The Return of Soup Season

I live up on a mountain, and we got our first snow storm yesterday. Thank goodness it is all melted again...I'm just not ready for snow to stick around yet! However, one part of this time of year that I always welcome is that it is the perfect weather for soup. Soup is so comforting and filling. Not to mention the fact that it is very economical. A little goes a long way.

Let me share two very easy soup recipes that I just found. They are both really delicious. I hope you like them.

Above: Shown without the Parmesan. It is great both ways!

15-Minute White Bean Soup

Ingredients:

2 teaspoons olive oil
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) vegetable or chicken broth
1 can (19 ounces) white beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Coarse salt and ground pepper
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan, for serving

Directions:

In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium. Add scallions, garlic, and oregano; cook, stirring frequently, until scallions begin to soften, about 3 minutes.

Stir in broth and beans; cook until heated through, about 4 minutes. Using a wooden spoon or potato masher, lightly mash some of the beans to thicken the soup. Stir in lemon juice; season with salt and pepper. Before serving, sprinkle with Parmesan.

Source: Everyday Food, December 2008. You can find it here.

Notes: So, so easy. I used chicken broth instead of vegetable broth and I added two cans of white beans instead of just one. I mashed about half of one can of beans to thicken the soup. So good! The lemon juice added such a nice flavor.

Six-Ingredient Chicken Noodle Soup

Ingredients:

2 bone-in, skin-on chicken breast halves (1 1/2 pounds total)
4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (1 1/2 pounds total)
8 cups low sodium chicken broth
4 medium carrots, cut into 1/4 inch rounds
4 ounces spaghetti, broken into 2 inch pieces (about 1 cup)
1 cup frozen peas
Coarse salt and ground pepper

Ingredients:

In a large pot, combine chicken, broth, and 8 cups water. Bring to a boil; reduce to a rapid simmer and cook until chicken is cooked through (skim off foam), about 18 minutes. With tongs, transfer chicken to a rimmed baking sheet and refrigerate 10 minutes.

Add carrots to pot and cook until crisp-tender, about 10 minutes. Add pasta and cook until tender, about 8 minutes. Remove skin and bones from chicken and discard. Shred chicken and add, along with peas, to pot. Cook until heated through. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Source: Everyday Food, September 2010. You can find the recipe here.

Notes: I didn't use chicken thighs, and as for the chicken breasts, I used boneless, skinless. I worried that this might make it less flavorful, but it was what I had on hand, so I thought I would give it a go anyway. I also used less water so there wasn't quite as much broth (I like my soup with a lot of stuff in it and less broth). It was sooo easy and sooo flavorful. I really loved this. My boys actually tried it and liked it too. It made a great lunch for me for the next couple of days as well.

Above: Yummy lunch leftovers.

Rather than breaking the spaghetti up myself, I happened to have some Barilla cut spaghetti. I got it once upon a time for my boys. It worked perfectly in this soup. I liked that it was a perfect spoon size pasta.