Cream of Cauliflower and Potato Soup

 The weather is warming but a lovely bowl of soup is still in order...

This is delicious...

 my knight and his cute sister really enjoyed it...

You will need

2 medium onions - chopped

1 large cauliflower

3 potatoes - cubed

1 large sweet potato - cubed

2 carrots - sliced

500ml of milk

125ml cream

salt

pepper

pinch or two of ground nutmeg

sugar

approx 1 liter vegetable or chicken stock

Chop the onions up and saute lightly in a blob of butter, add a sprinkling of brown sugar.

Add the potatoes, carrots and cauliflower florets

Add the chicken or veg stock and bring to the boil. Turn down to a simmer and add the milk and seasonings -  cook until vegetables are soft.

Puree the soup till smooth and add the cream

Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Enjoy

Cream of Spinach and Pear Soup

Cold winter days...

 Cold winter evenings...

need warm winter soup especially after a walk along the coast...brrrr

This is a winning soup and seems to be a favourite of very cute sister as her bowl was sparkly clean after a few minutes;-)...

So you will need - 

2 bunches fresh spinach

4 pears - peeled and chopped

1 large onion - chopped

1 tsp brown sugar

1 Tblsp butter

5 potatoes - cubed

3 sweet potatoes - cubed

Veg stock powder - as per instructions

5ml Salt

Ground Black Pepper

3 pinches ground nutmeg

250ml cream

Wash the spinach very well - its not nice to have crunchy spinach soup.

Meanwhile in a pot add the butter, chopped onion and sugar. Cook until nice and brown. 

Add the potatoes, sweet potatoes, pears,salt, pepper, nutmeg and stock to cover all the ingredients.

While cooking you can add a little more water if need be - 

 - not to much as then your soup will be very thin.

Add the spinach. Bring to boil, once spinach has wilted, turn down and let it simmer till everything is cooked through.

Take off the stove and blend with a hand held blender. Add the tub of cream and mix well. Taste and add more salt or pepper if need be

.

Enjoy with some nice crusty homemade farl...

Chicken, Veg and noodle soup

We are in the middle of winter and enjoying warm soups...

My knight and his cute sister love soup, and it is a wonderful way to get all sorts of goodies into the little bodies! 

We meet with Two Precious families on a Friday and we share lunch together...

this soup is a favourite...

Remember with soup, you cant really go wrong...

In this soup is the following -

1 Tblsp Butter

 6 Baby marrows (courgettes)

4 Baby gem squash

3 Carrots

4 Potatoes

2 Orange sweet potatoes

Celery* - handful

2 Onions

1 small Butternut

Free Range Chicken Pieces

(depends how much chicken you like in the soup, I usually just add about 4 thighs)

Vegetable stock

Salt  - to taste

Pepper - to taste

150gr approx Chinese Noodles

250ml Cream (optional)

Wash and chop all the veggies into nice size pieces - you are going to blend, so don't be to fussy with the shape or size.

In a large pot add butter, the onions and chicken 

(I have found using whole chicken pieces - bones, skin and all makes for a much tastier soup than using the neatly cut deboned breast fillets) - I usually add a tsp of brown sugar at this point.

Let it cook and brown for a few minutes.

Then add all the veggies, toss around for a few more minutes before adding the water.

Fill the pot with water to cover all the veggies and add your stock powder as per instructions.

Let it simmer away slowly until everything is tender and cooked through completely.

You may have to top the water up once or twice.

Take the chicken pieces out, remove the skin and bones and discard. 

 Chop the chicken finely.

 Using a hand held blender, blend the veggies until smooth.

Place the chicken back in the pot.

Add the noodles and let it simmer until they are soft.

Stir to avoid sticking...

Add a tub of cream. (optional)

Add salt and pepper to taste. 

Enjoy with some home made bread and butter.

* I don't know if you ever find that you buy a big bunch of celery and use a little and then the rest goes bad - well I have found a solution... on Pinterest;-) Wash and chop the celery - leaves and stems. Place on some roller towel on a baking sheet and then put into freezer. Once frozen take out and store in containers or bags in the freezer. Take out a handful when needed.