasted great, but so many were in the pan that they steamed themselves and turned into a mushy looking, unattractive concoction. I put them aside and sautéed more onions in a shallow layer, then got the crisp brown edges and the better looking outcome I was hoping for in the first place. Since I ended up with plenty of leftovers, I threw everything together in a pot, added broth, and ended up with a pretty darned good soup. So here you have the best of both worlds: a creamy, flavorful base of onions with enough caramelized brown bites to create a nice balance. We won’t forget the crispy bread and melted cheese because that would just be wrong. Let me show you how it happened…

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Roasted Acorn Squash Soup & Spiced Carrot Soup

December 8, 2017

It’s a winter rainbow!!  Here are two soups that are so darned good individually, but really sing when put together.  We start with a Roasted Acorn Squash Soup with Coconut Milk that’s comforting and mellow.  Then to jazz things up a little we add a Spiced Carrot Soup, full of warm winter spices with just a kick of heat.  Swirl them together, add some creme fraiche and herb oil if you like, and go to town.  They are both a breeze to make, so the time commitment is doable, even during these crazy, frantic holidays.

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Filed Under: Recipe Posts, Soups

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My name is Roberta, and I’m so glad you dropped in! I’d love it if you could hang out with me for awhile and share some cooking & gardening adventures. Oh, and never fear, dessert is always a part of the plan – that just goes without saying.

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